Tha Carter III is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on June 10, 2008, by Cash Money, Universal Motown and Young Money Entertainment.[3] It follows a string of mixtape releases and guest appearances on other hip hop and R&B artists' albums.[4] The album features appearances from Jay-Z, T-Pain, Fabolous, Robin Thicke, Busta Rhymes, Juelz Santana, Babyface, Bobby V, and Kanye West, among others. It also features Static Major, who is credited posthumously following his death in February of that year.
Tha Carter III | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 10, 2008 | |||
Recorded | 2006–2008 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 77:04 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
| |||
Lil Wayne chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Tha Carter III | ||||
|
Amid release delays and leaks, Tha Carter III became one of the most anticipated releases of 2008.[5][6][7] It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling over one million copies in its first week—which made it one of the fastest-selling albums in the US.[8] It reached sales of 2.88 million copies by the end of 2008 and produced four commercially successful singles on the Billboard Hot 100—"Lollipop", which peaked at number one, and the top-ten singles "A Milli" and "Got Money", as well as the top-20 single "Mrs. Officer".
Upon its release, Tha Carter III received widespread acclaim from music critics and has since been regarded as one of Wayne's best albums. It earned the rapper several accolades, including a spot on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. It was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2009 Grammy Awards and won for Best Rap Album, while "Lollipop" won Best Rap Song and "A Milli" won Best Rap Solo Performance. It has been certified octuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Background and recording
editLil Wayne stated that producers would include The Alchemist, Cool & Dre, Deezle, Jim Jonsin, Just Blaze, Kanye West, Mannie Fresh, The Runners, Timbaland, Danja, and will.i.am.[9][10][11] In an interview with HipHopCanada.com, Solitair of the Black Jays stated that he and Cipha Sounds produced a track called "Outstanding", which later eventually leaked.[12] The Runners have stated that they have produced three tracks for Tha Carter III.[13] Lil Wayne revealed that he has a track for Eminem, which he has yet to send to him.[14] He described this song as the "craziest".[14] Some believe that his request was turned down, but it most likely turned into "Drop the World" on his 2010 album Rebirth.[15]
The album features guest appearances by Fabolous,[16] T-Pain, Brisco, Bobby V, Babyface, Betty Wright, Static Major, Robin Thicke, Jay-Z,[17] Juelz Santana,[18] and Busta Rhymes.[19] MTV reported that Wyclef Jean worked on a couple of tracks for the album and that a song featuring Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, and Timbaland was likely to appear on the album.[14][20] However, that Timbaland-produced track did not make the final cut. David Banner confirmed that he will be credited for five tracks on the final cut of Tha Carter III, but only one is featured on the album.[21] After the copyright controversy of "Playing with Fire", the track was later removed and replaced with another David Banner-produced track "Pussy Monster". Swizz Beatz stated he was also working on the album.[22] When asked about how many tracks Kanye West had contributed, he answered:
On the first visit he had five joints, on the second visit he gave me a CD with fifteen joints on it. I then told him to slow down and he left me alone, but we got a good three on the album. He confirmed that he had a few tracks on The Leak that are produced by Kanye West.[23]
Music
