1. "Fireman"
Herewith a beginner's guide to Tha Carter series. "Fireman," the lead single from Tha Carter II, vividly demonstrates how effective Tunechi could be when pursuing pyrotechnic fantasies over a spry beat.
2. "The Block is Hot"
At a mere 17, Lil Wayne was already a fully formed entertainer. His debut single, "Tha Block is Hot," formally positioned him as Cash Money Record's next star. If you listen hard enough you can almost hear his glee at the prospect of no longer playing second banana to Juvenile.
3. "Shooter"
History is rife with song remakes that eclipsed the original version. "Shooter" belongs in this category, as Lil Wayne and the song's original writer Robin Thicke successfully reinvent an already brilliant track. Interestingly, the only difference between "Shooter" and "Oh Shooter" is Weezy F. Baby.
4. "6 Foot 7 Foot"
Remember how every rapper and their weed carrier was jumping on "A Milli"? "6 Foot 7 Foot" (tracked by the same producer (Bangladesh)) had the opposite effect. No one wanted to go near this thing. Really, how do you top "Real G's move in silence like lasagna"?
5. "Dr. Carter"
In which Dwayne Carter dons his overalls and proceeds to stitch his ailing patients one after the other. Each verse heals a specific element of hip-hop, with countless quotable rhymes along the way. Definitely one of Lil Wayne's best songs from Tha Carter series.
6. "Bling Bling"
Ah, the song that introduced the world to the term "bling bling." Technically, it's not a Lil Wayne song -- he only holds down hook duty, while his Hot Boys comrades supply the verses. But the song is most memorable for Wayne's two-word special, "bling bling." A slang so transcendent it's now part of everyday lingo. So powerful it earned a spot in Merriam-Webster.
7. "I Miss My Dawgs"
Lil Wayne keeps it realer than real, reminiscing about the halcyon days of first-generation Cash Money hegemony. His relationship with Hot Boys brethren Juvenile, Turk and BG forms the song's nucleus. It's a beautiful moment, indeed.
8. "I Feel Like Dying"
It's hard to imagine Lil Wayne writing a song like this today. First, he's no longer the space cadet he once was. Also: "I Feel Like Dying" is a mixtape track from The Drought 2, and Wayne sometimes reserves his most experimental stuff for the mixtape audience. The song ponders the dangers of drug addiction (or more spectacularly, withdrawals from drugs), while offering the listener the same psychedelic experience Wayne seems to be under. Weezy probably needed more drugs after the track resulted in a flurry of lawsuits, including a copyright infringement suit from Karma-Ann Swanepoel, whose "Once" was lifted for the hook.
9. "Go DJ"
The first installment of Tha Carter series ushered in a more polished lyricist in Wayne. "Go DJ" is testament to Weezy's growth, with its tightly wound rhymes neatly packed atop Mannie Fresh's hypnotic beat.
10. "A Milli"
Weezy goes on a free-verse rampage, rambling about everything under the sun. You have no idea what he's saying, but you simply can't turn it off because his flow is so damn infectious.