Rebirth

Lil Wayne’s whole career is premised on avoiding the obvious. When his weird rap opus Tha Carter III became a sales phenomenon, the obvious thing to do would be to follow it up with more of the same. But because Wayne is Wayne he followed it up with Rebirth, an album of abrasive alternative rock. You have to admire an artist who is more comfortable in unfamiliar territory than he is on his regular turf. Rebirth may have been the last thing Wayne’s fans wanted, but no one can say that the music herein is not 100% true to its author’s personality. Wayne is a great lyricist, but Rebirth is predicated more on attitude than rhyme styles, and any true Wayne will tell you that his attitude and delivery are just as essential as his writing. “Drop the World” and “Knockout” rely on few words, but everything Wayne has to say is expressed in his vocalizing, which is in turns lusty, tortured, but always irrepressible. The musical choices of Rebirth are at times inaccessible and puzzling, but listen without expectations and you will receive what is arguably Wayne’s most revealing statement as a pop star.