Dedication [PA] - Lil' Wayne & DJ Drama

In 2005 came “Dedication”, a mixtape in DJ Drama’s ‘Gangsta Grillz’ series, with Lil’ Wayne as the featured artist working on a variety of popular cuts in the Hip Hop world. It finds that with Drama as the host DJ, he provides a range of tunes that were popular at the time and it gives the Louisiana rapper a chance to freestyle over them as promotion for both his 2004 album “Tha Carter” and to build up to “Tha Carter II” (which followed soon after).
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3. “Motivation”

This is the first proper track on the thing and finds that Weezy jumps on a little something that T.I. was working earlier and it sees that the rapper is able to use his apparent new-found skills at rapping to come out with some raw material where he comes with lots of off-beat expressions and metaphor-heavy rhymes where to make the most out of the production he is given (this tiem from DJ Toomp).

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In 2005 came “Dedication”, a mixtape in DJ Drama’s ‘Gangsta Grillz’ series, with Lil’ Wayne as the featured artist working on a variety of popular cuts in the Hip Hop world. It finds that with Drama as the host DJ, he provides a range of tunes that were popular at the time and it gives the Louisiana rapper a chance to freestyle over them as promotion for both his 2004 album “Tha Carter” and to build up to “Tha Carter II” (which followed soon after).

1. “Dedication” (Intro)

2. “Intro”

3. “Motivation”

This is the first proper track on the thing and finds that Weezy jumps on a little something that T.I. was working earlier and it sees that the rapper is able to use his apparent new-found skills at rapping to come out with some raw material where he comes with lots of off-beat expressions and metaphor-heavy rhymes where to make the most out of the production he is given (this tiem from DJ Toomp).

**Five Stars**

4. “Over Here”

Things suddenly shift as this one gets into effect and you see that with Shawty Redd’s rough production (on a tune that was originally done by the Trap-Rap artist Young Jeezy) you find that he covers it well, as he adds his own hook and ensures that he can do all he has to in order to liven up the listeners. You have him working with Lil’ Boo to give him a chance to find his flow and get down to it.

**Five Stars**

5. “Wayne Convos” (Lude)

6. “U Gon Love Me”

As things progress, you see that here he gets into a little something from Da BackWudz to show more love from the Georgia rappers. You here that you have the sort of production that was extremely popular between 2004 and 2005 where Kanye West led to field in chipmunked samples and here it is absolutely perfect for the way in which Weezy gets down to his rhymes and flows it all out in such a laid-back manner.

**Five Stars**

7. “Down & Out”

From a track in Ye’s style to one that actually has production from the Chicagoan, this one has him working off something that Cam’ron originally worked with and (typically) rips it over the killer beats as he comes out with more rhymes about just how well his material is coming across and how he has reached the point where he can say that he has really on top of the game (when it comes to lyricism).

**Five Stars**

8. “Wayne Explains His Deal” (Lude)

9. “Like Dat” (Lude)

10. “Nah Dis Ain’t The Remix”

As he gets back on track, you see that here he suddenly shifts and moves onto one of few commercial hits here as he gets down to the Neptunes’produced “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and shows just how well he can cope with a classic Snoop Dogg joint as Don Cannon adapts the beats and makes chooses to give it a massive makeover before Weezy works off Snoop’s original words and comes up with an equally fresh jam.

**Five Stars**

11. “Bass Beat”

This “Bass Beat” is a Salaami Remi joint and one that originally had Nas doing his thing and when it comes to Lil’ Wayne’s version, it seems to get him carrying through the fun of the last one to act as momentum here in propelling him in this one and putting in into the right frame of mind to cope with the raw 808 bass that he is subjected to as he does his thing and comes with a style that seems typical of his since 2004.

**Five Stars**

12. “Young Money Property”

Here you find that he goes from one posse cut (one originally done by State Property) and turns it into a Young Money one as Curren$y, Lil’ Boo and Mack Maine from his label all come to assist here and support the artist as he attempts to take things to another level. It stands out (due to the extra help that he gets on it) and i felt that their flows were really valued as it gives a nice comparison to others.

