Lil Wayne raps about much the same thing most rappers rap about. That is to say, the content of his raps is no different than everybody else's: starting from nothing and climbing the ladder of success, hard work, drugs, "bitches" and sex with a little love thrown in there etc...
Where Lil Wayne separates himself, and distinguishes himself as one of the greatest, is his style, his specific word choice as opposed to other words he could use, and his flow. No other rapper can create a rhythm and then break that rhythm over and over again throughout the same song like Lil Wayne. The freedom with which he changes pace and uses simple words in complex combinations is why I felt the need to list the top five lyrics from his latest masterpiece, 'Tha Carter V'.
1. "I turned a goddamn into a God's Plan/ Go over the diagram and get to the job, man/ Watch for the spy cam/ Sit back and watch and do not watch your watch hand/ Give me some time, man/ I am the bomb, man. -"Dedicate"
Lil Wayne's style is on full display in "Dedicate." He masterfully rhymes words within the lines themselves and not just at the end creating a unique and hypnotizing flow. This line, in particular, achieves that best and his ode to Drake's hit "God's Plan" is satisfying, especially when paired with "a goddamn", the antithesis of God's plan. He turned a goddamn into a God's plan by just doing it, and not paying attention to distractions like the time on his watch.
2. "You done pulled the demon out the man, pulled the demon out the pants/ Put the demon in your mouth then pulled it clean up out your ass/ Took her demon by the hands, asked the demon, "Can we dance?/ Found a halo in her trash but she don't talk about her past. -"Demon"
In "Demon", Lil Wayne manages to combine something that might invoke darkness with a light, slightly melancholy and jazzy beat and defies conventions in doing so. He masterfully does the unexpected and pulls it off. His attitude towards the "inner demon" is a fresh one. It's one of acceptance. He acknowledges the demon and the man in himself and that the demon was the reason for his ambition and success, even asking the demon in others to come out and dance with him. Finding her halo in the trash also shows how he feels about those that don't acknowledge their demons. Halo's belong in the trash but only because they suggest singular goodness. True goodness is the ability to be both the demon and the man and the halo has no place in that. However, it's unclear if one should deny their halo's either. Is it good or bad that she doesn't talk about a past where she had a halo? This song is intriguing.
3. "I'll buy the bitch that you feelin'/ 'Cause you thought that she was an angel/ That bitch ain't no angel, I treat her halo like a frisbee. - "Mona Lisa" Feat. Kendrick Lamar
Again, back to halos which seem to be a theme on this album. Maybe less of halos specifically and more the theme of self righteousness. Nobody is holy, and everybody acts out their demons, and anyone that pretends to wear a halo is brushed off by Lil Wayne. That halo is nothing but a frisbee.
4. "It's alive, it's alive, I'm revived, it's C5/ Been arrived, kiss the sky, did the time/ Please advise it is advise or be advised/ You not fuck with me and mine/ And keep in mind, we do not mind losing our minds" - "Let it Fly" Feat. Travis Scott
A common theme in most of Lil Wayne's songs is how he can't be touched, not because he is the best or the baddest but because he won't allow it out of pure will. What better way to fortify yourself against the record company that fought against the release of your album than by reminding them that nothing threatens you, that you don't even mind losing your own mind in the process. The C5 (Carter 5) bought him back to life meaning he brought himself back to life with his own music. Lil Wayne reminds everyone that he is all-powerful in his mind, with the power of resurrection through music and frankly, not caring enough about his own well being for anybody to be able to threaten him.
5. "I sip from the fountain of youth/ So if I die young, blame the juice/ Bury me in New Orleans/ Tombstone reads 'Don't cry, stay tuned/ Bring me back to life/ Got to lose a life just to have a life/ But if heaven's as good as advertised/ I want a triple extension on my motherfuckin' afterlife/ Rest in paradise - "Don't Cry" Feat. XXXTentacion
Again, :Lil Wayne is not bothered by anything, especially not death. In fact, Lil Wayne wants people to stay tuned even after his death. The triple extension on his own afterlife was a nice nod to the deceased XXXTentacion as well. His apparent attitude toward death in "Don't Cry" encapsulates Tha Carter V. Lil Wayne treats threatening things such as demons and death with a kind of celebratory, human power and swagger which, depicted with his lyrical mastery yields nothing but goosebumps every time.
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