So, this album gets shit on a lot. But, I disagree with many of the criticisms. In my opinion, this album is a solid 9//10. Lil Wayne changed up his lane with this album. He got out of his comfort zone, of rap music. He was willing to take artistic risk to make something great. Cudi did it, but in my opinion, didn't do it well. But, I have a lot of respect for him taking that artistic risk to get out of his lane. Wayne did something with this album that had never been done before. Autotune over rock music. As most of us agree, autotune is a vastly underrated instrument/effect. Prior to this album, I had never imagined autotune over rock music. Mods, PM me if you have any problems with this, I legitimately love this album and I feel like it gets brushed aside far too often. I'm gonna try to refrain from using smilies to make this easier to read for you guys, because I fully believe this is at least worth a listen. This album falls in the same category as “Kingdom Come” by Jay Z. A well executed album by a GOAT, but dismissed because of how different/underwhelming it was to the hype. To quote the sample in a Kanye West song, “He’ll give us what we need, it may not be what we want”

Track 1 - American Star - Solid intro track. Wayne comes out swinging on this track with the guitar solo. I love the harmonizing Wayne starts right before the first hook. The harmonizing before the 2nd hook is incredible too. This kind of autotune usage (i'm aware that this album isn't the first time it's been used like this) led to present artists such as young thug. The bridge leads to a kind of buildup, very interesting imo. I can really get into this song, as it has a lot going on at once to keep my interest (drums, wayne harmonizing, the hook). Wayne is just a dopeboy with a guitar. One of my favs off the album. 10/10

Track 2 - Prom Queen - This song is the most shit on song of the album. I have to say this track was definitely a huge artistic risk for Wayne. Previously, Wayne had stuck to his lane of making real hip hop, but with this song, he puts that aside for the most part. He sings/raps in a drugged out cadence, frequently harmonizing (happens frequently throughout the album). This track angered many real hip hop heads, because of all the cliches throughout it. I personally love this track. Wayne said "fuck this" to all of his fans, and did what made himself feel right artistically. This led to artists like Cudi and king Yeezus taking the same risks on their own works. Weezy has a loyal fanbase, even today, and many of them (such as myself) are able to enjoy tracks like this, just due to the balls it took wayne to make it. 9/10

Track 3 - Ground Zero - Wayne uses a really interesting echo/distortion effect on this song. I personally love it. The song is about getting high, with a hook that boasts "I'm so high that the ground is gone, and I don't even know which cloud I'm on". Wayne goes stupid on the second verse after the first verse. Looking at the lyrics, there isnt that much special about it. But, Wayne really shows through with his delivery. He shows so much emotion throughout it. This whisper kind of thing weezy does towards the end of the album is interesting, and helps build up tension towards the hook of "lets jump off a building baby." Definitely one of my favorite cuts from the album. 10/10

Track 4 - Da Da Da - SLEPT ON TRACK RIGHT HERE!!! This is some lo-fi wayne right here. Think early Black Keys mixed with drugged out Wayne on autotune. The song derives its name from the hook, which i'm sure you can figure out on your own. The melody Wayne uses during the hook is also very intriguing. Huge fan of it. I feel throughout this song he was going for a dancy garage rock kind of sound. Even though the song is pretty lo-fi, the drum melodies are sound pretty fresh. The real highlight is the third verse. One of my favorite flows on the album. Wayne has BARS on this verse. "Yeah, if she can’t swim, I gotcha girl sinking in my Benz". Underrated verse and definitely one of my favorite (if not the best) tracks on the album right here. 10/10

Track 5 - Paradise - Deep song right here. Basically this song is a warning about putting all your eggs in one basket. It starts with Wayne talking about a girl who works all her life for money and fame, but still does not find it fulfilling. "She finally made all her dreams come true and then she screamed, oh no, this ain't paradise". Once again, Wayne brings the HEAT in the third verse, finishing it with "It's like I have it all, but what's it all worth? I'm probably better in my afterlife. I should cherish life, but this ain't paradise." Wayne is possibly talking about how he has it all, money, sex, drugs, fame, but is still not able to satisfy himself. Sad if you really think about it, this man has worked all of his life for it. 10/10

Track 6 - Get a Life - Love the drum solo at the beginning of the song. I love the Dave Grohl influence on the track. He would definitely be proud of this. Wayne does a lot of weird harmonizing in and out of this song, it unfortunately gets a bit hard to follow in some parts. But, the part where he kinda does spoken word starting with “hey girl” is great. Song also low-key reminds me of “Girlfriend” by Avril Levigne (mostly the lyrics), another one of my favorite songs from back in the day. Song still slaps. 8/10 because it’s hard to follow at points, other than that its pretty good.

