By Vishal Pillay
Lil Wayne has finally released the awaited follow up to his 2018 album Tha Carter V. This is his 13th album and features artists such as Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Jay Rock, Adam Levine, and the late XXXTentacion. Funeral brings us back to his usual spitballing and freestyle. However, it felt inconsistent at times. With a wide variety of styles, the album felt uneven with its highs and lows.
Wayne’s versatility is the main defining factor on the album. His rapping style goes from an East Coast flow in “Stop Playin’ with Me” to his hometown tempo of New Orleans in “Clap For Em.” “Mahogany” is the real star; we see Wayne’s lyrical capabilities as he raps about how many things can be made from mahogany.
There are many references to the late Kobe Bryant within the album. For starters, the album contains 24 tracks, which was Bryant’s famous jersey number while on the Los Angeles Lakers. Wayne also made his eighth song (Bryant’s other famous number) a tribute song titled “Bing James.” Not to mention, the song ends with a 24-second gap, leading many fans to take an honorary moment of silence.
Kobe Bryant’s passing left a hole in many hearts. Within those 24 seconds, Wayne made us remember Kobe. His mamba mentality on and off the court made me realize that he was bigger than basketball. To many, including me, it still doesn’t feel real.
In my opinion, Funeral didn’t live up to the hype as much as its predecessor, Tha Carter V. did. Many songs didn’t seem to tie together, which left the album feeling disconnected. Unfortunately, this album favors quantity over quality. We have seen Wayne produce many great albums, but this one falls a bit short
Conclusion: It’s good, but not one to remember.
