Lil Wayne’s new album, I Am Not A Human Being II, is unfortunately true to its name.Comprised mainly of failed attempts at pop hits and lukewarm rehashings of Wayne’s former rap glory, this is the work of a record label, not a human being.
And it seems that Wayne agrees. In a March interview with Complex, Wayne said of his album, “It’s whatever.”
Wayne raps with a cadence so slow and monotonous that he might as well be reading an essay over music. He improves slightly in other songs, but in general, he comes across as lifeless.
It would seem like a welcome change when he actually sings. It would be, too, if Wayne’s singing wasn’t either auto-tuned to death or hilariously bad.
The former effect is best shown in “Curtains,” in which Wayne heavily relies on auto-tune to the point that his voice is almost unrecognizable. When Wayne raps, it’s usually boring, but when he sings, it’s just plain bad.
Unfortunately, the problems with the album are not just musical. Wayne, who was once revered for his creative, funny lyrics and wordplay, has lost some of his touch.
Most of his attempts to play with words are pointlessly obscene or violent, as in “IANAHB,” when he says, “Shoot him in his head, what’s that?/A no brainer.” Even when Wayne is being serious, his lyrics aren’t up to par.
In “God Bless Amerika,” which presents itself as a critique of American society, he says, “My country tis of thee/ Sweet land of kill ‘em all and let ‘em die.” Aside from the fact that it doesn’t rhyme, the line does not seem to be saying anything specific, like the rest of the song.
However, there are bright spots in the album. On “My Homies Still,” Wayne seems energized by an unusual beat, returning to his old form. And, on “Love Me,” he works well with a chorus sung by Future and a guest verse from Drake. It’s telling, though, that these are really the only hits on the album. Wayne seems to have put all of his effort into just a few songs.
In general, one gets the sense that Wayne did not want to make this album.
The fact that the songs switch between rap and pop, and the large number of guests on the album (16 artists in 17 songs), make it seem as if IANAHBII was created in order to make money and nothing else.