Discussion: Will Lil' Wayne's career follow the same path as T.I.?

NE.

His most successful album, Tha Carter III, was released in 2008 which went on to sell 1.0 million copies in the U.S. its first week of release. It included the number-one single "Lollipop" and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. He was selling millions and farting out hit singles like it was nothing. Then he released Rebirth which got pushed back multiple times and sold a mediocre 176,000 copies in it's first week. And then recently I Am Not A Human being was released and sold even less, only scoring Wayne 110,000 in it's first week.

Now T.I. faced a similar jail situation Wayne. T.I. got his first major hit album King back in 2006 with an opening sales of over 500K and similar sales the following year with his album T.I. vs. T.I.P.. Then he had his BIG break with Paper Trail, his most successful album to date which spawned 2 #1s a Top 3, and Top 5 hit. After this, he served his term in jail and made a "comeback" you could say, which turned out not to be much of a comeback at all. His lead single Got Your Back featuring Keri Hilson barely cracked the Top 40 on the Hot 100 and his album King Uncaged was delayed and currently has no release date.

Will Lil' Wayne's career follow a similar path as T.I. or will he be able to reclaim his spot in the industry with Tha Carter IV? Or has Wayne ever left the building to begin with?

I'm curious to hear your opinions.

MissTina

He's over.

Cap10Planet

Well, it didn't take T.I. ten years to have a breakout album like Lil Wayne. Lil Wayne came out before T.I., so I'm not sure if Wayne would be following T.I.

eli's_rhythm

The Carter IV will put him back on the map. Nobody wanted his "rock" shenanigans.

Lasers

Lil Wayne isnt going anywhere (sadly). when Right Above it first dropped it went straight up the charts. not to mention his first week sales from human being didnt include physical copies.

Duca

His next album should get him right back on top.

"Rebirth" is by far his worst album and quite possibly one of the worst albums ever.

And "I Am Not A Human Being" sold 110,000 with only a digital release, which is impressive.

NE.

Perhaps the release of Tha Carter IV could end this electro-pop trend and bring Hip-Hop back into the spotlight

Rated R

I don't really like him that much but I realize that he's most likely here to stay.
Every sorostitute and frat guy down here love his music

Louie

I hate how a lot of people underestimate the true King of Rap.

The Carter 4 is going to explode even bigger than the 3rd. ****ing KING.

Ahmed.

I don't think he is going anywhere, I mean its lil wayne

Jurred

I think he's not stupid enough to let his career go down that path. Then again, I thought the same about T.I.

Mr. Duff

I doubt he'll flop with Tha Carter IV but I really hope so.

And why is that so? Because I think his music has gone downhill, although I never really liked his music. But if Tha Carter IV will have good material in it, I guess I should wish him the otherwise.

Sporefan

I am actually very shock at the success of Tha Carter III
Lollipop is awful and i am lazy to hear the full album due to his rapping which irritates me

I hope he flop though but i doubt he will

But i am loving Right Above it though

KanYe!

The reason Tha Carter 3 blew up so fast was because Wayne was (thanks to his past albums) actually very respected by real hip-hop heads, and after songs like 'Go DJ' and 'Fireman' (and other collaborations ala I Make It Rain and Stuntin' Like My Daddy' he was beginning to widen his appeal. And than he dropped the PERFECT first single to deliver on the hype that was Tha Carter 3 - the Hip-Pop driven Lollipop that made the girls who were already gushing over him go crazy and was ridiculously catchy lol, and I think the people who stuck with him in the past still bought the album because it was Lil Wayne. That's why I think Tha Carter 4 won't do 'crazy' numbers - but he should still do fine - I'm expecting at the most 500k first week (of course it's ridiculous to guess now without a single but I'm just basing this off of star power).

And to those that are saying the first week downloads for the album aren't bad...Well you're right - they aren't - but they aren't exactly anything to go crazy over.

But all of Wayne's past solo albums prior, weren't that big at all. His first real big album was Tha Carter 4 - and now he's followed up with 2 lackluster albums lol...Oh well - he still sells and I'm sure that if he gets a good single the TC4 he'll push good numbers..I don't think he'll end up exactly like T.I because Lil Wayne has WAY more star power than T.I...