Lil Wayne — Funeral: Immediate thoughts & reaction

The album was late.

Funeral had existed as a possibility as the next Lil Wayne album in the consciousness of the general population and overall #raptwitter for a good number of months. It had been done way back in like August, but August came around and there was no album. (Hell, it was even spoiled late last spring when Weezy unexplicably joined Blink-182 on tour and gave fans who purchased their tickets a bundle that gave them also a copy of a still-untitled forthcoming album.)

But this time? This time, after Wayne announcing that there had been a couple of interviews lined up, notably with Drink Champs and after announcing an actual release date of January 31, well this time the album would come. Funeral was and is an important album in Wayne’s ridiculous career arc: it’s his first one recorded and released in full as a truly and fully independent artist. It’s a Young Money album, no thanks to Cash Money.

And yet, January 31 came around and fans like us needed to wait a few hours to listen to it. It would come that day, yes, but in what’s another little example in how not to maximize the talent of your generational superstar, folks at Young Money decided to release the album on streaming services at 12am PST instead of doing as is customary and just releasing the dang thing on streaming services at 12am EST.

In any case, the album is here now and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Maybe someone ought to tell that to Mack Maine? You know, an album single or some shit could have helped, no? Sure, you told him to go on the Tonight Show stage, and the nonsense that is The Masked Singer, but that’s not how you sell albums.

Legends never die (#RIPKobe), they say, and by god we hope this is true for Wayne. His standing as a legend and overall incredible rapper has long been secured and it’s unlikely that this new album will do anything to affect things, be it positively or not. Here’s to hoping Wayne made an album that just, you know, made him happy he’s still rapping.

1. Funeral

Okay we’re ready. Whichever direction you want to take this one, Wayne, we’re so very ready. Weezy gave us strings and his trademark light flick to start this first song of the album, we’re not mad at it. At all. A very IANAHB2-like intro in that the beat is just minimal instruments and melodies. “Welcome to the funeral, closed casked as usual.” Whose funeral is this supposed to be though? It is supposed to be Wayne’s? God let’s hope not. “Gotta die to see you who know” is one hell of a bar. So true, with the unfortunate realization that you yourself actually won’t know because you’ll be, you know, dead.

There is still no experience like seeing Wayne find a pocket in a beat and riding it until wherever it might take him — but how can you find the pockets in the beat if there is so little beat?

Ah, here come the drums. Man, there is so much passion in Wayne’s voice. Nice kicker too: “In other words this n***a dead.” Real talk, too: ain’t no special dead, there’s just dead. Shoutouts to Dukie.

2. Mahogany

Where this album is taking us is apparently heaven because that’s what Mahogany is. Oh lord. Is that a Mannie Fresh beat with a vocal soul sample? My tiny little heart was not ready for this one. Oh my god WAYNE!!!! This is the track. Weezy is just rapping intricate rhymes non stop and I am here for it. Apparently he treated Funeral like it was a mixtape? There was an 8 Mile reference but I didn’t catch it. Now he just switched his flow cause why the fuck not.

There’s no one like Wayne. His voice might be more raspy and he’s definitely grown older but Wayne still can rhyme. Can we get him to rap over Mannie Fresh beats exclusively?

3. Mama Mia

Jeez I’m gonna need a cigarette after Mahogany and I don’t even smoke. Following up the soulful previous track is this….cringing beat? I respect that tons of folks listened to this beat that sounds like nails on a board yet still greenlit the track.

Wayne starts rapping. Will we ever get a chorus on Funeral? Not mad about it, I just didn’t expect mixtape Wayne. (He’s the best Wayne though.) “I ain’t a killer but don’t push me,” shouts Pac. That’s why they kept this beat: Wayne is absolutely floating. Every single line is a punchline, this is amazing. Getting strong “Big Bad Wolf” vibes from this one.

The beat breaks down only to come back and Wayne really actually raps “massages masseuse me oops I mean masseuses massage me.” Please bury me here. If you’re looking for one reason why we love Wayne, look no further than someone having the presence of mind to make this rhyme.

Beat gets subdued. I can sense the payoff coming. Bring it home, Wayne. “I come from Mars but I act like I’m from the Planet of the Apes,” this is it Wayne. You beautiful motherfucking madman.

