Latest news with #CarterVI
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lil Wayne Turned Madison Square Garden Into a Time Machine on His ‘Tha Carter VI' Tour
In 1994, my parents finally went to see The Rolling Stones. The group released Voodoo Lounge, their twentieth album, in July that year, and immediately began touring it. In August, they came to East Rutherford, New Jersey, to play at a football stadium, and my mom and dad decided it was the right time to check a major show off their bucket list. The moment represented an inflection point for the group. It was the first album the Stones had released in five years and was met with a degree of skepticism. They were firmly in middle age, three decades into their career, and had seemingly come to the realization many sixties era Boomer artists were waking up to: Their largely middle class, middlebrow audience had grown up along with them, and were liquid enough financially to pay exorbitant prices for shitty seats to see the band that had eluded them for so long, even if there was rampant speculation the group was washed, and on the downside of their primes. The Stones were on my mind last night at Lil Wayne's Madison Square Garden concert, because it's been 28 years since the Hot Boys released their debut album, Get It How U Live It! on an independent New Orleans based rap label that called itself Cash Money Records, nearly the same span of time between the Rolling Stones' debut in 1964, and the Voodoo Lounge Tour. More from Rolling Stone Sabrina Carpenter, Lil Wayne, Addison Rae, and All the Songs You Need to Know This Week Lil Wayne's First 'Tha Carter VI' Track Featured in an NBA Finals Campaign Escaped Inmate Asks Lil Wayne, NBA YoungBoy, Meek Mill for Help Wayne's show last night, and the venue itself, was a hard booking to figure out, and made complete sense. Wayne has circled New York, a city with a sacred and tortured place in his heart, the entirety of his career. It's where he found his muses in Jay-Z and the Diplomats in the 2000s, as well as where he served an eight-month prison sentence at the peak of his fame and his artistic powers, in Rikers Island over a possession of a loaded weapon charge in 2007. And yet, here he was holding a glorified album release party in the world's most famous arena, ostensibly the first leg of a North American Carter VI tour that opens here the first week in June, but won't resume until the very end of July. The album we had all gathered to celebrate, two hours past the advertised start time for the show, is quite simply a fucking disaster. Tha Carter VI is the work of an artist who either doesn't have a creative team around him capable of pushing back on his worst and most indulgent impulses, or one unwilling to listen to dissenting voices. And in lieu of that lack of editorial process, its author has clearly misplaced, if not permanently lost, his once unimpeachable grip on his true north. Since Carter VI was released on Friday at midnight, my timeline's been ablaze with fans, former fans, and haters chiming in on what exactly had gone so terribly wrong. And yet the electrified Garden crowd was stuffed to the bleeds by the time Wayne hit the stage just after 10, strutting to the stage with a white electric rockstar axe, sporting blonde dreads, pink sweats tucked into heeled knee high boots, an oversized heavyweight Britney Spears T-shirt with her name in neon pink script, a chunky scarf, a bejeweled grill, white framed sunglasses—which would be subsequently swapped out for glasses so big each lens threatened to blot out Wayne's face—and a frozen wrist and neck, rocking doubled iced out crucifix chains and an iced out crucifix pinky ring to go with an iced out wallet chain and a slowly burning late-90s-sized blunt hanging out of a corner of his mouth. There was a minimal stage show behind him: A steeply pitched platform behind the rapper with the Roman Numerals 'I' and 'V' glowing, garden variety pyrotechnics and smoke cannons, a live drummer and a DJ, but the real special effect was the music. The polished old pro bent time and space, keeping the unfortunate new work to a minimum and running through his hits, reliving, nearly chronologically, the thrill of experiencing his catalog all over again at a speed run. The show is special, as it is for any artist with the generational staying power of Wayne, or say, the Stones, because it can represent entire eras in music, in life, in the career of the artist, a chameleonic constant shifting that is a necessity when you've been around for decades. It's why the live experience in this age of streaming is so vital for younger fans trying to navigate this massive back catalog. A pop animal like Wayne must be experienced outside. Pay attention to the ironclad, near chronological setlist built through generations of trial and error response on the road, and watch how tens of thousands of people who were there for each step of Wayne's career reacts to it. To experience the power of these highlights in the room, with a crowd. He has a roster of endless hits—some that touched the Billboard charts and some that never did because the samples can't be cleared and they're still not streaming but were ubiquitous in the aughts nevertheless—from decades of classic, iconic album and mixtape work, which matters when you're trying to understand the impact of an artist of this magnitude. It's a reminder that Lil Wayne is one of the most unique and context-rich rappers of the modern era, thanks to his inventive and influential approach. No GOAT-level rapper less resembles the artist he was when he began, compared to the artist he became, than Wayne does. Like LL Cool J (Who made a brief but memorable cameo on the Garden stage), he was a survivor who never stopped evolving. Whose appeal to his longtime followers was in charting