Tunechi’s tracks: A definitive ranking of Lil Wayne's albums

It should go without saying that Lil Wayne is a legendary figure in Hip Hop. Emerging as a prodigious talent at a young age, the New Orleans rapper began his musical reign as a member of the Hot Boys, a group signed to the iconic Cash Money Records. It was evident early on that he possessed an unparalleled gift for wordplay, metaphors, and rapid-fire delivery, setting him apart as a force to be reckoned with in the rap game.

Wayne would eventually take the solo route, beginning with his debut album, Tha Block Is Hot, which showcased his raw talent and laid the foundation for what would become a remarkable trajectory in the music industry. His subsequent albums, including Tha Carter series, solidified his status as one of the greatest rappers of his generation. With his distinct voice and inventive lyrical style, Wayne captivated audiences and critics alike, earning numerous accolades and cementing his place in the upper echelon.

If you look up the word "prolific" in the dictionary, you'll find a picture of Weezy smiling. In addition to 13 studio albums, he's managed to churn out countless mixtapes. There were even joint projects (official and unofficial) with the likes of Birdman, Juelz Santana, T-Pain, and Rich The Kid. As the head of Young Money, he helped usher in the careers of Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Tyga, three artists who remain as rap royalty in their own right. He also heavily influenced -- and continues to influence -- countless other artists across genres.

REVOLT decided to rank Wayne's solo discography to see how they all stack up. Check out what we came up with below.

13. Rebirth

Depending on who you ask, Rebirth was either highly revered for its uniqueness or heavily panned for its failed experimentation. Created during a time when Weezy was exploring other genres, the 12-song effort delved into rock and its subgenres, with songs like “Prom Queen” with Shanell and “Paradice” receiving polarizing responses. Whichever side you’re on, Rebirth contained one of Wayne’s most notable classics – the timeless "Drop the World,” a collaboration alongside Detroit icon Eminem.

12. Free Weezy Album

While this album is far from an afterthought, Free Weezy Album was created in the midst of Tunechi’s feud with Cash Money Records and its co-founder Birdman, his former father figure. The 16-song effort was initially released as a TIDAL exclusive with assists from Wiz Khalifa, Jeezy, Bibi Bourelly, and more. The project eventually made its way to other streaming platforms with songs modified or removed entirely due to clearance issues.

11. Funeral

Although Funeral wasn’t released to as much fanfare as other projects, it did receive plenty of positive responses from fans and critics alike. The LP had more than its fair share of heavy-hitters, but was somewhat bloated with 24 songs – 32 if you count its deluxe edition. There were also plenty of collaborators who added to the overall quality, including Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Lil Uzi Vert, Benny The Butcher, and the late Takeoff.

10. 500 Degreez

As the self-proclaimed best rapper alive stated in a past interview with Q93’s Wild Wayne, 500 Degreez was a defiant message to Juvenile, whose breakthrough album, 400 Degreez, helped to put Cash Money on the map. Once Juvie left the label, it was up to Weezy to keep the ball rolling, and he did.

9. I Am Not A Human Being II

The sequel to I Am Not A Human Being contained some of Tune’s most timeless cuts, including “No Worries” with Detail, “Rich As F**k” with 2 Chainz, and “Love Me” with Drake and Future – the latter receiving a top 10 placement on the Billboard Hot 100 and a seven-times platinum certification. Soulja Boy, Juicy J, Nicki Minaj, Big Sean, and more added to a body of work that further solidified the veteran emcee’s place at the top of the game long after his introduction.

8. Lights Out

Lights Out was the second official outing for Wayne. While it didn’t receive as much praise as its predecessor, Tha Block Is Hot, the sophomore effort did receive its share of commercial success, including a gold certification. Released before Cash Money utilized artists and beatsmiths outside of the label, the project was produced entirely by Mannie Fresh and only saw appearances from labelmates.

7. I Am Not A Human Being

I Am Not A Human Being kept Weezy’s momentum going during his eight-month prison sentence with cuts like the woozy and sentimental “I’m Single” and the Drake-assisted “Right Above It,” the latter of which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and went quintuple platinum. The rest of the platinum-certified LP’s features remained in-house with additional contributions from the likes of Nicki Minaj, Lil Twist, Jay Sean, Gudda Gudda, and Jae Millz.

6. Tha Block Is Hot

This is the album that put Lil Wayne on the map as a solo artist. Following the success of Hot Boys, Juvenile, and B.G., Weezy F. Baby’s Tha Block Is Hot kept the Cash Money dynasty going with classics like “Drop It Like It's Hot,” “Lights Off,” and the LP’s title track. The project was also notable for being completely devoid of cursing – except for the powerful and intentional “F**k Tha World.”

5. Tha Carter

While Tha Block Is Hot was his proper introduction as a solo artist, Tha Carter truly established Weezy as thee next artist of his generation. With Mannie Fresh still on the boards, Mr. Carter scrapped his old style of rapping for an entirely new style that was heavily inspired by JAY-Z – an emcee that he would later consider a direct competitor. The culture was wowed by the final product as a result, which contained timeless cuts like “Go D.J.,” "BM J.R.," and the Jazze Pha-assisted “Earthquake.” Tha Carter also boasted the emotionally charged “I Miss My Dawgs,” a heartfelt message to former Cash Money artists and Hot Boys members Juvenile, Turk, and B.G.

4. Tha Carter V

After his contractual disputes with Cash Money came to an end, the Louisiana veteran struck hard with the fifth installment of his Tha Carter series. The chart-topping, long-awaited release contained bangers like “Don’t Cry” with XXXTentacion, “Mona Lisa” with Kendrick Lamar, and “Uproar” with Swizz Beatz, the last of which was a welcomed return to the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. A few critics did take issue with Tha Carter V’s length, which came with 23 songs (not including bonus tracks and its deluxe edition).

3. Tha Carter IV

The fourth installment of Tha Carter series was notable because it served as Wayne’s proper return to the fold following his highly publicized stint in prison. As such, tracks recorded prior to his jail term were largely scrapped for fresh, new songs, resulting in a well-received effort that almost hit a million copies in sales during its first week of release. Smash hits like "6 Foot 7 Foot" with Cory Gunz, "John" with Rick Ross, “She Will” with Drake, and the R&B-inspired “How To Love” lived on this album.

2. Tha Carter III

This is the LP that remains the biggest of his career. Preceded by the iconic “Mixtape Weezy” era that catapulted the rapper to the top of the rap world, Tha Carter III held an amazingly high level of anticipation prior to its release. A version of the LP that leaked to the public only fueled the proverbial fire. As a result, the third installment of Tha Carter series was a commercial explosion with a whopping 1,005,545 copies sold during its debut week. Its lead single, the melodic “Lollipop,” eventually went diamond. This album stands as one of the greatest in music.

1. Tha Carter II

The entire rap world took notice when Mr. Hollygrove switched up his lyrical style on Tha Carter, and its sequel only amped things up in the process. What further added to the transition was Mannie Fresh’s departure from Cash Money, sparking the inclusion of outside producers like The Heatmakerz, The Runners, and Deezle. The resulting effort was an entirely different new sound that was more than welcomed, positioning Wayne as Hip Hop’s next potential crown-bearer. Even more impressive was the fact that he pulled this off while hitting the books at the University of Houston.

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