Send "Lil' Wayne " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Cduniverse |
 It's Wayne baby." The third member of the successful Hot Boys releases his own solo effort following the group's critically acclaimed album GUERILLA WARFARE. With his debut album THA BLOCK IS HOT, Lil' Wayne further proves that the Cash Money Click is taking over in time for the millennium. Wayne's southern-accented vocals add that New Orleans-style flavor to all of his songs. The rapper keeps his production focus in-house, as Mannie Fresh once again handles the boards, delivering more of that club-friendly sound. And with the help such talented guest artists as Juvenile, B.G., Young Turk, and the Big Tymers, this album lives up to the expectations of all loyal CMB fans....full text |
| Sputnikmusic |
| With all his recent commercial success (Tha Carter II, Tha Carter III, an assortment of hit singles,) legal troubles (he’s currently serving a twelve month jail sentence stemming from a gun charge and is facing various other charges) and consensus musical failure (Rebirth) it’s easy enough to forget – or even disregard – Lil Wayne’s storied past. A teenage sensation with the Hot Boyz who went from having baby-dreads, undeniable hype, and a Lexus to having a flowing mane, a musical empire, and a Maybach in a decade. When he released his double-platinum record Tha Block Is Hot in 1999, he was only 17, and although the motives for the hype were justified, the seven-digit sale figures were not. In a word, this record can be described as “raw.” Even though (future) superproducer Mannie Fresh was not yet equipped with top-tier equipment, and hadn’t yet completely figured out the art of record producing, he still produces some top-notch tracks. Aside from a few misfires like “High Beamin.” “Young Playa,” “Drop It Like Is Hot” and “Remember Me,” Mannie Fresh’s production is the main force that ties this record together. The salsa-like composition of “Respect Us,” high, bursting horns and resounding percussion of “Loud Pipes” and the funk bass guitar echos and sorrowful piano sample of “F@ck Tha World” are just examples of highlight tracks that carry the weight of the shallow, inexperienced lyricism and unrefined delivery of Lil Wayne. There’s a weason Wayne received his nickname later on in his career. The moniker of “Weezy” stemmed from his syrupy wheeze, which replaced his youthful nasal that he demonstrated on this album. And although that’s not a bad thing, combine it with his plain, generic flow and you have an utterly average MC. Moreover, his self-focused, materialistic musings and occasional nihilistic angst aren’t decorated with anything optimal, rendering his lyricism bland, but not to the extent that it’s noticeably bad. Despite there being some minor filler (roughly half the album) that spans over the 70 minutes and 17 tracks, Lil Wayne certainly creates some blazing-hot tracks. The title track sold over 2 million units as a single – which is impressive, considering the radio standards of the 90’s are easily better than today’s – and not deservedly so. “Come On” has Lil Wayne pulling his best flow on the album off. And “Loud Pipes” showcases both a catchy beat and an infectious hook courtesy of Juvenile....full text |
| Starpulse |
| Shortly after establishing himself as a prominent member of the Hot Boys, Lil Wayne entered the solo realm with Tha Block Is Hot. From beginning to end, the teen rapper gets plenty of assistance from his former group mates (Juvenile, B.G., and Turk), who back him on just over half of the album's 17 songs. In addition, the Big Tymers (Brian "Baby" Williams and Mannie Fresh) make several appearances as well, and Fresh produces the entire album. Considering all this, Tha Block Is Hot isn't much different from other late-'90s Cash Money releases like 400 Degreez, Chopper City in the Ghetto, and How You Luv That? Like those albums, Tha Block Is Hot is essentially a group effort despite Wayne's solo billing. Even so, he still gets plenty of time to shine here, particularly on the fiery album-opening title track, which proved to be one of Cash Money's biggest hits to date. The remainder of the album is as solid as late-'90s Cash Money albums get -- a few standouts here and there, mostly because of Fresh's beats, with lots of filler toward the latter half of the album. Taken as a whole, Tha Block Is Hot surely has its moments, though Wayne still seems a little green here. Thankfully, the Cash Money posse comes to his aid often, resulting in an excellent debut for the youngster, highlighted by the title track. Jason Birchmeier, Rovi...full text |
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