editTha Carter III's lead single, "Lollipop", peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, staying at the top for three weeks. It was Wayne's most successful solo single in his career, winning one Grammy Award, a BET Award, and an MTV VMA. The song was praised as an "electro-bumpin'…infectious track",[24] perceived as more of a "bubblegum" pop track than rap.[25] The second track on the album, "Mr. Carter", was nominated for a Grammy while also peaking within the Hot 100. Jay-Z's guest verse on the song was praised, which was seen as him passing the throne to Wayne.[26][27] The second single, "A Milli", was a top ten hit and was praised as one of the best songs of 2008.[28] The song garnered countless freestyles and remixes, while Wayne's original version was praised with "spectacular rhyme".[27] "Dr. Carter", the sixth track, was also praised for lyrical content and humor as Wayne took on the persona of a doctor performing surgery on various patients (a metaphor for Wayne resurrecting hip-hop[26]).[25] "Tie My Hands", featuring Robin Thicke, was praised as a deep track featuring "political commentary" and "despair" with Thicke's performance being the most complementary to Wayne.[24] "Phone Home" also features various alien metaphors reminiscent of the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982).[24][25]
Release and promotion
editLeaks
editAfter most of the album leaked on the Internet in mid-2007, Lil Wayne used the leaked tracks, plus four new songs to make an album titled The Leak.[5] The Leak was to be officially released on December 18, 2007, with the actual album being delayed until June 10, 2008.[29] When questioned about the unplanned leak, Lil Wayne said:
We have to find out exactly what's out there. I'll probably just [collect] all the songs that's floating around and make my own mixtape called The Leak since people want the music so bad. To tell you the truth though, there's a song I did with Kanye West out there—of course you want to save that for your album, but the rest of them songs probably wouldn't have made the album. There's a song floating around that says 'produced by Timbaland'.[30]
Lil Wayne later called DJ Drama's radio show Shade 45 Sirius Satellite Radio to explain that his comments were meant specifically for DJ Empire who leaked his materials periodically without his permission, consent, or knowledge; he also apologized for any misunderstandings between him and the numerous DJs that have aided him in the mixtape industry. He made it clear, however, that he wished for any feelings of dislike or resentment to remain.[31]
In a June 2008 interview with Billboard, Lil Wayne explained that the unauthorized release of tracks compelled him to release mixtapes rather than albums between Tha Carter II and Tha Carter III.[32]
Singles
editThe album's lead single, "Lollipop", topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for 5 non-consecutive weeks, making it Wayne's most successful single in his career. It features rapper Static Major. The album's second single, "A Milli", was another top ten. It reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also won a Grammy for Best Rap Song. The video for the second single, "A Milli", was set to be released in May, and has since been mainstreamed. Multiple versions of the track were to be included on the album as "skit-like" tracks, featuring artists such as Tyga, Cory Gunz, Hurricane Chris and Lil Mama.[33] Another artist, 13-year-old Lil Chuckee, was also set to appear on one of the "A Milli" skits. None of the skits made the final cut of the album. The third single is "Got Money", featuring T-Pain. It reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The fourth single is "Mrs. Officer", featuring Bobby Valentino. It made the Top 20 in just four weeks. "Comfortable" was sent to American rhythmic contemporary radio as the album's fifth and final single on September 29, 2008.[2] "Lollipop", "A Milli", "Got Money", and another track, "Mr. Carter", were nominated for a Grammy. Lil Wayne also performed "Tie My Hands" with Robin Thicke at the 51st Grammy Awards.
The album also featured the releases of promo singles. "3 Peat" peaked at number 66 on the Billboard 100. "You Ain't Got Nuthin" featuring Fabolous and Juelz Santana was released as a promo single, peaking at number 81 on the Billboard 100. "Mr. Carter", featuring Jay-Z, peaked at number 62 on the Billboard 100, number 27 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart, and number 13 on the Top Rap Songs. It was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or a Group in 2009.
