15 Reasons Lil Wayne’s ‘Tha Carter IV’ Is Needed

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After a good year of anticipation and a prison bid that may have derailed his album plans, Lil Wayne will officially drop his long-awaited new LP, 'Tha Carter IV,' on Aug. 29. Just as soon as he stepped out of the gates of New York's Rikers Island last November, Wayne was said to have headed straight to the studio to begin work on the fervently talked about effort. Being on lockdown for eight months straight had to have changed the way he does music. Will Weezy top the success of 'Tha Carter III?' Or will his first post-prison release go the way as T.I.'s 'No Mercy?' We'll just have to wait and see, but in the meantime, check The BoomBox's 15 reasons why 'Tha Carter IV' is needed.

His Jail Lessons Revealed

When he wasn't getting busted for playing his music, or being accused of getting special treatment, we're sure Weezy learned a bunch of lessons behind bars, so it's only right that he share the wealth. Now that the new Orleans native is finally free to come and go as he pleases, he's bubbling over with material that should surely include some of the sights and unsightly things he saw while locked up. After all, most rappers who start out big then head to prison tend to release some of their best stuff.

T.I. Is Still Locked Up

Wayne has never proclaimed himself to be the King of the South -- although he has called himself the greatest rapper alive, which is a higher honor -- but he's still very much a contender for the crown. Seeing as how T.I. has a few more months left on his second bid in two years, the 28-year-old can quietly sit on his thrown until he returns. He's put in the leg work, so he deserves to be rap royalty anyway.

His Lawsuits Won't Go Away

It seems like every week Wayne is getting sued for allegedly stealing one song after another. Yes, it's apparent he or his team can be a little forgetful when it comes to paying his producers, but now people who don't even know him are accusing him of jacking beats, too -- like 'How to Love' for example. If he doesn't make money, he won't be able to pay the big bucks if the judge rules against him. Plus, we need to hear 'Tha Carter IV' just to see what all the legal fuss is about.

He Needs to Top 'Tha Carter III'

Lil Wayne was the toast of hip-hop in 2008. At a time when record sales took one hit after another, Weezy jumped in and managed to sell a million copies of 'Tha Carter III' in one week. Any rapper worth their weight in album sales is nothing if not secretly competitive within themselves. Thus far, every 'Carter' album has topped the other. At this point, breaking the cycle would be cruel.

A New Relationship Exposed

We all know that Wayne is a serial impregnator, but it's time to hand up the side pieces because he's in love, at least for now. The '6 Foot 7 Foot' creator has been quietly dating an Italian waitress from Arizona, and according to a few random Twitter posts, he's pretty much smitten. When you mix love and hip-hop, the results are almost always good, even when they're bad, especially if he exposes it all on wax.

Drake and Nicki Are Hogging the Spotlight

Wayne has said that he loves nothing more than watching his artists grow, but it's time to get back in the spotlight. During his hiatus, Drake promised to carry Young Money until his boss and mentor returned home. As it turns out, Drizzy opened the lane up for Nicki Minaj to speed through with her 'Pink Friday' album. Not that there's hate against the Queens MC, but it's only right to let the man that put her on shine.

Being a Rocker Didn't Work Out So Well

There's nothing wrong with branching out. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Unfortunately, the latter was true for Wayne. Last February, he released his rock album, 'Rebirth,' and after several delays, the end result was less than stellar. The album was certified gold, which pales in comparison to his previous works. We give him an "A" for effort, but it's apparent that rock music just isn't his strong point -- even if he did learn how to play the guitar.

He's Sober

OK, we know this seems like we're taking a shot at Wayne but that's not the case. According to the terms of his three-year probation upon his prison release, Weezy is not allowed to drink, partake in drug activity or be anywhere near illegal substances. His friend's are pretty happy about it, of course. Nicki Minaj said he was "nicer" and "calmer," which are good ingredients when you're cooking up new music.

Jay-Z, Kanye and Eminem Need a Break

Let's face it, there are a handful of hip-hop artists who live at the top of the Billboard charts, and Wayne was once one of them. Jay-Z, Kanye and Eminem have been sitting pretty on the charts for the past year, and it's time to let Weezy jump in the mix. While Kanye and Jay are busy "watching the throne," this is the perfect time for Wayne to swoop in and grab listeners' attention. Listen to his recent Jay-Z diss track here to find out if he may just oust Hov from his throne.

His 'Sorry 4 the Wait' Mixtape Is Old News

Wayne knows his fans have been patiently waiting for 'Tha Carter IV' for three years, so in an attempt to tide them over, he dropped the 'Sorry 4 the Wait' mixtape. Rapping over everything from Beyonce's 'Run the World (Girls)' to Drake's 'Marvin's Room,' Weezy was lyrically ferocious, but one month after the mixtape released, the buzz faded away. He did his best to provide us with an appetizer but now it's time for the entree.

Releasing an Album Is Safer Than Skateboarding

Now that he's got his freedom back, Wayne has been dabbling in new activities, like skateboarding. Unfortunately, riding the deck is leaving him a little bruised up. The rap star was taken to the hospital earlier this month in St. Louis, Mo., after he fell off his board and needed nine stitches over his eye to close a wound as a result of his mishap. Last time we checked, no one gets rushed to the hospital after a studio session.

He Needs More Grammys

Jay-Z may have a grudge against the Grammys but Lil Wayne is all for receiving the trophies. In 2009, the southern spitter walked away with four Grammys for 'Tha Carter III,' including Best Rap Album. Receiving an honor on music's biggest night is every artist's dream, and Wayne needs to beef up his trophy case. From what we've heard thus far, 'Tha Carter IV' is shaping up to be a pretty solid effort. If he's lucky, the committee will take notice.

We Want More Music Videos Like '6 Foot 7 Foot'

Fresh out the gate, Wayne reminded us why he's a musical goliath when he dropped '6 Foot 7 Foot.' The Bangladesh-produced single samples Harry Belafonte's 'Day-O' and the Hype Williams-directed video is just as amazingly out-of-the-box as the song itself. Weezy sets viewers out on a visual journey, inspired by the film 'Inception.' The clip is so intriguing that we can only hope he'll be as creative with other singles off 'Tha Carter IV.'

'Tha Carter IV' Tracklist Is a Tease

Wayne already teased us with the album's tracklisting and from the looks of it, he came to play hardball. Besides snagging the likes of Rick Ross, Nas, Tech N9ne, T-Pain and Busta Rhymes, the track titles are just downright interesting. From 'Abortion' to 'How To Hate' to 'So Special,' Wayne has gone through some serious life changes since his last album. He even pairs himself with R&B crooner John Legend, so the anticipation of what's to come is a killer.

The Game Hasn't Been the Same Without Him

Healthy competition has long been a part of hip-hop and without Wayne in the mix, things just don't seem right. Wayne usually isn't one to stir up beef, but when he shut down rapper Plies' mouth with his flow on 'A Milli,' it was a little piece of hip-hop magic. Now we're not trying to start any trouble, but we've grown accustomed to Weezy consistently dropping new music so it's time to get back into the swing of things. He's already on his way with lyrically kidnapping Beyonce. Listen to his Drake and Jadakiss-assisted track 'It's Good' if you're out of the loop.

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