**Five Stars**

13. “Much More” (Lude)

14. “Wayne’s World Skit”

15. “I’m A Ridah”

He gets back into his flow here, but in this case you see that there is a bit of a change as here, rather than choosing to work with some material of the time, here he turns back to classic work from 2Pac here and in this case chooses “Made N***as” as the perfect one to support his style, which it does as he comes through with some a little Gangsta Rap material (which is surprisingly rare on this mixtape), which is then adapted to make way for more general themes.

**Five Stars**

16. “D-Boyz” (Lude)

17. “So Smooth”

Here you get a bit of a surprise track on the album as you find that, as a change you get some original material here as you see that (following a fresh Bounce Rap cut) you get another where the key Young Money artists (Mack Maine, Lil’ Boo and Curren$y) come together on an original composition. It is a big one on the thing and shows more of the potential that the young rappers have.

**Five Stars**

18. “Wayne Ho Story Skit”

19. “Momma Taught Me”

This one really stands out on the thing as one that features the artist comgin through with some flows that seem to contrast with lots of others on the thing sa he chooses to go deep into some much more personal work, and this seems to work well with the darker beats and draws you in as ou see how well he can cope when he tries out such work (and does so on a little something from The Roots).

**Five Stars**

20. “Weezy F. Baby”

Here he gets down a to little something from Memphis’ 8Ball & MJG and I felt hat it was a good choice in a tune for him as he performs an eponymous track and takes it down to the rougher ends of the Dirty South (where things come out much more classy) and so it adds to the variety of the mixtape and has him showing off even more of the way he can construct rap tracks unlike others of the time.

**Five Stars**

21. “Stilettos”

He suddenly changes direction here as he suddenly chooses to take it towards some Crunk material and of all acts, Crime Mob is the perfect one to use to some out with the rawest Crunk material as Killa C comes with some cold A-Town beats to support Weezy and give him some direction. It is an unexpected on, and you see that although the beats are suited to the clubs, he ensures that his complex lyrics don’t clash with it.

**Five Stars**

22. “1 King”

He gets into a banger of a cut from the year here as he takes it to Houston, Texas here and goes off on a track that was originally done by Silm Thug and turns “3 Kings” (which originally had Thug-a working with Bun B and T.I.) adapted so that Wayne is able to establish how there can only be a single king and he is just that and he affirms it by the way that he rides Mr. Lee’s heavy beats and makes them his.

**Five Stars**

23. “Dedication Convo” (Lude)

24. “Please Say The Baby”

This is another of the Young Money cuts on the mixtape and another that fits in here as you see that they get on top of a beat from the Madden ’06 soundtrack and simply go ham on top of it to show how well they can come together to bring out the most out of something that really deserves some attention. You can’t really fault it, and this sudden break out into a club atmosphere seems welcome.

**Five Stars**

25. “Paid In Full Skit”

26. “Alchemist S**t”

On this final track of fresh, new material, this one sees the rapper getting down (solo) to some work from Mobb Deep and so after having the mood lifted, you see that you suddenly get another change in things as it taken right back down again, but it doesn’t seem to affect the quality of things at all as it appears to have him working at the same high standard (as he has exerted through the rest of the thing).

**Five Stars**

27. “Weezy Explains “I Miss My Dawgs”” (Lude)

28. “Miss My Dawgs” (Live)

On the final musical track you find that, following a short explanation of it, the rapper suddenly takes things back to “Tha Carter” (I) – his fourh solo album) and gives the listeners a snippet of the hook to the most emotive tune from his breakthrough album where he lets people know tha the hasn’t forgotten about all the Cash Money solider who have been lost along the way, but in-tern paved the way for his solo career.

**Five Stars**

29. “Outro”

This is a killer mixtape from Lil’ Wayne and one that really enabled him to get his name out there, before he made the decision to appear on almost every major Hip Hop, R&B and even Pop album of 2006, 2007 and 2008. The quality is high and doesn’t appear to be lost at any point as they rhymes are tight and the beats are taken from some of the best.  

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