Lawsuits
editOn July 24, 2008, Abkco Music Inc. filed a lawsuit against Lil Wayne for copyright infringement and unfair competition, specifically referring to the track "Playing with Fire".[34] In the lawsuit, Abkco claims that the song was obviously derived from The Rolling Stones' "Play with Fire", to which Abkco owns the rights.[34][35] Subsequently, "Playing with Fire" was removed from the track list of Tha Carter III on all online music stores and replaced with the David Banner produced track, "Pussy Monster".[36][37][38]
In March 2011, producer Deezle (Darius Harrison) sued Wayne and his parent labels Cash Money Records over unpaid royalties from Tha Carter III album.[39] In May 2011, producer Bangladesh also filed a lawsuit against Weezy & Co. over unpaid royalties.[40] In early June 2011, another producer named David Kirkwood filed a lawsuit against Young Money Entertainment and Cash Money Records on claims that the labels have failed to pay him over $1.5 million in royalties and production services for his work on the album, also including his songwriting on "Love Me or Hate Me", a bonus song featured only on the deluxe edition of the album.[41] Also in June 2011, Dallas producers Play-N-Skillz filed a lawsuit against him claiming Wayne owed them at least $1 million in unpaid royalties for "Got Money" from Tha Carter III.[42]
Critical reception
editAggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 84/100[43] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [24] |
The A.V. Club | B[44] |
Blender | [45] |
Entertainment Weekly | B−[27] |
The Guardian | [46] |
Los Angeles Times | [47] |
MSN Music (Consumer Guide) | A−[48] |
Pitchfork | 8.7/10[49] |
Rolling Stone | [25] |
Uncut | [50] |
Tha Carter III received widespread acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 84, based on 26 reviews.[43] AllMusic editor David Jeffries praised Wayne's "entertaining wordplay and plenty of well-executed, left-field ideas".[24] The Guardian's Alex Macpherson lauded Wayne's rapping, stating "Just trying to keep up with Wayne's mind as he proves the case is a thrill. He breaks language down into building blocks for new metaphors, exploiting every possible semantic and phonetic loophole for humour and yanking pop culture references into startling new contexts".[46]
Jonah Weiner of Blender called it "a weird, gripping triumph".[45] Rolling Stone writer Jody Rosen commended its themes and stated "This isn't a mixtape, it's a suite of songs, paced and sequenced for maximum impact".[25] Jon Pareles of The New York Times commented that Wayne "has clearly worked to make 'Tha Carter III' a statement of its own: one that moves beyond standard hip-hop boasting (though there's plenty of that) to thoughts that can be introspective or gleefully unhinged".[51] Pitchfork's Ryan Dombal stated, "he distills the myriad metaphors, convulsing flows, and vein-splitting emotions into a commercially gratifying package".[49] In his consumer guide for MSN Music, critic Robert Christgau noted that "every track attends to detail" and quipped, "From the start you know this is no mixtape because it's clearer and more forceful".[48] Uncut stated that "the prince of hip-hop gets a blessing from the king".[50] Mosi Reeves of Paste gave it a favorable review and noted that the album "hearkens to when rap meant rapp: Isaac Hayes talking for days about some girl he broke with, or Bobby Womack signifying while strumming a blues guitar".[52] Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club called Lil Wayne "the man of the moment, but the disc's best moments strive for timelessness and attain it".[44]
The Washington Post's J. Freedom du Lac commended Wayne for his "impulses to be outrageous and unconventional", calling him a "nonsensical genius", but found the album "uneven".[53] Tom Breihan of The Village Voice described it as "a sprawling mess, and it clangs nearly as often as it clicks" and "a work of staggering heights and maddening inconsistencies", but commended Wayne for his unconventional performance, stating "On paper, this is a textbook focus-grouped major-label hodgepodge, replete with girl songs and club songs and street songs. But every facet of the album comes animated and atomized by Wayne's absurdist drug-gobbling persona".[54] Drew Hinshaw of PopMatters stated "Tha Carter III is a monumental album full of powerful, self-defeating statements that obliterate rap's internal logic without offering too much more than indifferent bong logic in return. Judged, however, as a collection of singles and quotable verses—the criteria on which we've been grading hip-hop records since the end of disco—Tha Carter III is an agonizing piece of work".