Let’s be real. Lil Wayne hasn't had to prove anything to anyone for a very long time. By the time 2023 rolled around, he’d already spent two decades as the undisputed king of the mixtape and the commercial behemoth behind the Tha Carter series. So, when he dropped Tha Fix Before Tha VI on September 29, 2023, the vibe was less "I need a hit" and more "here’s something to hold you over while I finish the masterpiece." It was a bridge. A snack. A messy, experimental, and sometimes confusing appetizer for Tha Carter VI.
You’ve probably seen the mixed reviews. Some critics absolutely trashed it, calling it disjointed or even "unbearable." But if you’ve followed Tunechi’s career since the Squad Up days, you know that Wayne doesn’t play by the rules of a "perfectly curated" tracklist. He plays by the rules of whatever is in his cup and whatever beat is currently sitting in front of him.
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The Sound of Tha Fix Before Tha VI
This isn't a "safe" project. Wayne decided to go left when everyone expected him to go right. Honestly, it’s one of the weirder entries in his massive discography. He isn't just rapping; he’s singing, he’s screeching, and he’s messing with genres that would make a purist’s head spin.
Take "Birds," for example. The beat is literally built around bird chirps. It’s wacky. It’s the kind of thing only Wayne could—or would—do. Then you have "Tuxedo" with Euro, which leans into that Rebirth-era punk-rock energy. If you hated Wayne’s rock phase in 2010, you probably skipped this one immediately. But if you appreciate the "Martian" era where he just did whatever the hell he wanted, there’s a certain charm to the chaos.
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The Hits and the Misses
- "Act Up" (feat. Jon Batiste): This opener starts with a piano and Wayne’s signature lighter flick. It’s soulful, then it drops into a heavy flow that reminds you why he’s a legend.
- "Kat Food": The lead single. It’s raunchy, it samples Missy Elliott’s "Work It," and it’s nearly five minutes of Wayne being, well, Wayne. It’s polarizing. You either love the nostalgia or find it a bit much.
- "Chanel No. 5" (feat. Fousheé): Probably the standout track for most. It uses those same haunting piano chords from Kendrick’s "Humble," and Fousheé’s vocals provide a perfect, ethereal contrast to Wayne’s grit.
- "Good Morning": This was the theme for Skip Bayless’ Undisputed. It’s short, punchy, and proof that Wayne can still manufacture a "moment" whenever he feels like it.
The production credits are a "who's who" of heavy hitters: Murda Beatz, Wheezy, StreetRunner, and Cool & Dre. Yet, despite the star-studded producers, the project feels like it was recorded in a single, hazy weekend. That’s the mixtape spirit, though. It’s not supposed to be polished.
Why the Negative Reviews Missed the Point
A lot of the hate for Tha Fix Before Tha VI came from people expecting Tha Carter VI quality. They wanted the "Best Rapper Alive" to come out with 20-bar metaphors and world-shattering lyricism on every track. But this was never meant to be that. It was a "fix." A literal dose for the addicts who can’t go a year without new Weezy.
If you look at the commercial performance, it debuted at number 40 on the Billboard 200. Not a world-beater, but for a surprise mixtape with zero radio push? That’s still Lil Wayne numbers. Critics at AllMusic and HipHopDX might have given it low scores, but the fans on Reddit were still bumping "To The Bank" and "Slip" months later. There’s a raw, unedited quality to songs like "Tity Boi" that you just don't get on a major studio album anymore.
The Road to Tha Carter VI
Now that we’ve actually seen Tha Carter VI arrive (it finally dropped in June 2025), Tha Fix Before Tha VI makes a lot more sense in retrospect. It was Wayne clearing his throat. It was where he got the "weird" out of his system so he could focus on the high-gloss, feature-heavy giant that C6 became.
Think of it like the Sorry 4 The Wait tapes. Those weren't meant to be his best work; they were meant to keep the momentum going during legal battles and delays. This mixtape served the same purpose. It kept Young Money in the conversation while the industry waited for the next official chapter.
Wayne’s loyalty to his craft is almost weird at this point. He’s 40+ years old, worth hundreds of millions, and he’s still in the studio at 4 AM rapping about "Kat Food." You have to respect the grind, even when the result is a bit messy.
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Actionable Takeaways for the Weezy Fan
- Don't skip the features: Euro and Fousheé actually carry their weight here. Don't just listen for Wayne; listen to how he plays off the younger talent.
- Lower the expectations: Approach this like a "lost tapes" session rather than a studio album. The "weird" tracks like "Birds" are much better when you aren't looking for a radio hit.
- Listen to the samples: The way "Slip" flips N.O.R.E.’s "Banned from TV" is a nice nod to the golden era that many younger listeners might miss.
If you haven't revisited the project since its 2023 release, go back and play "Chanel No. 5" or "To The Bank." In a world of perfectly polished, AI-assisted rap, there's something refreshing about Lil Wayne just being a weirdo on a microphone. It’s not his best work, but it’s 100% him. That’s more than most can say.