4. I Do It

We’ve made our opinion on Big Sean fairly well known publicly so this one should be interesting. There’s a flute playing to start the song and having a flute in rap is never a bad idea. Sean starts things off cool, this is fine, cool cool cool. Ohhhh hold up this IS fine and cool. That’s gotta be the chorus right? “I don’t talk shit bitch I doooooooo it!” Talk your shit, Sean! (Or, you know, do it.) Lil Baby is rapping now and the cut from Sean’s chorus was jarring but we don’t care about Baby. Bring us back to the chorus. I don’t talk shit bitch I dooooo it. Ima bring this type of energy next time someone cuts me off in line literally anywhere. (I won’t but you know.)

Wayne’s turn and he starts off singing. “Catch a body like Ray Lewis,” jeez Wayne you sure you mean that? Now he’s rapping and sounds UNREAL. Man Mack wyd man? This is the one. This shoulda been the single. I too would love to have money from 2002 I haven’t seen eince 2002. Back to the chorus now and this time I’m SCREAMING it at the top of my lungs.

5. Dreams

Eerie beginning here with Wayne singing, dare I say, tenderly. The chorus stops and Wayne panics, you can hear it in his voice. “Thank God it was just a dream.” You make it seem like nightmares, Wayne. Have we ever wondered what Dwayne Michael Carter Jr,. the world’s greatest rapper, might ever dream of? He’s just regular folk, it turns out. He’s dreaming of money, love and sex. “I had a dream I was broke I ain’t sleep with that hoe ever since” I giggled lol. “I had a dream I was broke no diamonds and no gold, the saddest story ever told,” someone please help Wayne find his inner peace. Rely on internal validations my man, if you keep chasing external gains you’ll never actually get peace. But seriously this is a great song.

6. Stop Playing With Me

The previous track was wonderful and deeply affecting, let’s see where we go now. An airy beginning, no drums. Wayne starts skating with a Nice nod to his new fiance to start. Then he jumps on the beat, never relents. And welp this gets real dark real soon. “I was running from myself and that’s just who i ran into” holy hell what a bar good god Wayne. Are you okay? 😨 Yeah this is one hell of a track. The drums have come in but Wayne hasn’t stopped. He’s in his zone and it’s confessing hours. What a song, another highlight.

7. Clap For Em

Wow is that…. bounce music? In this spot? We know Wayne albums have never been known for their cohesiveness but even despite that, this still feels jarring. Not that we mind: the world needs more bounce music.

This is good. Beat has so much energy, it’s great. If last song was the fall to nothingness, this one is us hitting the trampoline after the fall. We’re jolted and we keep hitting it with every kickdrum hit. As a wise man said, this one is a bounce version of ‘Uproar.’ With hopefully 10x the staying power.

8. Bling James

One day we will have a discussion about how Jay Rock has been surpassed by Griselda and how Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine and, especially, Benny The Butcher have stepped into the place that should have been Jay Rock’s. But we’re not there yet.

Anyway, cool track.

9. Not Me

Will there be a chorus in this one? Wayne started rapping almost before the beat even dropped. Okay yeah, there is one. ‘Not Me’ is a great song because Wayne’s flow is incisive as he’s reflecting on the game and the influence he’s had and is still having. The popcorn line made me laugh.

10. Trust Nobody

Welcome to the party, Adam Levine. Don’t particularly care for him, but his voice works here for the chorus. This song is also a staple of Wayne albums, the almost-pop song featuring the big glitzy name on the CD cover. It might have been Robin Thicke 10 years ago, today it’s the Maroon 5 frontman. Imagine if you couldn’t trust no one, not your lover and not your friends. Hearing it all sung so softly by Levine just makes it all the more tragic.

11. Know You Know

2 Chainz and Lil Wayne have yet to miss together, they always bring out the best in one another. We start with keys and already know this one will lift us to a higher plane of existence when it drops. The drums are here and, yep this is it.

Titty Boi gets things started and his flow is surgical. Just punchline after punchline. Tunechi gets the chorus and the verse following it. He’s back to the melodic well as his voice oozes AutoTune. Wayne will never stop stealing women from other men – and he will never stop despising such men.

