“Uh, I feel like Weezy F Baby sometimes man / Carter 3 Wayne, Carter 4 Wayne / Carter 5, man where that shit at?” Bryson Tiller inquires in spoken word on the T R A P S O U L standout, “Ten Nine Fourteen.” We feel you, Bryson. It’s developed into a consistent question in Hip Hop since Lil Wayne’s 2012 album announcement: When is Tha Carter 5 dropping? From a surefire hit to a rap mystery, Tha Carter 5 has become more elusive than Dre’s Detox, and more mythical than a unicorn swimming with the Loch Ness Monster. However, during a recent concert, Lil Tunechi announced that the heavily anticipated album will be dropping “very soon.” I’m not holding my breath.
Lil Wayne’s clever metaphorical rhetoric cascading over his iconic raspy flow has captivated rap listeners since his 1999 official introduction on Tha Block Is Hot. Since then, his tenacious work ethic has resulted in voluminous releases, crowning him as the original and undisputed mixtape king. Studio albums have always seemed to defer to Wayne’s unofficial projects, with some of his most legendary work populating his mixtapes, including, “Ride 4 My Niggas (Sky’s The Limit)” off Da Drought 3. These tapes provided musical and practical utility, as the were the necessary intermediaries between Wayne’s Tha Carter releases. However, while he might be revered for his mixtape catalogues, he will be remembered for his Tha Carter series—they are his Mona Lisa.
Weezy’s incredible musical production ability has securely placed him at Hip Hop’s epicenter for over two-decades, earning him the right to delayed album releases. Yes, we’re eagerly awaiting Tha Carter V, but if the multi-year absences between these album drops (three years between both Tha Carter II and Tha Carter III, and Tha Carter III and Tha Carter IV) have taught us anything, it’s that patience is a virtue—he always delivers. But us rap fans have a right to be annoyed, as this is far from the first time that Wayne’s first promised his final Tha Carter installment.
Let’s take a look at the historical events that transpired during Wayne’s initial Tha Cater V announcement.
On this date in 2012…
January 19: Kodak filed for bankruptcy, effectively ending commercial print photography, and my grandmother’s ability to capture family moments.
February 5: The greatest football team ever, the New York Giants, defeated Tom Brady and the Patriots, making Eli Manning the only player in NFL history to hand Tom a Super Bowl loss—for a second time.
March 21: New Orleans Saints head coach, Sean Payton, was suspended for a year without pay for his role in the Saints bounty scandal. He was later accidentally casted as Derek Zoolander in Zoolander 2.
April 24: Mad cow disease was found in a California dairy cow. Sorry, April was pretty boring…
May 9: Barrack Obama became the first active president to support gay marriage. Very progressive, Barry.
June 21: Lebron James won his first ring after beating the Oklahoma City Thunder. I knew you had it in you, Bron Bron.
July 31: Michael Phelps won his record-setting 19th Olympic medal at the London Summer Olympics. Phelps smokes weed—by the transitive property, I will set the next Olympic record.
August 25: First man to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong, passed away at 82. You’re a real one, Neil.
September 27: The NFL and NFL Referees Association reached an agreement, effectively ending the referee lockout. I’ll miss the Laundry League refs.
October 9: Former Penn State assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky, was sentenced to 30-60 years in prison for 45 child sex abuse charges. Hope what goes around comes around in prison, Jerry!
November 6: Barrack Obama was reelected President of the United States. Can we please go back to that time? Don’t ever sleep on Barry O.
December 8: Johnny Manziel became the first freshman ever to win the Heisman Trophy. Careful Johnny—don’t blow that rookie contract up your nose!
