Since rightfully proclaiming himself the Best Rapper Alive during his remarkable run from 2005 to 2008, Lil Wayne has been held to exactly that standard. And while Tha Carter IV may not reach the insurmountable heights of its predecessors, there's so much to love here that it hardly matters. From Nas' fire-breathing a capella on "Outro" to Wayne's playful Jay Z diss on "It's Good" to the soft-rock experimentalism of "How to Love," the album offers a Vegas buffet's worth of lyrical pyrotechnics and signature Weezy oddities (hello, Alan Parsons sample). Arriving on the heels of Wayne's rock detour Rebirth, Tha Carter IV is a shambolic return to form.