Tha Carter 2 [PA] by Lil Wayne

A one-time member of New Orleans's Hot Boys, rapper Lil Wayne attained a new level of confidence and skill on 2004's THA CARTER. That album featured only a few guest shots (as opposed to typically star-studded hip-hop records), and this 2005 sequel once again keeps things focused on Wayne, with the MC flying solo on almost every track. This uncluttered scenario, which relies on a spare, yet distinctly Cash Money-style musical backdrop, gives Wayne the freedom to let his laid-back rhymes stretch out, as best revealed on the ominous " Fireman " and the boastful " Best Rapper Alive. " Clearly Wayne knows how to work a winning concept, since THA CARTER II stays true to both its predecessor and the relentless, unapologetic spirit of Southern rap.