[55] Jeff Weiss of the Los Angeles Times found it "scattershot", stating "When Wayne's mad alchemy works, Tha Carter III evinces shades of brilliance that merit the wild hype, but in its transparent attempts to define its era, it fails, falling victim to the imperial bloat of its big-budget mishmash of styles".[47] Jon Caramanica of Entertainment Weekly wrote that "this schizoid album […] is alternately mesmerizing and inscrutable".[27] Slant Magazine's Dave Hughes viewed that it lacks a "focus" as an album, and stated, "while there are a lot of […] great moments here, Carter III is not the definitive statement of Wayne's mastery that he clearly intended it to be".[56] Brandon Perkins of URB commented that "As a sum of its parts, Tha Carter III does not transcend, but a good number of those parts are otherworldly enough".[57] Julian Benbow of The Boston Globe said the album was "not an instant classic, but it is the best rap album since Kanye West dropped "Graduation" last year".[58] Eric R. Danton of the Hartford Courant said of Lil Wayne, "If his raspy, cartoonish voice didn't mark him as different, his quick wit, offhanded wordplay and quirky subject matter should have in a genre populated largely by grim-faced imitators".[59]
Other reviews are average or mixed: Chase Hoffberger of The Austin Chronicle gave the album three stars out of five and said, "It's Wayne's personality that both floats and sinks TCIII".[60] Kilian Murphy of Hot Press also gave it a score of three out of five and stated, "Gifted MC loses the run of himself without Mannie Fresh".[61] Lewis P. of Sputnikmusic likewise gave it a score of three out of five and said the album "is scattershot, which oddly strengthens its faults, as if any lull in quality means that the next batch of producers can just reset the formula".[62] (However, nearly three years later, in 2011, Alex Robertson of the same website gave the album a score of four-and-a-half out of five and said it was "sort of a miracle: it's way too weird and confusing to be on the mainstream rap charts--to be that record that everyone knows about--but it is anyway. This album was in opposition to much of modern rap but somehow became popular and then proceeded to completely consume the genre and change its direction. […] Tha Carter III is a contradictory, against-all-odds masterpiece, and Lil Wayne may never perfect this balance again. I sincerely question: will anyone?"[63]) Ajitpaul Manjat of Tiny Mix Tapes gave the album two-and-a-half stars out of five and stated that, "equipped with the stylish, but too-often substance-less Tha Carter III, Lil Wayne seems poised to flip the script on the "rapper racists" (radio stations, MTV) by evolving into the "biggest" rapper alive".[64]
Accolades
editTha Carter III was ranked number one in Blender's list of the 33 best albums of 2008.[65] Christgau ranked its deluxe edition as the second best album of 2008.[66] The album was also ranked number three on Rolling Stone's list of the top 50 albums of 2008.[67] It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year,[68] and it won for Best Rap Album at the 2009 Grammy Awards, while "Lollipop" won for Best Rap Song and "A Milli" won for Best Rap Solo Performance.[69] Billboard magazine ranked the album number 103 on its list of the Top 200 Albums of the Decade.[70] In 2012, the album was ranked number 437 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time,[71] upgrading to number 208 in 2020 revised list.[72] In 2012 Complex named the album one of the classic albums of the last decade.[73]
Commercial performance
editWith opening day sales figures of approximately 423,000 copies,[74] Tha Carter III debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 1,005,545 copies in its first week.[75][76] This became Wayne's first US number one debut and his sixth top-ten album.[75] With its first week sales, it is the largest first week sales for any album in 2008 in the United States and the first album to reach the million mark in one week since 50 Cent's The Massacre (2005).[77] In its second week, the album dropped to number two on the chart, behind Coldplay's Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends, selling an additional 309,000 copies.[78] By the end of 2008, Tha Carter III had sold approximately 2.88 million copies and it was named the best-selling album of the year in the United States by Billboard.[79] On September 25, 2020, the album was certified six times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over six million units in the United States.[80]
Tha Carter III has also reached the top spot in the Canadian Albums Chart, selling nearly 21,000 units. Elsewhere, the album achieved moderate success, entering at only number 23 in the UK and number 34 on the Irish Albums Chart.
