Lil Wayne - I Am Not a Human Being Review

Dwayne Carter is a man who really needs no introduction. Better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, Carter has become the master of producing catchy hip-hop music that carries little to no substance. It's fluff in every sense of the word. Believe me though, I say this with no malicious intent. Wayne has found his niche in today's hip-hop scene, and fills it perfectly release after release. His one key moment of experimentation came in the form of Rebirth, an interesting-on-paper fusion of rock and hip-hop that was released earlier this year. Rebirth was critically panned, its musical experimentation only serving to expose how little weight Wayne's lyrics actually carry. Although he's currently serving a prison sentence, Wayne was still able to release his latest album I Am Not a Human Being. Initially announced as an EP, it evolved into its current state after being padded with tracks produced for Wayne's upcoming Tha Carter IV. So, does Human Being carry over any influences from Rebirth?

Not really. Wayne is back to doing what he does best, exemplified perfectly in the opening track “Gonorrhea.” It opens with a generic club beat and synth melody that continue throughout the rest of the song, punctuated occasionally by sirens and hilarious lyrics. It's hard to accept that Wayne is serious with a chorus containing the line, “Pussy ass n***a, I don't wantcha gonorrhea,” but he and the track's feature Drake deliver the lyrics with the same sincerity as the verses. While their subject matter is nothing to write home about, both artists have an undeniable sense of flow and rhythm that makes even the most ridiculous lyrics quite infectious.

And speaking of Wayne's protégé, Drake makes quite a few appearances on Human Being. “With You” is a stripped down track featuring a main piano melody and possibly the only impressive production on the album. StreetRunner's production and Drake's vocal prowess during the chorus make this track a definite stand out on the short album. He also contributes a verse to “Right Above It” over repetitive synth chords and horn instrumentals. It's typical Young Money, with topical name drops and silly wordplay, but their delivery remains strong despite the lyrical content....full text Whilst Drake and Nicki Minaj have released enough Young Money material to blanket the Hip Hop world until 2014, a void still remains which neither could cover. Leader of the Young Money revolution Lil’ Wayne has had his dominance at the top cut short due to a recent prison spell. But even incarceration hasn’t been successful in putting a halt to the man’s work rate as New Orleans’ favourite son drops his latest EP-turned-album, I’m Not A Human Being.

A title fitting to an artist whose material output could only be described as out of this world, Lil Wayne’s next venture hopes to keep him abreast of the rest of Hip Hop’s all star lineup, even with a brief hiatus.

There are no surprises on deck as the opener “Gonorrhea” is intoxicated with spacey beats and Weezy’s signature styling with Drake‘s breathless flow there to even out the warped offerings.”Hold Up” follows suit with more android vibes, but it’s when the album reaches its title track that it eventually shakes off the space theme and dives straight into some hard hitting riffs and retro beats.

Akin to classic Beastie Boys, Wayne destroys the track with a standout performance resulting in a future anthem for live events. In addition to Drake’s numerous appearances, Wayne also grabs help from Drizzy’s long time producer 40 for zoned out, mellow cut, “I’m Single”.

Nicki Minaj handles hook duties on “What’s Wrong With Them” – which is somewhat disappointing considering her recent demolition of tracks she’s featured on this year; a quick 16 could have done more for the aforementioned track. But the Harajuku Barbie manages to drop a few lines on the first of two Young Money posse cuts; “YM Salute” is another guitar led scorcher, whilst “YM Banger” returns to the alien-esque theme of earlier.

Finishing up with “That Ain’t Me”, featuring Jay Sean, and the harder “Bill Gates,” Weezy F Baby makes a welcome return with an appealing album. Whilst it still feels more like an EP (which was its original intention), the ten tracks [not including bonuses] of I Am Not A Human Being are diverse enough to hold the attention of anyone other than Wayne fanatics....full text “I Am Not A Human Being” is the title track to Lil Wayne‘s upcoming EP, which is scheduled to hit stores on Lil Wayne’s birthday, September 27. Watch the video/listen to the song below. Oh and Free Weezy....full text