He actually did it. After years of "coming soon" teasers and cryptic studio snippets, Lil Wayne finally dropped the sixth installment of his most legendary series. June 6, 2025—the sixth day of the sixth month—was the moment the world got to hear Lil Wayne Tha Carter VI songs in their full, chaotic glory.
Honestly? It isn't what anyone expected. If you were looking for Tha Carter III part two, you probably felt a bit of whiplash. This album is weird. It’s soulful, it’s operatic, and at times, it’s downright confusing. But that’s exactly why we need to talk about it. Weezy isn't just rapping; he’s basically conducting a genre-bending orchestra.
The Tracklist That Broke the Internet
When the official tracklist hit, people thought it was a prank. Andrea Bocelli? Bono? Wyclef Jean? It felt like Wayne was filling out a bracket for a "Most Unlikely Collaborators" tournament. But once you press play on "Maria," featuring both Bocelli and Wyclef, the madness starts to make sense. It’s a gut-wrenching track where Wayne digs into his past health struggles and seizures over a backdrop that sounds like a cathedral.
The album spans 19 tracks, and it’s a marathon.
- King Carter: The opener. It uses these heavy, royal brass sections that make you feel like you’re watching a coronation in Hollygrove.
- The Days (feat. Bono): This one was everywhere during the 2025 NBA Finals. It’s moody. It’s dark. It’s Wayne at his most reflective, rapping about things he’s lost over the years.
- Sharks (feat. Jelly Roll & Big Sean): This is the radio hit. It’s got that gritty, Southern stomping energy that Jelly Roll excels at, mixed with Sean’s clever wordplay and Wayne’s signature "Best Rapper Alive" confidence.
- Rari (feat. Kameron Carter): Yes, his son is on here. It’s a passing-of-the-torch moment that feels surprisingly natural for a kid who grew up in the shadow of a GOAT.
- Banned From NO: If you like the classic, aggressive Weezy, this is your song. The beat has literal dogs barking in the background. It’s raw.
Why C6 Feels Different Than the Rest
Most artists at Wayne’s stage of the game play it safe. They find the hottest TikTok producer and try to reclaim their youth. Wayne did the opposite. He linked up with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Wyclef Jean.
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Wyclef actually told Rolling Stone that they recorded something like 30 songs together. You can hear that influence all over the project. There’s a lot of "live" energy. It’s not just programmed 808s; there are guitars, flutes, and organic percussion that makes the album feel like a living thing.
There was a lot of drama leading up to this release, specifically regarding the Super Bowl LIX halftime show in New Orleans. Wayne was vocal about being "hurt" that he wasn't chosen for his hometown game. You can feel that chip on his shoulder throughout the record. On "Banned From NO," he basically vents that frustration, turning that rejection into a lyrical masterclass.
The Missing Pieces: Drake and Nicki?
One thing that definitely raised eyebrows was the lack of a Drake or Nicki Minaj feature. For a Young Money reunion, you’d expect the "Big Three" to have at least one anthem together. Instead, Wayne leaned into New Orleans legends like Mannie Fresh on "Bein Myself" and fresh voices like BigXthaPlug on "Hip-Hop."
It’s a bold move. It shows that Wayne is more interested in his own artistic evolution than just chasing a guaranteed Billboard #1 through his famous friends. He even tried to clear a Billie Eilish sample for the album, though it didn't make the final cut due to licensing issues. That alone tells you where his head was at—he wanted to push boundaries.
Practical Takeaways for Your First Listen
If you haven't sat down with the album yet, don't just shuffle it while you’re at the gym. This isn't "A Milli" era Wayne.
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- Listen to the lyrics on "The Days." It’s some of the most honest writing he’s done about his mortality and his journey through the industry.
- Watch the Madison Square Garden live footage. Seeing him perform these tracks for the first time on release night adds a layer of context to how the songs were meant to be experienced.
- Don't skip the features. Even the ones that seem "weird" (like MGK on "Alone in the Studio With My Gun") serve a specific purpose in the narrative of the album.
Lil Wayne Tha Carter VI songs represent a man who has nothing left to prove but everything left to say. He’s already the GOAT to millions. Now, he’s just being Dwayne Carter.
To fully grasp the evolution, start with the intro "King Carter" and let the album play through to the end of "Mula Komin In." Pay close attention to the production credits, as the shift from trap-heavy beats to the orchestral arrangements of Wyclef Jean marks a significant pivot in his career. If you’re a long-time fan, compare the wordplay on "Banned From NO" to his Carter II era to see how his "Alcatraz bars" have aged into a more refined, veteran flow.