Lil Wayne

Former Hot Boy Lil' Wayne displays a preternatural sense of rhythm as he effortlessly adjusts his flow to accommodate both the boho hip-hop of "Shooters" and the crunk bombast of "Fireman." Though style often trumps substance -- Lil' Wayne has little to declare other than his own genius -- Tha Carter 2 is among 2005's strongest hip-hop releases.

Lil has been a rapper so long that when he claims he keeps his stash in his bitch's ass-crack you know he means for personal use even if he wants his public to think otherwise. When he turns "I trieda talk to him" into a catchy chorus you hope against the available evidence that he means "before I punched him in the nose" rather than "before I pulverized his uvula with this nine that you pussy MCs couldn't even afford." Love his beats, enjoy his flow, admire his wordplay, and wish he knew the value of money. (Grade - B+)