Lil Wayne, T-Pain’s “T-Wayne” album is a sweet and nostalgic throwback

jonathan

May 26, 2017 8:28 AM

For putting the past in the present, and reminding us of how things used to be, this album wins big time.

T-Wayne album artwork

Album - T-WayneArtistes - Lil Wayne, T-PainRecord Label - Family Tree (2017)Duration - 28 minutes

In 2008, this project would have broken the internet. Long before Kim Kardashian claimed that feat with her celebrated and commoditized nudity, a T-Pain and Lil Wayne joint project would have turned the internet on its head, and sent music fans screaming to heavens and back.

The pair were the biggest double act in the game. They both defined an era, with some of the greatest music in the world, songs such as T-Pain’s ‘Kiss Kiss’, and Lil Wayne’s ‘Lollipop’, were the anthems that everyone had on repeat in street corners, in cars, on phones, and many more. They were flat out the biggest acts.

But this album is returning at a time when their mortality has become established. Their golden era had long been gone. They are both simply respected acts who have moved the culture, but their days at the top of the game are gone. These days, one of Wayne’s proteges, Drake is the frontman of pop music. Another one, Nicki Minaj has some of the biggest records in the world. The baton has effectively been handed.

“T-Wayne” album arrives as a nostalgic exercise to remind us all of how things used to be. Wayne and Pain possess a chemistry strikes right from the opener ‘He rap’. And the connection flows all through the project. They trade verses, share a brain, and generally uplift each other on the records. But it all feels dated. The project is mainly made up of 10-year old lost files, mixed and mastered into a collection. ‘Heavy Chevys’, and ‘Damn damn damn’ are the worst culprits who spot outdated pop culture references. But they all connect. Nostalgia is a beautiful and powerful thing.

The music comes from a light era of Hip hop, where the world is one big party, and the serious issues that dominate pop music today were not on the radar. There’s bounce in the lyrics, party in the vibes, and sex in the corners.

“T-Wayne” album doesn’t sit in with the soundscape of today. But it’s a reminder of how cultures shift, and tastes evolve. For putting the past in the present, and reminding us of how things used to be, it wins big time.

Rating: 3.5/5

Ratings

1-Dull2-Boring2.5-Average3-Worth Checking Out3.5-Hot4-Smoking Hot4.5-Amazing5-Perfection

jonathan