Tha Carter III

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Lore & Background

The road to Tha Carter III was paved with leaks and legal battles. After much of the album leaked online in mid-2007, Wayne released an interim project titled The Leak on December 18, 2007, which included leaked tracks plus four new songs. During production, he worked with a massive roster of producers including The Alchemist, Timbaland, and Kanye West, who reportedly left fifteen joints on a CD during one visit before Wayne asked him to slow down. A copyright controversy arose over the track "Playing with Fire," which Abkco Music Inc. claimed was derived from The Rolling Stones' "Play with Fire." Consequently, the song was removed from all online stores and replaced with David Banner's "Pussy Monster." Despite these hurdles, the album earned widespread acclaim, receiving a Metacritic score of 84 based on 25 reviews.

In Their Own Story

The album's narrative is defined by its massive commercial success and critical recognition. It reached sales of 2.88 million copies by the end of 2008 and produced four commercially successful singles on the Billboard Hot 100. The lead single, "Lollipop," featuring Static Major, peaked at number one for three weeks (though some sections note five non-consecutive weeks) and won Best Rap Song at the Grammys. The second single, "A Milli," reached number six and won Best Rap Solo Performance. Other hits included "Got Money" with T-Pain and "Mrs. Officer." At the 2009 Grammy Awards, Tha Carter III was nominated for Album of the Year but won Best Rap Album. Wayne also performed "Tie My Hands" with Robin Thicke at the ceremony. The project has since been certified octuple platinum by the RIAA and included on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Reader's Guide

For listeners, Tha Carter III offers a deep dive into Wayne's lyrical versatility and the era's production styles. Key tracks include "Mr. Carter," featuring Jay-Z, which was praised for its verse exchange and nominated for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. The album also features "Tie My Hands," noted for its political commentary and despair, and "Phone Home," which uses alien metaphors reminiscent of E.T. While the final cut excluded several planned skits featuring artists like Tyga, Cory Gunz, and 13-year-old Lil Chuckee, the released tracks showcase Wayne's ability to blend humor with serious themes. The album also faced lawsuits from producers Deezle, Bangladesh, David Kirkwood, and Play-N-Skillz regarding unpaid royalties in 2011, highlighting the complex business behind the music.

Did You Know?

• The album features Static Major, who is credited posthumously following his death in February 2008.
• Producer Kanye West initially brought fifteen tracks to a session before Lil Wayne asked him to slow down; several of those tracks ended up on the final album.
• The track "Playing with Fire" was removed from all online stores due to a copyright lawsuit by Abkco Music Inc. and replaced with "Pussy Monster."
• "Lollipop" spent five non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Wayne's most successful solo single.
• Multiple planned skits featuring artists like Tyga, Lil Mama, and 13-year-old Lil Chuckee were included in early plans but did not make the final cut of the album.