Track listing
editNo. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "3 Peat" |
| Maestro | 3:19 |
2. | "Mr. Carter" (featuring Jay-Z) |
|
| 5:16 |
3. | "A Milli" |
| Bangladesh | 3:41 |
4. | "Got Money" (featuring T-Pain) |
|
| 4:04 |
5. | "Comfortable" (featuring Babyface) | West | 4:25 | |
6. | "Dr. Carter" | Swizz Beatz | 4:24 | |
7. | "Phone Home" |
| Cool & Dre | 3:11 |
8. | "Tie My Hands" (featuring Robin Thicke) |
| Thicke | 5:19 |
9. | "Mrs. Officer" (featuring Bobby V and Kidd Kidd) | Deezle | 4:47 | |
10. | "Let the Beat Build" |
|
| 5:09 |
11. | "Shoot Me Down" (featuring D. Smith) |
|
| 4:29 |
12. | "Lollipop" (featuring Static Major) |
|
| 4:59 |
13. | "La La" (featuring Brisco & Busta Rhymes) | David Banner | 4:21 | |
14. | "Playing with Fire" (featuring Betty Wright) |
| Streetrunner | 4:21 |
15. | "You Ain't Got Nuthin" (featuring Juelz Santana & Fabolous) |
| Alchemist | 5:27 |
16. | "Dontgetit" |
| Rodnae | 9:52 |
Total length: | 77:04 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
14. | "Pussy Monster" |
| Banner | 5:13 |
Total length: | 78:02 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
17. | "Lollipop (Remix)" (featuring Kanye West and Static Major) |
|
| 4:21 |
18. | "Prostitute 2" |
|
| 5:50 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "I'm Me" | Carter, Lenny Mollings, Johnny Mollings | DJ Nasty & LVM | 4:55 |
2. | "Gossip" | Carter, L. Dozier, B. Holland, E. Holland, Warwar | Streetrunner | 3:25 |
3. | "Kush" | Carter, Brooks, L.L. McCall, L. McCall, D. Thomas | Maestro | 3:42 |
4. | "Love Me or Hate Me" | Carter | GX | 4:00 |
5. | "Talkin' About It" | Carter, Rodriguez | Infamous | 3:31 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Action" | Carter, Harrison | Deezle | 3:45 |
2. | "Whip It" | Carter, Harrison | Deezle | 6:01 |
3. | "I'm Me" | Carter, Mollings, Mollings | DJ Nasty & LVM | 4:55 |
4. | "Gossip" | Carter, Dozier, Holland, Holland, Warwar | Streetrunner | 3:25 |
5. | "Kush" | Carter, McCall, McCall, Thomas | Maestro | 3:42 |
6. | "Love Me or Hate Me" | Carter | GX | 4:00 |
7. | "Talkin' About It" | Carter, Rodriguez | Infamous | 3:31 |
Notes[81]
- "A Milli" contains a sample from "I Left My Wallet In El Segundo (Vampire Mix)", as performed by A Tribe Called Quest.
- "Comfortable" contains an uncredited sample from "You Don't Know My Name", written by Alicia Keys, Kanye West, and Harold Lilly, and performed by Keys.
- "Dr. Carter" contains samples from "Holy Thursday", written by David A. Axelrod.
- "DontGetIt" contains samples from "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", written by Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell and Sol Marcus.
- "Action" contains a sample of "I'm So Hood" by DJ Khaled.[verification needed]
- "I'm Me" contains samples of "Go D.J"., "Fireman", "Hustler Musik", and "Cash Money Millionaires" by Lil Wayne, "God Moving Over the Face of the Waters" by Moby, and "Rubberband Man" by T.I.[verification needed]
- "Gossip" contains a sample of "Stop in the Name of Love" by Margie Joseph.[verification needed]
- "Kush" contains a sample of "Honey Wild" by Con Funk Shun.[verification needed]
Personnel
editCredits for Tha Carter III adapted from Allmusic.[82]
|
|
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
Decade-end chartsedit
|
Certifications
editRegion | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[111] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada)[112] | 2× Platinum | 160,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[114] | Gold | 207,969[113] |
United States (RIAA)[80] | 8× Platinum | 8,000,000‡ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
edit- ^ "100 Best Albums of the 2000s - Lil Wayne, 'Tha Carter III'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
- ^ a b "R&R Going For Adds: Rhythmic (Week Of: September 29, 2008)". Radio & Records. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ "Tha Carter 3". Lil Wayne Fansite - Weezy Blog. December 17, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
- ^ Jeffries, David (2008). "Lil Wayne – Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved March 29, 2009.
