Winston Conkling
2004's Tha Carter signaled a change in direction for Lil Wayne. The album itself wasn't a significant departure from Lil Wayne's past work -- after all, it was filled with tracks produced by Cash Money's in-house producer, Mannie Fresh, some of which could well have been left on the cutting room floor -- yet it showcased a more measured and mature performance by the rapper, who seemed newly emboldened and sported a new, dreadlocked look on the album's cover. Tha Carter spawned Lil Wayne's biggest hit in years, "Go DJ," while the album itself was a Top Five hit. 2004 also marked the beginning of Lil Wayne's string of guest appearances on other artists' songs, starting with Destiny's Child's "Soldier." READ»
