Original image by There Stands the Glass.
A woman repeatedly howled “tha cawtah six” as she stumbled out of T-Mobile Center in downtown Kansas City following Lil Wayne’s concert on Tuesday, August 26. Her slurred cry resembled an anguished lament rather than a celebratory cheer.
I could relate. Even though I paid just $38.23 to attend ($20 for the ticket plus a $18.23 service fee), I shared her disappointment. Tunechi dedicated much of his ninety-minute appearance to promoting his lackluster new album Tha Carter VI.
The star presented himself as a genial celebrity rather than as a vital artist. Repeating trite phrases as he shamelessly pandered to the audience of more than 10,000, the man billed as “the greatest rapper alive” was on autopilot.
Wayne touched on classics like "6 Foot 7 Foot", “Go DJ,” “Let the Beat Build” and “A Milli,” but the abbreviated versions of the songs were frustrating. Aside from the surrealism of experiencing metal belter Lucifena’s "Tyrant" at a hip-hop event, none of Wayne’s guests made a positive impression. One was manifestly wretched.
Also joined by a muscular drummer and an intrusive DJ, Wayne was half as good as he was in the same arena in 2016. Just 42, Tunechi is too young to settle for complacent mediocrity. While even lackluster Wayne is great, I expect more from one of the most consequential musicians of the past 25 years.