"The Carter": Lil' Wayne's revealing documentary

One glimpse into the realm of Lil’ Wayne reaffirms his lyrical
content. Without a doubt this specimen of super stardom does not originate from planet Earth. As one has the privilege to journey
deep into the strange and bewildered life of the self-proclaimed
“best rapper alive,” the evidence captured on film only further proves his case for success.
Dwayne Michael Carter’s (Lil’ Wayne) spaceship runs off of many things, but the oil; the blood, the heart and the soul of his engine is obsession.
Throughout the film, director Adam Bhala Lough does an excellent
job of actually portraying the essential compulsions which make Wayne, the martian rapper we have all grown to cherish and credit, drift so smoothly through outer space.
Wayne is endowed with raw talent, “a blessing” as he puts it. His arrangements and relevant connections for uncustomary words can humble any creative mind; especially when you equate that Wayne is seen drinking the infamous
syrup or smoking weed in nearly every scene of the movie. Daily human occurrences such as food consumption or exposure to sunlight are almost nonexistent in the gathered footage of Wayne’s world.
Wayne compares the inner workings of his cranium to that of Russell Crowe’s in “A Beautiful Mind.” Whether it be an instinctive
differentiation or a substance-fueled alteration of reality, Wayne views the world in a totally different
aspect than all other sapiens. He states that he has storms of thoughts all day. Upon gaining access to a microphone he is able to swing open his imaginative floodgates of intelligence and further ensure that he has enough room for more creative juices to ferment in the days, weeks and months to come.
On multiple occasions during “The Carter,” Wayne is noticeably
in a deep, substance-induced trance, barely able to project English
and in some cases not speaking
any known human language. His body language is reflective of his verbal skills and just as he looks like he’s lost the battle, there can be a freak reawakening of lyrical brilliance, which is really what Wayne’s studio albums are composed of. Hours upon hours of meaningless drone flows, serving
as a long-term investment for those few bars of eminence which will be compiled with a list of predecessors
who all fell into place in a similar manner.
Wayne’s work ethic is as enslaving and as unique as the thoughts he assembles. His surrogate
father and CEO of Cash Money Records, Birdman, states that Wayne is “the last man standing, and the first man to get there” when it comes to composing
tracks. Wayne feels the need to selectively listen to only his own music in order to constantly critique and improve the tracks he manufactures on a daily basis. Wayne justifies this undying dedication
to his music by affirming it is an elevated standard of quality and production for all artists. He argues that if he tries to conquer everything, be it songs, beats or lyrics, then all artists will have to meet his standards of work in order to succeed, hence improving
the state of music as a whole for musicians and listeners alike.
Countless days and nights are captured through the camera’s lens, showing in detail the amount of time Wayne spends behind a microphone or a mixing board. Whether he is in his hotel room, on his tour bus or in the studio, Wayne can be caught recording at any waking moment. When he received
the news that “Tha Carter III” had gone platinum in its first week, Wayne was of course found true to form; smoking a blunt on his tour bus while recording a track and watching ESPN. Multitasking
at its finest.
Though Wayne’s life of excess is glamorized by most, this film also takes you to a place rarely visited by his average fan; the dark side, or the dwelling place of Wayne’s demons. As the cameras continue to roll, one realizes
that, though Wayne spends a good amount of his time posing as a charismatic and vibrant personality,
there are serious insecurities plaguing his soul, sending him at times into severe isolation and states of undeniable depression. Wayne spends the remainder of his time in solitary confinement undergoing hours of therapy with his most trusted companion, his microphone.
When dealing with functioning members of the public, one never knows which Dwayne Michael Carter they might come across. His personality shifts daily, even hourly depending on what drug he’s on or what drug he’s coming off of. Friendships with even his closest childhood friend, DJ and manager Cortez Bryant, have been jeopardized by Wayne’s disregard for societal norms and substance control. Though many members of his entourage, close friends and even Birdman have confronted Wayne about the demons that haunt him and the substances which follow in their trail, Wayne has yet to be convinced that he needs help. Posing a valid point, Wayne argues, “It ain’t about what I’m on. It’s about what I do.”
Without hardly any sit-down interviews, “The Carter” proves to be the most abysmal look into the extraterrestrial times of Wayne thus far. The makers of the documentary
took an unconventional approach to their work at the suggestion of Wayne. Rather than sit down and chisel out answers from Wayne’s skull, they decided to explain him through raw footage
blended with his own music, which in itself reveals more information about the hip-hop phenomenon than any interview could ever present. The documentary
concludes beautifully with “Don’t Get It” off of “Tha Carter III,” providing a first class explanation
of the image presented on the screen; a close up shot of Wayne’s face with a tattoo reading
“MISUNDERSTOOD” boldly printed on the side of his head.
While the public may never have a true understanding of Wayne, he seems to have it all figured out. When asked by a reporter, “Are you a rock star? Is that how you see yourself?” Wayne without hesitation cocked his head up in the direction of the journalist, unveiled his diamond grille through a wide smile and fumigated a thick fog bank of smoke from his mouth until the next question was asked.