- ^ a b Lil Wayne Announces Tha Carter III: The Leak on December 18, with Official LP Coming in February Archived 2007-10-28 at the Wayback Machine. XXL (October 26, 2007). Retrieved October 26, 2007.
- ^ Jesús Triviño Alarcón, Matt Barone, Hillary Crosley, Thomas Golianopoulos, Brian Miller (January 30, 2007). Remedy: The Top 10 Most Anticipated Albums of 2007. XXL magazine. Retrieved January 30, 2007.
- ^ "Lil Wayne Grabs 3rd In Rollingstone's Top 50 Albums | Lil Wayne". Rap Basement. December 10, 2008. Archived from the original on October 5, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2009.
- ^ "Lil Wayne's 'Tha Carter III' Sells 1 Million". Billboard. June 18, 2008. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
- ^ Concepcion, Mariel (February 2, 2008). "Lil Wayne: New Album 'Will Stick With You Forever'". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 3, 2008. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ Andres Tardio (January 10, 2008). "Lil Wayne Reveals The Carter III Details". HipHopDX. Retrieved January 10, 2008.
- ^ Shaheem Reid and Jayson Rodriguez, with additional reporting by Bridget Bland and Rahman Dukes (April 9, 2007). "Mixtape Monday: Wayne, Mannie Fresh Open to Another Collaboration; Kanye Tapped for Carter, Vol. 3". MTV. Retrieved April 9, 2007.
- ^ Lola Plaku (April 5, 2007). "Interviews – Featured Artist: Solitair" Archived 2012-02-10 at the Wayback Machine. HipHopCanada.com. Retrieved April 5, 2007.
- ^ "The Runners Producers Lil Wayne Beat" on YouTube. Retrieved August 2, 2007.
- ^ a b c Andres Tardio (October 29, 2007). Lil Wayne Speaks on 50 Cent & New Album. HipHopDX. Retrieved October 29, 2007.
- ^ Andreas Hale (March 19, 2008). "Eminem "Scared" To Record With Lil Wayne?". HipHopDX. Retrieved March 20, 2008.
- ^ "Lil Wayne's Tha Carter III – CD Review of Lil Wayne's 6th Solo Album". Rap.about.com. June 10, 2008. Archived from the original on September 6, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
- ^ ThePremier (February 25, 2008)."It's Official, Jay-Z to Appear on Tha Carter III" Archived 2008-02-26 at the Wayback Machine. Def Sounds. Retrieved February 25, 2008.
- ^ Fullmetal (June 11, 2007). "Lil Wayne preps Tha Carter III" Archived 2007-06-14 at the Wayback Machine. Def Sounds. Retrieved June 11, 2007.
- ^ Slava Kuperstein (February 22, 2008). "Lil' Wayne Visits His School, Says "Carter III" Due in April" Archived 2008-03-04 at the Wayback Machine. HipHopDX. Retrieved February 22, 2008.
- ^ Shaheem Reid, Jayson Rodriguez and Rahman Dukes (June 11, 2007). "Lil Wayne Plans His Own Leak; Cassidy's Live-From-Jail Rhymes" Archived 2008-04-12 at the Wayback Machine. MTV. Retrieved August 4, 2007.
- ^ Allen Starbury (November 19, 2007). "David Banner Explains Constant Album Delays, Diversifies Portfolio". Baller Status. Retrieved November 19, 2007.