12. Wild Dogs

Ah this is the one from the teaser they shared online before release day and that had us worried like crazy. While reports of impending doom for this album turned out to be incredibly overblown, we dislike this song probably even more than when we first heard it. Will not be coming back to it.

13. Harden

Omg the soul yessssssss! That’s gotta be a STREETRUNNER beat right? I know how to recognize one when I hear one. (Which in the past has mostly been in countless leaks rather than official releases. Meh.)

Yes STREETRUNNER brought the soul to the record and Tunechi is pouring his whole entire heart on wax. See he’s just like us, he’s having relationship problems at times – and making damn sure he doesn’t want to lose an argument. The pride is a motherfucker, Wayne. “You blocking my number, I feel like Harden you blocking my jumper.” Lol of all the ways to reference the prolific scorer from the Houston Rockets, this is an oddly specific (and mean but we’ll allow it because fuck the Rockets) one.

This song is it, please bury us here in this song straight from the same well that produced “Cry Out,” “Something You Forgot” and countless other classics.

14. I Don’t Sleep

This looks like another keeper. You see, Wayne doesn’t sleep and then proceeds to list a grocery list of every single drug you could think. Not saying the two are linked, we’re just saying. This is compelling music and if things keep up, Funeral might be Wayne’s best album since like, what C3? Shiiiiit.

Takeoff’s turn and, yep, the man delivered. A short but concise and excellent guest verse. Where’s Aubrey at? This beat had Drake’s name all over it, that’s too bad.

15. Sights And Silencers

Ear Drummers and Mike Will tags and in floats in The-Dream. I’m happy, this is promising. Terius Nash sounds great here. Second verse starts and we’re treated to singing-no-AutoTune Wayne, we’re not mad. Here’s a fully fleshed out song. If the start of Funeral was Mixtape Wayne, will the second half be album Wayne?

But then the song just cuts abruptly? Huh?

16. Ball Hard

New song and yeah this is the return of Mixtape Wayne. He’s just spitting bar after bar after bar. His flow here is so so sharp it would cut through diamonds. Booming bass too, and we appreciate it. Any idea who made the beat?

Anyway cool song because the rapping is incredible. Even Lil Twist, who steps up to meet the moment.

17. Bastard (Santa’s Kid)

Okay now the album feels like it’s picking up pace. Ominous buildup and Wayne goes in quickly. “Momma used to say this standing over my crib, never trust nobody who can bleed for 5 days and live,” this is how Weezy starts the song jeez. His voice to start is a little strained but then once the bass drops it’s back To straight rapping. “From my driveway to my front door it has been quite a journey” is a bar. If we’re just touching on rap and his career, Wayne has lived through about a thousand different lives. The interesting thing about this song is that now Wayne lets us peak behind the blinders – or rather, lets us in through the front door.

18. Get Outta My Head

Do we really need another dang XXXTentacion feature? When we recall and remember public figures, or musicians, or sports icons, or just good ole regular John Does, maybe we ought to remember them for all they were. Not just the good stuff. So for example if we’re going to commemorate X on what would have been his 22nd birthday, maybe we remember him as the talented rapper with a knack for melodies but also as a rather despicable human and lover.

So anyway this is a song with X and I don’t care for it.

19. Piano Trap

Yeah, moving on. Moving on to gorgeous keys apparently oh my god!! This is the song. Is this the best rapping Wayne has ever done? No but who cares. This beat is perfect. “All of my goons take everything serious,” here’s to hoping the folks said goons attack when they take everything serious are goblins because whats a goon to a goblin??? #AMilli. “Mags and Millions, man that’s m&m.” It’s always great to see Wayne pay respect to Eminem, a legend he clearly respects and appreciates and who also put out his best album in a decade just a few weeks ago.

Now we’re hearing a sampled voice and the beat switches and holyyyyyyyy yes! Somehow this new beat is even better. Wayne’s flow switches up of course to one that’s more staccato and chopped up to fit the beat. He skates by on the keys. “Shooters, they shoot like Turkoglu,” that’s certainly one way to pay homage to 2000 NBA Draftee and overall NBA 2K legend Hedo Turkoglu. “Poverty to penitentiary straight to paradise. Took a few Ls, without them I couldn’t spell life” is one fucking bar. Yes Wayne, talk your shit. You’ve earned it.

