‘Rebirth’: rock/rap/pop music orgy

Jeremy Clemmons

Staff Writer

Conceived as rap/rock, drawing comparisons to Run D.M.C. and N.E.R.D, Lil Wayne’s latest record, “Rebirth” (which was conveniently released to make it seem like the rapper won’t be in jail for a year starting this month), is the product of an entertainer who loves sound for effect. The single “Prom Queen” boasts larger than life riffs, crashing guitar solos, and operatic choruses. “Get a Life’s” stop-and-go bass line sounds like The Crash meets the Black-Eyed Peas, while the punkish “Knockout” ft. Nicki Minaj swiftly moves from pathos to anger, from Taylor Swift to the Ting Tings.

All of rock’s grandest and most recognizable tricks are here, or at least the ones that have been acclimated to the mainstream, and Weezy wants to try all of them. Lyrically, he’s surprisingly revealing. When he’s not flaunting it, there’s actually some hilarious parody (of teen break-up songs, of rock ballads, of the Beastie Boys—“Da, Da, Da”).

However at times “Rebirth” seems indistinguishable from any other Wayne record.  The reason is simple: the twin stars of rock and rap have aligned the last decade under pop’s “let’s include everybody” motto.  Just last year, and with an album still reigning large on popular music radio stations, Jay-Z declared practically the same thing (on “D.O.A.” he raps, “This s*** need a verse from Jeezy, I might send this to the mixtape Weezy”) creating an album in “Blueprint 3” that veers dangerously close to a pop medium.  Why exclude anybody?  Isn’t that what music is all about?

“Rebirth,” an album so enigmatically terrible, but also so full of swagger it is either the most benevolent album ever written or a piece of crap. Good luck figuring that one out.

Grade: C+

Download (don’t steal!): “Prom Queen” ft. Shanell by Lil Wayne

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