- ^ Slava Kuperstein (January 31, 2008). "Swizz Beatz Keeps Busy in the Studio" Archived 2008-03-02 at the Wayback Machine. HipHopDX. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Lil Wayne Interview With SemtexTV" Archived 2008-09-05 at the Wayback Machine. Rap Basement. Accessed May 2008.
- ^ a b c d e Jeffries, David. "Tha Carter III – Lil Wayne". AllMusic. Retrieved October 26, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e Rosen, Jody (June 26, 2008). "Tha Carter III". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
- ^ a b Concepcion, Mariel (June 21, 2008). "Tha Carter III". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 17, 2008. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Caramanica, Jon (June 13, 2008). "Tha Carter III". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 31, 2009.
- ^ "Blender's 1001 Downloads: The Top 144 Songs of 2008". Blender. Archived from the original on March 27, 2009. Retrieved December 31, 2009.
- ^ Janelle Griffith (April 9, 2008). "Lil' Wayne's Carter III Pushed Back" Archived 2008-04-10 at the Wayback Machine. SOHH.com. Retrieved April 9, 2008.
- ^ Reid, Shaheem; Rodriguez, Jayson; Dukes, Rahman (June 11, 2007). "Mixtape Monday: Lil Wayne Plans His Own Leak; Cassidy's Live-From-Jail Rhymes". MTV. Archived from the original on April 12, 2008. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ Hale, Andreas (May 31, 2008). "Lil Wayne Explains Mixtape Diss & Still Calls Out Deejays". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on June 12, 2008. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ Concepcion, Mariel (June 18, 2008). "Featured Artist: Lil Wayne". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 28, 2008. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
- ^ Shaheem Reid (April 29, 2008).[1]. MTV. Retrieved April 30, 2008.
- ^ a b "Lil Wayne sued for using Rolling Stones track". NME. Los Angeles. July 24, 2008. Retrieved August 21, 2008.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (July 25, 2008). "Lil Wayne Sued By Rolling Stones Publisher Over 'Playing With Fire'". MTV. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved October 21, 2008.
- ^ "Tha Carter III on iTunes". iTunes Store. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2008.
- ^ "Tha Carter III on Amazon". Amazon. Retrieved October 25, 2008.
- ^ "Tha Carter III on Rhapsody". Rhapsody. Retrieved October 25, 2008.
- ^ Brad Wete (March 24, 2011). "Lil Wayne sued for $20 million by unpaid 'Lollipop' producer".
- ^ "Lil Wayne lawsuit over 'The Carter' documentary takes another twist". May 2, 2011.
- ^ Bark, Theo (June 7, 2011). "Lil Wayne's producer sues Cash Money Records". The Boom Box. AOL. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
- ^ "Lil Wayne sued again for 1 million dollars over unpaid Carter III royalties". GossipOnThis.com. June 11, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
- ^ a b "Reviews for Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne". Metacritic. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
- ^ a b Rabin, Nathan (June 12, 2008). "Lil Wayne: Tha Carter III". The A.V. Club. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
- ^ a b Weiner, Jonah (August 2008). "Lil Wayne: Tha Carter III". Blender. No. 72. p. 79.
- ^ a b Macpherson, Alex (June 12, 2008). "Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III". The Guardian. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
- ^ a b Weiss, Jeff (June 9, 2008). "Blueprint for a Big Statement". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 26, 2009.
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert (June 2008). "Inside Music: Consumer Guide". MSN Music. Archived from the original on August 24, 2008. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
- ^ a b Dombal, Ryan (June 12, 2008). "Lil Wayne: Tha Carter III". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
- ^ a b "Lil Wayne: Tha Carter III". Uncut. No. 136. September 2008. p. 110.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (June 10, 2008). "Rapper's Road to Pop". The New York Times. Retrieved October 26, 2009.
- ^ Reeves, Mosi (June 12, 2008). "Lil Wayne: Tha Carter III". Paste. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
- ^ Freedom du Lac, J. (June 10, 2008). "'Tha Carter III': Lil Wayne As Nonsensical Genius". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (January 21, 2009). "The Curious Case of Lil Wayne". The Village Voice. Retrieved October 26, 2009.
