Lil Wayne

Seeing as Lil Wayne released I Am Not a Human Being while still in prison, you can almost forgive him for it. Almost.

Circumstances aside, the music on Wayne’s newest album just isn’t that good. There was a time when Weezy lived up to his self-proclaimed title as “the best rapper alive,” releasing a string of successful records—culminating in 2008’s landmark Tha Carter III—that exhibited his unparalleled talent and charisma. But by his eighth studio album the luster is beginning to fade, and Wayne’s trademark wordplay is, well, played out.

I Am Not a Human Being sees Wayne relying too heavily on the set-up/punch-line verse format, dropping reasonably clever insults and analogies to the point of repetitive excess. Though entertaining at first, the formula loses its appeal quickly; Wayne himself sounds uninterested, as evidenced by his consistently uninspired delivery. A few standout lines—on “Bill Gates” he boasts, “Yeah I talk s***/Got to defecate to conversate”—aren’t enough to salvage the album’s general sense of fatigue.

Though the record fails to live up to its predecessors lyrically, the production on Human Being truly heralds its artistic failure. With the exception of two or three songs, most are either throwaways or downright abysmal. Wayne’s production team, which includes Kane Beatz, Cool & Dre, the Olympicks and Boi-1da, back the rapper with some of the worst beats in recent memory. It’s a small wonder Wayne can’t muster a solid performance when he’s flowing over the likes of “I’m Single,” which sounds like a codeine overdose, and “Popular,” quite possibly the most obnoxious and hastily thrown-together song released on a major label, ever. So many of the tracks eschew any kind of consistent beat or palatable rhythm that one has to question what the producers were trying to accomplish—they certainly render the tunes undanceable, and the effects are even occasionally unlistenable.

All of these flaws, combined with merely adequate appearances by guests Drake and members of Young Money, make I Am Not a Human Being a Wayne album to pass over. For now, treat yourself to Tha Carter III one more time to remind yourself why you love Weezy, and hope that Tha Carter IV, due out later this year, is a return to form.