Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter VI has officially arrived, bringing one of rap’s most important album franchises back into the center of the conversation with a 19-song release stacked with unexpected features, legacy pressure, and immediate fan debate.
The album dropped on June 6, 2025 through Young Money and Republic Records, marking the sixth installment in Wayne’s legendary Carter series and his first solo studio album since Funeral in 2020. It also arrives seven years after Tha Carter V, an album that itself carried years of legal delays, fan anticipation and Cash Money-era baggage.
For longtime Wayne fans, Tha Carter VI is not just another new release. It is a legacy test. The Carter series helped define Wayne’s transition from Hot Boys prodigy to mixtape monster to global rap superstar. Any new entry in that lineage automatically carries the weight of Tha Carter II, Tha Carter III and the long-delayed Tha Carter V.
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Submit Your MusicAlbum facts: Tha Carter VI is a 19-song album released June 6, 2025 through Young Money/Republic. Guest appearances include BigXthaPlug, Jay Jones, Jelly Roll, Big Sean, Bono, 2 Chainz, Andrea Bocelli, Wyclef Jean, Mannie Fresh, MGK, Kodak Black, Kameron Carter and Lil Novi.
Full Tha Carter VI Tracklist
- King Carter
- Welcome to Tha Carter
- Bells
- Hip-Hop feat. BigXthaPlug & Jay Jones
- Sharks feat. Jelly Roll & Big Sean
- Banned From NO
- The Days feat. Bono
- Cotton Candy feat. 2 Chainz
- Flex Up
- Island Holiday
- Loki’s Theme
- If I Played Guitar
- Peanuts 2 N Elephant
- Rari feat. Kameron Carter
- Maria feat. Andrea Bocelli & Wyclef Jean
- Bein Myself feat. Mannie Fresh
- Mula Komin In feat. Lil Novi
- Alone in the Studio With My Gun feat. MGK & Kodak Black
- Written History
Wayne Returns With A Wide-Open Feature List
The guest list on Tha Carter VI immediately became one of the biggest talking points. Instead of relying only on familiar Young Money names, Wayne brought together a strange and ambitious cast: BigXthaPlug and Jay Jones on “Hip-Hop,” Jelly Roll and Big Sean on “Sharks,” Bono on “The Days,” 2 Chainz on “Cotton Candy,” Andrea Bocelli and Wyclef Jean on “Maria,” Mannie Fresh on “Bein Myself,” MGK and Kodak Black on “Alone in the Studio With My Gun,” and Wayne’s sons Kameron Carter and Lil Novi elsewhere on the album.
That feature list says a lot about the project’s goal. Wayne is not trying to make a simple nostalgia album. He is pulling from Southern rap, country-adjacent crossover, opera, rock-pop, New Orleans history, family legacy and current-generation hip-hop. Whether every experiment lands will be debated, but the ambition is obvious.
The Mannie Fresh appearance is especially meaningful for longtime listeners. Wayne and Mannie Fresh are tied to the original Cash Money era, the Hot Boys years and the early infrastructure that eventually led to Young Money. Having him appear on a 2025 Carter album gives the project a direct bridge back to New Orleans rap history.
The Drake And Nicki Minaj Question
One of the first conversations around Tha Carter VI was not only about who appeared on the album, but who did not. Drake and Nicki Minaj were noticeably absent from the standard release, which surprised many fans because the Carter series and Young Money legacy are so deeply connected to both artists.
That absence created immediate debate. Some fans expected a Young Money reunion moment. Others argued that Wayne did not need to rely on Drake or Nicki for the album to matter. A few days later, Nicki Minaj did appear on the bonus edition with the “Banned From NO” remix, turning the conversation back toward Wayne’s Super Bowl snub, New Orleans pride and Young Money loyalty.
Drake’s absence, meanwhile, left fans speculating rather than reacting to an actual verse. For Raptology readers, that may become its own story: Wayne built the platform that helped launch Drake and Nicki into superstardom, but Tha Carter VI is ultimately framed around Wayne’s own legacy rather than a Young Money reunion album.
First Reactions: Lyrical Praise, Production Debate
Early reaction to Tha Carter VI was divided in the way major legacy albums often are. Wayne’s core supporters praised his wordplay, punchlines and continued willingness to rap over unusual production. Skeptics focused on the album’s uneven sound, some of its stranger experiments, and the reality that every new Carter album will be compared against near-impossible memories of Wayne’s 2000s peak.