- ^ Hinshaw, Drew (June 20, 2008). "Lil Wayne: Tha Carter III". PopMatters. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
- ^ Hughes, David (June 8, 2008). "Lil Wayne: Tha Carter III". Slant Magazine. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ^ Perkins, Brandon (June 3, 2008). "Lil Wayne :: Tha Carter III". URB. Archived from the original on February 18, 2009. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
- ^ Benbow, Julian (June 10, 2008). "On 'Carter III,' Lil' Wayne perfects the art of the brag". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
- ^ Danton, Eric R. (June 9, 2008). "CD Review: 'Tha Carter III' by Lil Wayne". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on January 5, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
- ^ Hoffberger, Chase (June 20, 2008). "Lil Wayne: Tha Carter III (Cash Money/Universal)". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
- ^ Murphy, Kilian (July 14, 2008). "Tha Carter III". Hot Press. Retrieved August 28, 2013.(subscription required)
- ^ Lewis P. (June 10, 2008). "Review: Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
- ^ Robertson, Alex (February 9, 2011). "Review: Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
- ^ Manjat, Ajitpaul (June 10, 2008). "Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
- ^ "Blender Magazine - The 33 Best Albums of 2008" Archived 2008-12-18 at the Wayback Machine. Blender. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
- ^ "2008: Dean's List". Robert Christgau. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
- ^ "Top 50 Albums of 2008". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 2, 2008.
- ^ Coldplay, Lil Wayne lead Grammy nominations. "Metacritic". Retrieved December 4, 2008.
- ^ Winners Complete List from 2009 Grammys. E! Online. Retrieved December 2, 2009.
- ^ "Best of the 2000s – Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Retrieved December 16, 2009.
- ^ "NEW 500 Greatest Albums: 437. Lil Wayne – 'Tha Carter III'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- ^ "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 22, 2020. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
- ^ "25 Rap Albums From the Past Decade That Deserve Classic StatusLil Wayne, Tha Carter III (2008)". Complex. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
- ^ "Lil Wayne A Lock To Top Next Week's Album Chart". Billboard. June 11, 2008. Retrieved October 28, 2011.
- ^ a b "Lil Wayne Crushes The Competition To Debut At No. 1". Billboard. June 18, 2008. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
- ^ "Lil Wayne Drop Tha Carter III: Today in Hip-Hop". XXL. June 10, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
- ^ Steve Jones (March 9, 2005). "50 Cent Sales". USA Today. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
- ^ "Coldplay Cruises To No. 1 On The Billboard 200". Billboard. June 25, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2008.
- ^ "Lil Wayne Notches Top-Selling Album Of '08". Billboard. December 31, 2008. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
- ^ a b "American album certifications – Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
- ^ Cited track list, credits and samples are taken from the booklet of Tha Carter III Deluxe Edition. They may not include disputed claims, as the "Playing with Fire" sample in the Abkco lawsuit.
- ^ Credits: Tha Carter III. Allmusic. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Lil Wayne Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Lil Wayne". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Lil Wayne Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Lil Wayne Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Lil Wayne Chart History (Top Rap Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2008". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "2008 Year-End UK Charts" (PDF). Official Charts Company. Chart Plus. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "2008 Year-End Charts - Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- ^ "2008 Year-End Charts - Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- ^ "2008 Year-End Charts - Billboard Rap Albums". Billboard. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- ^ "2009 Year-End Charts - Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- ^ "2009 Year-End Charts - Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- ^ "2009 Year-End Charts - Billboard Rap Albums". Billboard. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- ^ "2010 Year-End Charts - Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
- ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
- ^ "Best of 2000s – Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2019 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Lil Wayne – The Carter III". Music Canada.
- ^ Jones, Alan (October 5, 2018). "Charts analysis: Rod Stewart rules albums chart". Music Week. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
- ^ "British album certifications – Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III". British Phonographic Industry.