20. Line Em Up

Whatever you think of Wayne, the man has never been known for brevity — this is even more jarring today in 2020 when albums tend to (hope to) do the most possible with as little as possible.

New song with a sample that we can’t really place our fingers on. Oh man, the bass has started and this is a song. “Put some respect on my name, don’t know where I got this from.” Hahah he’s right though. Put some respect on Wayne’s name as the man is the one most responsible for the way popular music sounds, is consumed and is made in 2020.

Wayne has switched his flow up for the latter half. You mean to tell me there’s someone doing this better than he has in rap history? Come on man.

21. Darkside

Okay only four more tracks, we’re kinda sad. Typically, Wayne’s albums tend to pick up toward the latter half, let’s see if this is the case again.

Yep, it is. We’re only a couple of seconds into “Darkside” but it’s apparent Wayne will skate all over this beat. This man is freaking amazing. “Wartime wartime wartime, all y’all n***** are small time.” You know what the lesson is here, folks? Just live yourself hoping to find something you love the same way Wayne loves rapping. The man has been at it for two thirds of his 37 years on Earth but he’s still looking for ways to improve and to better himself. This deep in the game, all Wayne wants to do still is to just rap better than anyone else. He almost doesn’t even care anymore about making actual and fully-developed songs.

It all transpires into the listening experience that we, fans, have as well. We enjoy hearing Tunechi rap because Tunechi enjoys rapping so very clearly and obviously.

22. Never Mind

Don’t let the lighter flick that starts the song fool you, “Never Mind” brings back singing Wayne and honestly we’re very much here for it. Guitar-ish sound and Weezy starts singing. Still no AutoTune, what’s up with that? Mack, if you’re reading this, please drop this as a single. This song is basically what “What About Me” from Wayne’s C5 album wanted to be. “Is it love, is it lust, all I know is that I tried” is a mood, sometimes I wish I could have lived my life with this much abandon. If you’re telling me I’m the president and also lone member of the “Never Mind” fan club, I wouldn’t mind it one bit.

23. T.O.

New song and Tunechi is rapping from the jump. I truly did not expect to hear O.T. Genasis on an album. Do we think Weezy knows who that is, if he doesn’t know who/what TDE is and that 21 Savage was a solo rapper and not a group of 21 of them? Did Wayne really want to add O.T. Genasis to this song or did he just do it cause his name is OT, which is the name of this song spelled backwards? We’re not entirely mad at the OT feature, or any other one (besides X) on this album, but where are the non-Lil Twist Young Money members?

“Every time I’m O.T. my bitch cry like T.O.” Wayne, please don’t do our guy TO dirty like this. It’s already tragic enough that the man didn’t make the NFL 100 All-Time team, don’t slander him on here too.

24. Wayne’s World

Last song, let’s do this. Bring us home to the Funeral, Wayne. Weezy is rapping and we’re not sure he’ll ever stop. There’s a sort of chorus in the “Wayne’s World” sample coming back in, but that’s as far as it goes. We’re going out the same way we walked in, just rapping bars after bars after bars after bars. Mixtape Wayne giveth, Mixtape Wayne taketh.

TL:DR

Ultimately, Funeral is an album that’s not nearly as gloomy as its title might suggest and serves as Wayne’s reintroduction to the world. While we might have received a new album two years ago with Tha Carter V, that album had been about 10 years in the making and the end result was a collage of various songs all coming from various periods of Wayne’s career.

But Funeral is clearly full of songs all coming from the previous two or so years of his life. Over 76 minutes and 24 total tracks, a number of them ranging from good to great, Wayne simply can’t stop showing the listeners what a thrill it is for him to rap. He brings Mixtape Wayne, Singing Wayne, Trapper Wayne, all with his typical stream-of-consciousness raps that have become the norm in this industry he reinvented. Sure, it’s a bloated and messy album, one that doesn’t follow any single theme beyond Wayne’s love for rapping. Sure, it follows Wayne’s usual inverted pyramid structure, which has some of the top and most vital tracks at or near the top of the traclist, only for then to trickle down to the filler stuff.

Whatever. Wayne is still there at 37 years old. That’s the only thing that matters.