That split is important. Tha Carter VI is not being received like a simple comeback album. It is being judged against a myth. For many fans, Tha Carter III is not just an album; it is a personal timestamp from an era when Wayne felt like the center of rap itself. No 2025 project can fully recreate that moment.
Still, the album has already produced several conversation pieces. “Hip-Hop” stands out because of its direct embrace of rap history and its BigXthaPlug/Jay Jones pairing. “Banned From NO” became even bigger after Nicki Minaj jumped on the remix. “Peanuts 2 N Elephant,” produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda, quickly became one of the most polarizing songs in Wayne’s recent catalog.
Sales Projection And Chart Impact
Tha Carter VI was projected to open around 110,000 album-equivalent units, and the final Billboard 200 result landed close to that mark: the album debuted at No. 2 with 108,000 album-equivalent units. For a rapper more than two decades into his mainstream career, that remains a major debut.
The numbers also show how Wayne’s fan base still mobilizes. Many artists from his generation no longer open with six-figure first weeks, especially without the kind of mainstream radio dominance that powered Wayne’s biggest commercial era. Tha Carter VI did not need to recreate Tha Carter III numbers to prove that Wayne still matters.
At the same time, the No. 2 debut gives fans and critics something to argue about. Some will frame it as a strong legacy performance. Others will compare it to Wayne’s peak and call it a decline. The truth is somewhere more realistic: Wayne is no longer the same commercial force he was in 2008, but he remains one of the few veteran rappers whose releases still become full-scale hip-hop events.
Strongest SEO Angle
Search interest is driven by the tracklist, guest features, Nicki Minaj bonus remix, first-week sales and where the album ranks in Wayne’s Carter series.
Biggest Fan Debate
Fans are split between appreciating Wayne’s bars and questioning some production choices, especially on the album’s more experimental tracks.
Why This Album Still Matters For Hip-Hop
Lil Wayne’s influence is difficult to overstate. His mixtape run changed the way rappers approached free releases. His punchline-heavy style shaped an entire generation. His Auto-Tune experiments helped open doors for melodic rap. His Young Money platform helped launch Drake and Nicki Minaj, two of the biggest artists of the last 15 years.
That is why a new Carter album still matters. Even when the reception is mixed, it forces hip-hop to revisit Wayne’s place in the culture. He is not just another veteran releasing another album. He is one of the artists who rewired rap’s sound, business model and star system.
Tha Carter VI also arrives during a period when older rappers are being judged in new ways. Fans want nostalgia, but they also want evolution. They want classic Wayne, but they do not want him stuck in 2008. They want features from Drake and Nicki, but they also want Wayne to prove he can stand alone. That contradiction is part of the pressure attached to every late-career legacy release.
Rap Hall Of Fame
Lil Wayne’s place in hip-hop history is already secure. Explore more legendary artists and career-defining stories through Raptology’s Rap Hall Of Fame coverage.
Explore Rap Hall Of FameHow Tha Carter VI Fits Into Wayne’s Catalog
It is too early to know where Tha Carter VI will settle in the long-term Carter ranking, but its position is already clear in one sense: this is the veteran chapter. Tha Carter established the identity. Tha Carter II sharpened the pen. Tha Carter III delivered the superstar explosion. Tha Carter IV confirmed Wayne’s commercial power. Tha Carter V closed a legal and emotional saga. Tha Carter VI is Wayne asking what the Carter brand means after all that history.
The answer may be messy, but it is not irrelevant. Wayne is still rapping. He is still experimenting. He is still taking risks that would embarrass safer artists. Some ideas work better than others, but risk has always been part of Wayne’s identity.
That is why this album will likely age through debate. Some tracks may be skipped by casual listeners. Others may become fan favorites over time. And because it is attached to the Carter name, the conversation will continue long after release week.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When did Tha Carter VI release?
Lil Wayne released Tha Carter VI on June 6, 2025 through Young Money and Republic Records.
How many songs are on Tha Carter VI?
The standard edition includes 19 songs, with a bonus edition later adding extra tracks including Nicki Minaj’s “Banned From NO” remix.
Is Drake on Tha Carter VI?
Drake is not listed on the standard Tha Carter VI release, which became one of the first fan talking points after the album dropped.
Is Nicki Minaj on Tha Carter VI?
Nicki Minaj does not appear on the standard edition, but she appears on the bonus edition remix of “Banned From NO.”
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