“Free Weezy” Wayne’s eleventh studio album got released on July 4, 2015, exclusively to Jay-Z's streaming service Tidal. The album was a way for Wayne to go independent, but Universal Music Group restricted the project from being put on other platforms such as “Spotify and Apple Music.”
Thus, it remains a Tidal exclusive to this day. This exclusivity caused the album's glory but it suffered from insufficient attention and accessibility from fans since only fans with a Tidal subscription could access it. Despite this, most people got around to hearing it one way or another.
‘Free Weezy Album’ Composition
It is laced with 16 tracks featuring artists such as Jake Troth, Bibi bourelly, Wiz Khalifa, Jeezy, Junior Reid, Cory Gunz, HoodyBaby, Euro and Capo. Wayne enlisted his closest producers to work on this album such as StreetRunner, Infamous, Develop, Onhel and Kane Beatz. The producers once stated that they worked on the album for free to help out Wayne for all he’s done for them. The album finds Wayne rapping about the same things he’s always rapped about for decades but sounds more mature and calculated.
For the first time in his career, Wayne is vulnerable as he talks about the financial issues he’s been having since the fallout with Birdman. He also raps about raising his kids and parenting.
Wayne approaches the album as only a rapper can. He spits the greatest verses of the decade with inspired beats. The album has a lot of versatility in it as he works with Bibi Bourelly and Jake Troth (an odd choice for a rapper).
He incorporated a lot of sounds from his previous works. I like to define “Free Weezy Album” as “all of Wayne’s albums in one”.
Songs like “I feel good” incorporate sounds from “Carter 4.” “Thinking about you” is a track that is influenced by the New Orleans sound. “Free Weezy Album “ is a well-rounded album; whether you’re from the east scene of hip-hop or west, there’s something for you to listen to and love. Wayne has been in the industry for two decades.
He has proven himself time and again but people still do not give him credit. The great thing about Wayne is that he will never stop proving that he is the best.
Erasing past narratives
The last project (I’m not a human being 2), he released before “Free Weezy” was met with negative reviews. Critics said that Wayne was not trying to prove himself as a rapper anymore and he was just simply having fun with his music. Despite the album selling 200k in the first week, for Wayne that was a setback considering he had just sold about 950k in the first week with “Carter 4" in the previous year.
Wayne released “Sorry for the wait 2” which saw him air out his frustration with “Cash Money Records”. However, the “Free Weezy Album” which was released barely five months after, doesn’t include subliminals towards the “Cash Money” "head honcho" Birdman.
His head is clear; he approaches his verses with the classic “Carter 2” mentality. Despite the album not being commercially successful compared to his previous albums, it is the most essential of his albums, aesthetically.
Certified classic
“Free Weezy” is Wayne’s most underrated if not the most underrated rap album of the decade. The fact that half the population has no idea it exists makes me happy as a Wayne fan because I finally feel like I am a part of something legendary and timeless. For those who have not listened to this work of art, it will change your life once you hear it. Of all Wayne’s albums, this is the one I am most interested in. People will say “Carter 2 and 3” are the best Wayne albums but personally “Free Weezy Album” is the only record you will ever need, to fully understand who Lil Wayne is as an artist. His famous tattoo “I am Music” does not lie because he is it (Music).
What do you guys think of “Free Weezy Album”? Which is your favorite track on the album?