his evolution: From yapping adolescent with the good fortune of being in proximity to one of hip hop's great groups, powered by one of its greatest beat architects, to a young solo rapper experimenting with his style on his underground mixtapes while at the same time aping the influences he wore on his sleeve on his safe and pat major label releases, be it an imitation of Jeezy and T.I.'s early aughts southern crack rap, or Jay-Z's traditional, rockist east coast LPs, to finally combining all those years of experimentation, and metabolizing those influences and producing a sound and a style that was entirely personal and unique, that at last blended his strange instinctive mixtape shit and pragmatic one-for-them proper album releases to produce a run that changed rap to such a degree it has clearly become difficult to look back and understand how subversive and groundbreaking it was at the time. Old Wayne fans such as myself are a funny breed. We're washed people who haven't quite accepted we're washed, in overlaundered Polos with fucked up collars, wearing sunglasses inside in the dark at night and extremely expensive fendi buckets that look stupid as hell. But the music at MSG made us all children again. And this is why you can more or less skip Tha Carter VI, but can't afford to miss Wayne live this summer if you have the opportunity to go see him. His show recreates the joy of his journey, the sense of wonder, the three-decade progression in style and substance that made Wayne one of the greatest rappers of the modern era. On the 30-year anniversary of the Voodoo Lounge Tour, my parents went back to the Meadowlands to see The Rolling Stones again last year, with a pair of tickets that were still wildly expensive and in demand, this time at a football stadium named after an insurance company rather than a football team. The hand-wringing over Voodoo Lounge and the Voodoo Lounge Tour was both warranted and empty, depending on your perspective and what matters to you as a fan. The album was characterized as a bloated, 15-track, one-hour-long product of the insufferable 'CD era', a glorified excuse to tour that has largely been forgotten, and you could argue that, in terms of new music, it was the official death knell of the Rolling Stones' relevance. It also was the richest tour ever to that point, a record the Stones themselves would break multiple times in the ensuing years, the birth of the band as conveyors of 'adult contemporary' bullshit, a nostalgia factory/national mint, that thanks to their longevity made them one of the first groups to capitalize on their boomer fanbase aging into elder feeling-chasers and exploring the limits of what you could charge for a concert ticket, ushering us into this current, deeply fucked era of crazed fans willing to go into significant debt to see Taylor or Beyoncé. Mick and Keith are in their 80s; they are multi-millionaires and have spent the last three decades releasing music occasionally, strictly for their hardcore fan base, but largely living off the incredible creative output of their first three decades. I thought about that as Wayne poignantly ended his show with 'A Milli', one of the strangest Grammy-winning, Billboard Top 10 hits in rap history. I sat next to a middle aged mother and her teenage son freaking out to Wayne and particularly 'A Milli' in the Garden last night, and considered these institutions in pop, the generations of fans who grew up on the Stones' music and Wayne's music, who exposed their kids and grandkids to that incredible initial run and come together whenever these acts go back on the road to appreciate one of the great catalogs in the American songbook again and celebrate their shared love for it. To run back the hits, and remember the glory days, when our favorite artists were young, and so were we. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked
Hypebeast
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
A Lil Wayne Pop-Up Shop Just Opened in London for the Next Two Weeks
Lil Wayne'sfourteenth studio album,Tha Carter VI, finally dropped today, marking his first solo project in five years – and, after keeping his fans waiting for half a decade, the rapper has also launched a pop-up store inLondon'sWest End that you won't find anywhere else in the world. Opening today, theLil Wayne Pop-Up Shoptakes over the 'Men's Designer Street Room' in Selfridges with a design inspired by art from the covers of hisTha Carterseries, including his latestTha Carter VI. Along with a chance to buy the new album on vinyl, fans can shop an exclusive capsule collection curated byBravado, a division of Universal Music Group, and launched to celebrate the new release. It includes t-shirts, hoodies, a limited-edition skate deck and a collaboration withBAPE, '[one] of his favorite brands' according to the brand. Additionally, the pop-up is peppered with gold-framed photos of Lil Wayne and features a giant record-shaped mat covering the floor, making it a highly Instagrammable spot for fans as well as the only place in the world you can shop the collection in person. From Louisiana to London with over 120 million records sold along the way, Weezy's West End pop-up is open now through June 23 atSelfridges, 400 Oxford Street, London, W1A 1AB.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Lil Wayne new album drops, treating fans to highly anticipated 'Carter VI'