Track 7 - On Fire - This song lived up to the name, because it’s fire. It has low-key David Bowie influence because of the synth. The synth is later followed up by some classic auto tune weedy with some high hats. Love the guitar riff right about half way through the hook. The only thing I really don’t like, it wayne’s rapping on this song. He starts going IN, but then stops rapping, pauses, and flicks a lighter. After flicking the lighter, he starts harmonizing. You can probably tell i’m a huge fan of his harmonizing by now, but he does it throughout the entire song. This is not a bad thing, but you can’t rap four bars and never finish the verse. It leaves something to be desired. Song is still amazing though, but sometimes I skip through the rapping part so I don’t disappoint myself with a buildup. 9/10

Track 8 - Drop the World (ft. Slim Shady) - GOD BLESS HIT-BOY. HE MADE A HIT RIGHT HERE. Wayne draws out a lot of emotion through the first verse, which has no drums with lines like “Days are the same”, “I search but never find, hurt but never cry”, “the top gets higher the higher I climb.” Then the drums drop. You know what happens? Wayne drops a god tier hook after the emotional buildup. Wayne picks the song up and drops it on your fucking head. TOP 5 WAYNE HOOK OF ALL TIME. I COULD DIE NOW AND REBIRTH MOTHERFUCKER, HOP IN MY SPACESHIP AND LEAVE EARTH MOTHERFUCKER. Delivery is incredible as wayne continues drawing out more emotional deepness throughout the second verse. I’m not a fan of Eminem after 8 Mile era by any means, but he was absolutely perfect on this track. During his verse, the beat becomes a little bit stripped down and Eminem builds up tension so he can drop the world on your fucking head (or drop bars in ur mom’s toyota sienna). If u are a suburban kid born before 2005 and u don’t know his verse word for word, I can’t respect you. Eminem’s verse on this song (and this song in general) is iconic. There is no way to criticize this song. Even the people who hate Rebirth like this song. Eminem x Wayne is like Jay x Kanye, Future x Drake. Definitive 10/10 and probably the strongest song on the entire album.

Track 9 - Runnin (ft. Shannell) - Genius track listing. Perfect followup to “Drop the World.” After “Drop the World”, you are motivated, but on the other hand, you are also looking back on your life to see how you can improve upon it. Wayne talks about how he’s kind of depressed, often referencing a finish line. He is lost trying to find that finish line. The finish line being the top of life. Even though Wayne is so accomplished throughout his life (remember, this is when he was king), he has no idea what to do for the rest of his life. Just like “Drop the World”, Wayne continues to motivate you “It’s almost over now, I say it’s almost over now, The end is getting closer now, Better do what you suppose to cause the world is so short.” He is really lost, and he’s trying to fill this void by becoming a rockstar. Also, the song has a hook by Shanell. Not a huge fan of the hook because it sounds Skylar Grey-esque. 9/10

Track 10 - One Way Trip (ft. Kevin Rudolph and Travis Barker) - You know that Wayne is about to go in when Wayne flicks a lighter at the beginning of the song (prove me wrong tbh). Unlike most of the other songs on the album, Wayne isn’t harmonizing or singing a hook at the beginning of the album. He starts off the song with some BARS. The flow is so sick he shoulda died in the first verse. Kevin Rudolph drops an incredible hook. “ON A ONE WAYYY TRIIPPPP TOOO YOUUUUUUUUU”. I love Travis Barker’s drumming on this song. Could probably get a great party going because of the catchy hook, synths, and drumming. Solid track 10/10

Track 11 - Knockout (ft. Nicki) Some vintage nicki minaj on this song. Still get nostalgia from watching the corny music video. One of the first Nicki songs I remember, or maybe I just wasn’t paying attention. Either way, she fits well on this song. Most of her parts start after a buildup during Wayne’s verses. But she drops a hard verse after I think the (2nd?) verse. If I could go back in time, i’d probably download some nicki after hearing this song. I was probably too busy playing Need For Speed: Carbon and listening to “Drop The World” to care.

Track 12 - The Price is Wrong This song is a shredder. Kevin Rudolph the GOAT went in here. Song is influenced heavily by “American Idiot” era Green Day. Specifically the song “Jesus of Suburbia”. Throughout the song Wayne is talking about a girl who he used to have feelings for, but she turned into a thot. The song takes place in a high school, so it is possible that it was a made up story, considering Weezy F Muthafuckin Baby dropped out and never graduated. But, in this song he says “but i graduated from you”, meaning he is over the girl, not from the school. She stole his heart and runaway. Throughout the entire album Wayne seems lost in what he is doing. Yeah, i’m not even gonna lie, this is the worst song on the album. 6/10

Track 13 - I’ll Die For You Love this song. Wayne goes crazy on the auto tune singing here. Through songs like this, you can see how Wayne influenced artists like Young Thug. Much of this album is about girls, and this is not exception. The song is Wayne pleading to a girl to stay with him. At the end Wayne finds a new girl and ethers his ex gf he was pleading with. He was crazy for that. There is a great fan made video that goes well with this song. Here you go

10/10

Track 14 - I’m So Over You (ft. Shanell) Reminds me of “I Hate Everything About You” by Three Days Grace. Wayne once again sings about a girl. This one has a conclusion though, Wayne reveals he’s done with the girl. The hook starts with “This is my resurrection, so fuck your resolution” as soon as the harder guitar chords come in. Pretty hard when it goes together tbh. Shanell is on the second verse. I’m not even gonna lie, when I was younger, I thought that verse was a dude with a high voice lmao. The verse is still pretty hard though “I did everything by the book, book, book, Scribblin’ over all the notes that I took, took, took, Find out that you’re no better than a crook.” Whoever Weezy was talking about throughout this album was getting ethered nonstop. I almost feel bad for them, but on the other hand, Wayne created one of the most interesting albums of the twenty first century, full of artistic risks. This song is the perfect outro and a 9/10

In conclusion, GIVE THIS ALBUM A CHANCE. It is overhated, and overall a solid, objectively great album.