“No Ceilings 2" by Lil Wayne: Is The Mixtape Weezy Back?

Whenever Lil Wayne decides to drop a new project the debate begins, is he back or has he fallen off?  The internet goes into a frenzy when Lil Wayne drops any new music and none might be bigger than his release of No Ceilings 2  the sequel to the acclaimed No Ceilings  mixtape which some say is possibly one of the greatest mixtapes ever. For me, the first No Ceilings  is probably one of my favorite Lil Wayne albums/mixtapes to date and is what really lead me to become such a tremendously huge die hard Lil Wayne fan. However, though there were some highlights on this mixtape, I was left a little disappointed with a majority of this project and it made me start to think “has Lil Wayne finally fallen off as a rapper?”

 

Way Too Much Autotune

The first thing that stands out with No Ceilings 2  is the overwhelming use of autotune. As a listener I just found it annoying and very repetitive.  One example is the song “The Hills” which is a cover of the popular song by The Weeknd. In an effort to copy the flow and style The Weeknd created on the song he uses the autotune to make his voice stand out more, but in my opinion it comes off as awkward and odd. Makes you wonder at times, what was Lil Wayne thinking? I wanted to hear Lil Wayne rapping with a purpose and with a hunger to quiet the haters who said he had fallen off.

Weezy Ain’t Dead Yet

Although there were a number of songs that were a letdown for me on this project, there were also a number of memorable songs that I loved. One of my favorite songs off the mixtape is “Fresh” which finds Lil Wayne teaming up with his old producer and friend Mannie Fresh. This is the first time these two have teamed up in almost 10 years and Mannie had Weezy rapping like the young hungry MC he once was. Another standout track on this mixtape for me was “No Reason” with King Los, which finds Lil Wayne using his famous wordplay and similes to drop a number of memorable lines that I think any hip hop fan would appreciate and enjoy. Songs like this reminded me why Lil Wayne is truly considered one of the all-time greats in hip-hop and makes it look so easy.

In the end, in my opinion No Ceilings 2  is pretty underwhelming, especially if compared solely to the first No Ceilings. It wasn’t a bad project from Wayne however, with so many great albums and mixtapes under his catalog this wasn’t up to what I expect from Lil Wayne as far as his abilities as a rapper and as an artist. Overall, I hope Wayne finds new inspiration and comes back hungrier in 2016 and can bounce back from this lackluster project.

Overall: 2.5 out of 5
Essential Tracks: “No Reason”, “Fresh” & “Destroyed”

“The Incredible True Story” by Logic: The Journey for Paradise

The term “sophomore slump” is tossed around a lot in the conversation of hip hop. For many artists after dropping their first album it is really tough to get over the hump and drop a second album, especially one that can be considered successful and timeless in the art of music. However, for Maryland rapper Logic that doesn’t seem to be a problem at all for him with his new album The Incredible True Story. He holds nothing back on his new project as in my opinion he created one of the more creative albums of 2015. 

The Incredible Journey with Kai and Thomas

 

One of my favorite elements of this album is the story layered into the songs, in what feels almost like a mini movie. The album follows characters Quentin Thomas and William Kai on a journey through space as they make their way to the planet “Paradise”. All the while the album is playing as the soundtrack for the journey there. The two discuss a bunch of different topics from how to finish a Rubik cube to what the meaning of life truly is. What is so creative about the use of characters within the album is that they don’t feel unnecessary and fit into the narrative well, even within the songs as Logic’s raps with his fierce flow and style. As a listener I was hooked and wanted to listen more and more to see what happens to the characters by the end of the album and in that sense Logic succeeded.

 

Logic Showcases His Versatility and Inspirations

 

On The Incredible True Story, Logic also displays his skills as an MC throughout this album but he also shows where he gets his inspirations from. On the song “I Am The Greatest”, I felt Logic was rapping in a similar style to that of Drake from his song “Worst Behavior”. Other songs like “Innermission” play off of the style of Kendrick Lamar in telling a deep narrative and connecting with the listener about his struggles to get to the top. As a rapper, Logic is very creative, intelligent and witty and it’s what makes him so successful at being able to connect with his fans and the audience through his music. It’s almost as though Logic is a melting pot of a variety of hip hop styles and eras.

Overall, this album is honestly one of my favorite albums of 2015. The creativity alone is enough to hook a listener to want to take this journey with Logic, whether you were a fan or not. This is definitely an album you need to listen to more than once to truly understand and appreciate the creativity This is a deep conceptual album that in my opinion will be considered a modern classic for years to come.

Overall: 5 out of 5
Essential Tracks: “Innermission”, “I Am The Greatest”, “Young Jesus” and “Lord Willin’”