Hear this story After years of anticipation, "Tha Carter VI" is finally here. The sixth installment in Lil Wayne's signature musical series, which dropped Friday, June 6, is a 19-track opus, flexing the rapper's tongue-twistingly fast rhymes and dirty South style. Blending soulful background vocals with a high-pitched trill, Wayne name-drops everything from Taco Bell to Tupac. His verses are chock-full of vivid imagery and double entendre, and his feature list is a mile long with artists from in and outside the genre, including BigXthaPlug, Jelly Roll, Big Sean, Bono and 2 Chainz. Lil Wayne 2025 tour to kick off same day 'Carter VI' drops: How to get tickets After releasing the original "Carter" album in 2004, Wayne has followed up the project every two to three years since with a new release, with the exception of "Carter V" which was delayed a number of years. Fans have waited almost seven years for "Carter VI." Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Wayne will waste no time promoting the album – he is expected to hit the Madison Square Garden stage June 6, his first time ever headlining the historic arena. How to get Lil Wayne tour tickets, presale details In support of his new project, Wayne is headed out on a 34-stop tour, treating fans to a set list that celebrates many of the biggest songs from his two-decade "Carter" album series. Rappers Tyga and Belly Gang Kushington will open for Wayne. Tickets for Lil Wayne's tour stops will go on sale at 10 a.m. ET June 6 through Ticketmaster, following various presale windows that started June 4. Both the artist and VIP presale kicked off June 4 at 10 a.m. ET, while the Live Nation presale began June 5 at the same time.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Lil Wayne 2025 tour to kick off same day 'Carter VI' drops: How to get tickets
Lil Wayne 2025 tour to kick off same day 'Carter VI' drops: How to get tickets Show Caption Hide Caption Lil Wayne Lyric Notebook To Be Auctioned Off For $5 Million A notebook rapper Lil Wayne owned in 1999 that is filled with handwritten lyrics is being sold at auction for $5 million. unbranded - Entertainment Lil Wayne is headed out for his biggest tour in years. In support of his forthcoming record "Tha Carter VI," Wayne will stop in 34 cities, treating fans to a set list that celebrates many of the biggest songs from his two-decade "Carter" album series. Rappers Tyga and Belly Gang Kushington will open for Wayne at all 34 stops. While fans may be eager to hear some of the rapper's throwback anthems, songs from his newest project remain a mystery. "Tha Carter VI" – which has not dropped yet – is rumored to be coming June 6. Teasing the project in a Cetaphil ad that ran during the Super Bowl, actors in the commercial wore jerseys with the numbers 06, 06, and 25 and at the conclusion, a door is displayed with the text "Do not disturb 'till 06-06-25, Carter VI." Releasing the original "Carter" album in 2004, Wayne has followed up the project every two to three years since with a new release, with the exception of "Carter V" which was delayed a number of years. A staple in the hip-hop sphere, known for his tongue-twistingly fast rhymes and signature high pitch, the rapper has now made fans wait almost seven years for a new drop. The tour will kick off June 6, the same day as the rumored album release at Madison Square Garden — Lil Wayne's first-ever headlining show at the iconic New York arena — and wind across North America before wrapping up Oct. 2 in West Palm Beach, Florida. How to get Lil Wayne tour tickets, presale details Tickets for Lil Wayne's tour stops will go on sale at 10 a.m. ET June 6 through Ticketmaster, following various presale windows that start June 4. Both the artist and VIP presale kick off June 4 at 10 a.m. ET, while the Live Nation presale begins June 5 at the same time. Details are here. Contributing: Anna Kaufman
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
LiAngelo Ball is a genius for remixing 'Tweaker' with Lil Wayne and fans agree
Ever since LiAngelo Ball unveiled 'Tweaker' back in January, many have speculated about who might appear on a remix of the retro-inspired cut. Adding to that, artists like Moneybagg Yo and Boosie Badazz openly reached out to the baller-turned-rapper in hopes of contributing to the song. Notably, the Kunica and Glockie Cheez-produced banger remains on the Billboard Hot 100 after debuting at No. 29. Trending Only Lil Wayne can turn a Cetaphil advert into a 'Carter VI' announcement Eric Bellinger went from texting Chris Brown to a Grammy together – here, he explains how From 'Not Like Us' to the Super Bowl: Kendrick Lamar explains his unstoppable energy On Thursday (Feb. 6), Gelo revealed his collaborator for the updated release, which officially lands on streaming platforms this Friday (Feb. 7). 'We got Lil Wayne getting on there,' he told Billboard. 'Legend. The GOAT. You know I had to, for real. That's like hooping with Jordan. No cap.' The Chino Hills talent also spoke on connecting with his New Orleans counterpart after the remix was recorded. 'I hit him up on [Instagram and told him], 'Your verse hard as h**l. That's what we [were] missing on our s**t,'' he recalled. 'He was cool. He was like, 'I hope you mess with the verse.' He's cool. But yea – that verse is tough.' Fans on social media had a positive response to the news. 'Lil Wayne on the 'Tweaker' remix? Hold on, now. Gelo might be on to something,' wrote one user on X. Another shared, 'I knew Wayne was 'bout to kill that 'Tweaker' s**t. That's Cash Money [and] Young Money s**t all day.' Earlier this week, Weezy shared a cryptic Instagram Story promising a treat for his fans. 'Y'all know I'm not going to be [at the Super Bowl] this week, which means I guess there's a seat to fill,' he began. 'Shout out to New Orleans, but I've been working on something very special. I got something exciting coming for you Thursday... Until then, I'm chillin'.' Whether he was referring to his appearance on 'Tweaker (Remix)' is yet to be confirmed. Check out other reactions to Wayne's 'Tweaker' inclusion below. You Might Also Like 15 things you should know about fashion killa Kollin Carter RIP to Irv Gotti, the visionary who brought Hip Hop and R&B closer together
