When I’m chillin’ overseas I always get this overwhelming urge to listen to hardcore American music to connect me with home.  And what’s more motherhood and apple pie than  Lil’ Wayne?

A little back story here.  Recently I was cruising through the great state of Alabama and came across two things that really caught my eye.  First, apparently the Wal-Mart’s in Birmingham only sell belts that are size 40 and up.  And here I was thinking Georgia was the fattest, greasiest state in the union.  Nope, ‘Bama one upped us – hang your heads in shame fatties!  Second, when hit with the sudden urge to view the impressive collection of pork products at a middle-of-nowhere Shell station I stumbled upon a treasure trove of mixed CDs. When I inquired with the clerk on the price of the discs she immediately responded – “No refunds, no exchanges.  They’re $5.”  “So you’re telling me they’re illegal.  Cool, I’ll take this one.”

And what a great use of $5 that is – a collection of 20+ songs starring the weed smokin’, purple syrup drinking, misogynistic, egomaniacal, incarcerated Lil’ Wayne.  Whoever produced these songs did a masterful job of pumping in dope, trunk bumpin’ beats that go along so well to Lil’Wayne’s poetry which is nothing less than clever, boastful quips that would make your mother cringe; my favorite of which is “Yo flow never wet, like grandma pussy, I’m always good, like grandma cookies.”  Absolutely disgusting, but paints a clear picture.  That’s what I like about Lil’ Wayne – he strings together great one-liners.  Granted, the lyrics lack much congruity, but who cares.  You aren’t listening to Lil’ Wayne to learn anything (except maybe how millions of dollars gives you free reign to act like a perpetual teenager), you listen to Lil’ Wayne to hear killer dirty south beats and fantastical lyrics.  In other words, check your brain at the door and get your shoulder shrug on.