I Am Not a Human Being II

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I Am Not a Human Being II
Iamnotahumanbeingii.jpg
Studio album by Lil Wayne
Released March 22, 2013 (2013-03-22)
Recorded 2008–12
Genre Hip hop
Length 65:32
Label
Producer
Lil Wayne chronology
Dedication 4
(2012)Dedication 42012		 I Am Not a Human Being II
(2013)		 Dedication 5
(2013)Dedication 52013
Singles from I Am Not a Human Being II
  1. "My Homies Still"
    Released: June 5, 2012
  2. "No Worries"
    Released: September 3, 2012
  3. "Love Me"
    Released: January 18, 2013
  4. "Rich As Fuck"
    Released: April 9, 2013

I Am Not a Human Being II is the tenth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on March 26, 2013 in the US, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Republic Records. It serves as the sequel to his eighth album, I Am Not a Human Being (2010).[1] Its music incorporates hip hop styles. As executive producers, Wayne, Ronald "Slim" Williams, and Birdman enlisted a wide variety of producers, including Cool & Dre, Mike Will Made It, David Banner, T-Minus Diplo, Juicy J and Streetrunner.

I Am Not a Human Being II was included in multiple "Most Anticipated Albums of 2013" lists. However, upon its release, the album received generally mixed reviews from music critics, who criticized its production and panned Wayne's lyrics. Four singles have been released from the album thus far. "My Homies Still", "No Worries", "Love Me" and "Rich As Fuck" peaked at numbers 38, 29, 9, and 38 respectively, on the US Billboard Hot 100. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 217,000 copies sold in its first week. As of August 12, 2013,[2] the album has sold 529,000 copies in the United States.

Background

In January 2012, Birdman confirmed that production was underway for the sequel to Lil Wayne's eighth studio album, I Am Not a Human Being (2010), titled I Am Not a Human Being II. Wayne later announced to MTV that he had completed the album, and put greater attention on quality control than its predecessor; he said he had "rushed" to finish the original before serving his jail sentence for illegal possession of a weapon.[3]

I Am Not a Human Being II contains some unused material from earlier recording sessions for Tha Carter III and IV.[4][5] Originally planned for a fall 2012 release and later delayed until February 19, 2013, I Am Not a Human Being II was eventually released on March 26.[6] In early January the album was included in multiple "Most Anticipated Albums of 2013" lists such as the one by MTV and was twelfth on XXL's list.[7]

Music and lyrics

Much in the vein of Lil Wayne's earlier works, I Am Not a Human Being II addresses themes of drugs and sex. The album incorporates much of his traditional hip hop styles, also experiments with rock-influenced elements.[8][9] Described as extremely vulgar by Lauren Nostro of Complex,[10] the album contains 182 uses of the word "nigga", 102 uses of "bitch", 63 references to having sex, 39 mentions of marijuana and 38 references to shooting people among other numerous references to pills, codeine, getting fellatio, giving cunnilingus, and skateboarding.[11][12][13][14][15] The themes of sex, violence, and drugs are all allegories in the album according to Carter and the producers which claim that it is a story about American struggles of singlehood, poverty, violence, disease, and physical pain.[15]

Cover artwork

In November 2012, Lil Wayne announced that instead of Kanye West being featured on the album as a musician, as previously reported, he would be designing everything from the cover art to the album packaging. According to Wayne, Kanye had approached him about doing it because he "wanted to package a Wayne album."[16] On January 30, 2013, the DONDA-designed cover was released. It features a red moth spread across a black background.[17] On February 1, Lil Wayne explained the cover saying, "he chose the moth butterfly thing because it has so many different stages of life, and it goes through so many forms and changes, and no one can figure it out, and it's always beautiful."[18] On the day of the album's release DONDA, released an animated version of the album cover.[19] Overall the artwork was designed and directed by Kanye West and Joe Perez of DONDA. In December 2013, Complex positioned it at number 27 on their list of the best album covers of 2013.[20]

Guests and production

Before the official track listing was revealed, fellow hip hop artists Big Sean, Gudda Gudda, Meek Mill,[21] Cory Gunz, 2 Chainz,[5] Detail, Boo, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Juicy J, Soulja Boy, Future and Gunplay were confirmed to be featured on the album.[22][23][24] Later Meek Mill was left off the final tracklist, while Shane Heyl, Dre and female rapper Trina were added. Producers, confirmed to be featured on the project, included Streetrunner & Sarom, Kane Beatz, Cool & Dre, David Banner, Diplo, Soulja Boy, Mike WiLL Made It, T-Minus, and Detail.[4][22] Juicy J and Crazy Mike co-produced three songs for the album.[25] Wayne also showed interest in working with R. Kelly and Mary J. Blige.[5][26]

Singles

The album's first official single, "My Homies Still" featuring Big Sean and produced by Streetrunner & Sarom, premiered online on June 1, 2012, and was sent to digital retailers on June 5, 2012. The official music video of the song premiered on July 16, 2012. "My Homies Still" peaked at number 22 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and number 16 on the US Hot Rap Songs on August 11, 2012.[27] Following its release to digital retailers in the United States, the song debuted and peaked at number 38 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[28]

The second single "No Worries" featuring Detail, was officially released on September 3, 2012. It was included on Lil Wayne's mixtape Dedication 4.[29] Cortez Bryant explained the song was added to Dedication 4 because the mixtape was pushed back several times.[30] On November 21, 2012, the music video for "No Worries" debuted on MTV.[31] The song peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100.[32]

On December 30, 2012, the song "Love Me" featuring Drake and Future and produced by Mike WiLL Made It leaked online.[33] "Love Me" was released for digital download on January 18, 2013, as the album's third single.[34] It has sold over 1,000,000 copies and was certified Platinum by the RIAA.[35] The song became a top ten hit, peaking at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming Lil Wayne's 18th top ten single on the chart.[36] Producer Mike WiLL revealed that the instrumental of "Love Me" was originally intended for a DJ Khaled song, but after Khaled couldn't use it, it was sent to Lil Wayne.[37]

On January 6, 2013, the song "Rich As Fuck", featuring rapper 2 Chainz leaked unmastered and was originally set to be the third single from the album, but "Love Me" was released as a single instead.[38] "Rich As Fuck" was released as the first promotional single from the album along with the pre-order of the album via the iTunes Store.[39] The official version of the song was remastered and the first and second verse were switched around, compared to the leaked version.[40] The song was sent to urban radio in the US on April 9, 2013, as the fourth single from the album.[41] The music video directed by Parris, was released on March 22, 2013.[42] The song has since peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100.[43]

Tour

On March 21, 2013, Lil Wayne announced he would be headlining the second America's Most Wanted Tour along with rapper T.I. T.I. explained that the tour will begin on July 5 and go through September 1, 2013.[44] French Montana and 2 Chainz[45][46] were later confirmed to join the tour, among others to be announced. The first America's Most Wanted Tour took place five years prior and featured Young Jeezy, Soulja Boy, Pleasure P, Jeremih and Young Money.[47]

On December 18, 2012, Lil Wayne announced that he would go on a European tour with Mac Miller and 2 Chainz during March 2013 in promotion of I Am Not a Human Being II. Later, on March 5, 2013, Wayne stated that the tour would be postponed until October 2013 in order for him to prepare better and to be able to fully promote the album.[48] The tour will feature 15 performances in 10 different countries over the month.[49]

Commercial performance

I Am Not a Human Being II debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 in the first week of its release, and sold 217,000 copies.[50] In its second week the album sold 68,000 more copies.[51] In its third week the album sold 42,000 more copies.[52] In its fourth week the album sold 31,000 more copies.[53] In its fifth week the album sold 25,000 more copies.[54] The Album was certified Gold By the RIAA on August 12, 2013.[55] As of July 30, 2013 the album has sold 529,000 copies in the United States.[56] End of July 2015 album has sold more than 1 million worldwide

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 51/100[57]
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic 3.5/5 stars[58]
The A.V. Club C[59]
Entertainment Weekly B–[60]
The Guardian 2/5 stars[61]
Los Angeles Times 2/4 stars[62]
MSN Music A–[63]
NME 3/10[64]
Pitchfork Media 3.9/10[65]
Rolling Stone 3/5 stars[66]
Spin 6/10[67]

I Am Not a Human Being II received generally mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 51, based on 23 reviews.[57] Jody Rosen, writing in Rolling Stone, felt that Wayne is "half-interested" and lacks the "exhilarating surprise" of his previous work.[66] Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the album shows Wayne "streamlining his eccentricities",[62] while Pitchfork Media's Jayson Greene panned his lyrics as an "undifferentiated slurry of interchangeable" dick jokes, drug references, and unconvincing puns, "none of them funny or creative".[65] Alex Macpherson of The Guardian found his metaphors "laboured, tired or just remarkably offputting."[61] Evan Rytlewski of The A.V. Club accused Wayne of having "bad taste" and rapping solely about oral sex, "a subject that tends to invite misplaced aggression and puerile humor".[59]

Jon Caramanica of The New York Times called the album "less manic, less experimental, less unpredictable and, oddly, less consistent" than "drug-era Lil Wayne".[68] Al Horner of NME said that "the chilling growl and imaginative Auto-Tune of hits like 'Got Money' replaced by tired punchlines and lazy hooks."[64] Spin's Brandon Soderberg felt that the album was a continuation of "Wayne's steady creative decline", adding that "you're better off soaking in the good choices here and resigning yourself to enduring the bad ones."[67] Dean Van Nguyen of PopMatters found the beats "dispensable" and said that they "mirror his own boredom with the project."[69] Ken Capobianco of The Boston Globe said that, apart from the "potent" "Gunwalk" and "No Worries", the album is "both numbingly haphazard and inconsequential."[70]

In a positive review, David Jeffries of AllMusic said that the album is an "indulgent jumble of a sideline release, but that doesn't mean Wayne isn't in fine form", and observed "stunning talent, true wit, and a John Holmes level of cocksure" from him.[58] USA Today's Steve Jones found it "solid" and "often entertaining in the crass, lewd and rude way that's uniquely Wayne."[71] MSN Music's Robert Christgau called it "progress" than most of the songs "deploy the P-word" sexually rather than pejoratively and felt that it suggests that, "unlike most rappers and related pop lifeforms who brag about sex, Weezy really seems to savor it ... A loose-lipped ship-sinker is what he was meant to be."[63]

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s)[72] Length
1. "IANAHB"   Dwayne Carter, Jr., Eric Lewis, Jermaine Preyan, Bryan Williams Eric "ELEW" Lewis 5:38
2. "Curtains" (featuring Boo) Carter, Jr., Noel Fisher, Sabrian "Boo" Sledge, Rasool Diaz, Preyan, Williams Detail, Rasool Diaz (co.) 4:31
3. "Days and Days" (featuring 2 Chainz) Carter, Jr., Tauheed Epps, Andre Lyon, Marcello Valenzano, Barbara Ozen, Preyan, Williams Cool & