The Best Songs From Lil Wayne’s ‘Tha Carter’ Albums

There are endless reasons why a rapper might become legendary; maybe they’re a hit-making machine whose songs dominate the charts, or perhaps they’re known for routinely outshining collaborators. But every now and then, it boils down to pure talent and songs that stand the test of time. That’s exactly how it felt when Lil Wayne introduced the world to Tha Carter in 2004.

In the decades since then, Lil Wayne has gifted us classic after classic. The series’ second installment gave us gems like “Hustler Musik” and the fittingly titled “Best Rapper Alive,” while Tha Carter III — arguably one of his most commercially successful projects — brought us hits like “Lollipop,” “Mr. Carter” and plenty more.

In honor of Tha Carter series, which gave us career-defining moments like the earth-shaking “A Milli” and “She Will,” Rap-Up revisited the tracks that secured Lil Wayne’s spot as one of rap’s undisputed GOATs. Not only are the records below some of his best, they’re also some of Hip Hop’s all-time classics. Continue scrolling to see our picks.

1. A Milli (Tha Carter III)

Of all the songs that Lil Wayne housed on Tha Carter III, “A Milli” was the standout. It was the one we probably spent hours trying to memorize, the one without a traditional hook, and the one that countless artists spent freestyling over for the next decade or two. After all, he’s a beast, he’s a dog, he’s a “motherf**kin’ problem.” Aside from a few controversial bars that Lil Wayne wisely no longer performs (like the Dennis Rodman line), the Grammy Award-winning single both defined his mixtape-era momentum and cemented his spot on the throne.

2. Fireman (Tha Carter II)

Tha Carter II took a big leap from its predecessor, likely thanks to Cash Money Records finally acknowledging that Lil Wayne was their ticket to big bucks. With “Fireman,” we watched a once-promising teen fully come into his own as a rap mainstay. Between the wailing sirens and him emerging from flames in the music video, the chart-topping artist delivered appropriately scorching lyrics like, “Yeah, it’s hot down here, take a walk with Satan,” and “I’m hot, but the car cool.” Weezy F. Baby, and the “F” clearly stood for Fireman.

After spending the better part of 2010 behind bars, Lil Wayne returned hungry and with a serious point to prove. “6 Foot 7 Foot” became his triumphant and predictably promising start to the Tha Carter IV era. Across the sprawling track, he rhymes about having two women at once like “synchronized swimmers,” name-drops He-Man and even airs out Tammy Torres for cheating on him while he was away.

Granted, even one of the Sorry 4 The Wait creator’s strongest singles isn’t perfect; his “real G’s move in silence like lasagna” line and the Cory Gunz guest verse are two things we probably could’ve done without. Still, as his first big track after coming home, it gave fans the much-needed reassurance that Lil Wayne hadn’t lost a step.

4. Go DJ (Tha Carter)

Though a bit less lyrically complex than what we expected from the Young Money Entertainment founder, “Go DJ” is another product of his and Mannie Fresh’s collaborative genius. Sure, the track took a few hints from U.N.L.V.’s “Don’t U Be Greedy” (another Fresh-produced song), but Weezy’s declaration about being the “hottest n**ga under the sun” made it unmistakably his own. That, and the fact that we’ve been muttering “Go DJ, that’s my DJ” since its 2008 release.

5. She Will (Tha Carter IV)

As the musical embodiment of Lil Wayne and Drake’s star-crossed brotherhood, “She Will” brings together the former’s lyrical genius and the Canadian hitmaker’s chart-devouring hooks. I mean, by 2010s standards, bars like “So on my Libra scale I’m weighin’ sins and forgiveness” and “But I’m Ray Charles to the bulls**t” were instant classics, so much so that Lil Wayne doubled down on the latter. With T-Minus behind the boards, it’s easy to forget the track was essentially about women who, as it happens, were ready to pop it for the “realest n**gas in the f**kin’ game right now.”

6. Hustler Musik (Tha Carter II)

Tha Carter II is often praised as the holy grail of the series, and much of that acclaim goes to “Hustler Musik.” Produced by T-Mix and Batman The Producer, it’s probably one of Lil Wayne’s most convincing declarations that he’s on a relentless money mission — even if he’s riding completely alone. “I know my vibe is tight and I deserve the throne / And if the kid ain’t right, then let me die in this song,” he declares as the record builds layer by layer.

7. Mrs. Officer (Tha Carter III)

It takes a special confidence to woo over a lady cop, but then again, most people aren’t Lil Wayne. Featuring an assist from Bobby V. on the hook, the 2008 offering was practically his literal take on the phrase “f**k the police.” He spat, “She said I have the right, to remain silent / Now I got her hollering, sounding like a siren.” Rodney King references aside, it’s among Lil Wayne’s most playful tracks ever. Plus, who could forget Bobby V. going “wee-ooh wee-ooh wee” over the chorus.

8. Mona Lisa (Tha Carter V)

The Grammy Award winner refuses to perform “Mona Lisa” live, partly because of the lyrical exorcism he and Kendrick Lamar managed to pull off. On the record, the two rappers lean into their biggest strength: storytelling. Arguably the longest track on the album for exactly that reason, the song details a modern-day Mona Lisa, or “Liz,” from their separate perspectives. It’s crazy to think Weezy had this one sitting in the vault for so many years.

9. Mirror (Tha Carter IV)

If you haven’t noticed by now, Tha Carter IV is up there in terms of Lil Wayne’s most star-studded albums. It houses the aforementioned “She Will,” tracks like “John” with Rick Ross, and, of course, the Bruno Mars-assisted “Mirror.” It’s a self-reflecting (pun intended) rundown of everything weighing on his mind. “And no message could’ve been any clearer / So I’m starting with the man in the–,” Lil Wayne raps, leaving the pop star to pick up, “Mirror on the wall.” Definitely one of the better Michael Jackson references we’ve heard.

10. Let It All Work Out (Tha Carter V)

Although some fans argue that “Don’t Cry” serves as the emotional heart of Tha Carter V, Lil Wayne’s “Let It All Work Out” might be an even better moment on the album — and certainly one of the most personal ones. Built around a sample of Sampha’s “Indecision,” the New Orleans legend details that him accidentally shooting himself at 12 was actually a suicide attempt triggered by his mother threatening to stop him from rapping. “I shot it, and I woke up with blood all around me / It’s mine, I didn’t die, but as I was dying / God came to my side and we talked about it,” he raps. “He sold me another life, and he made a prophet.”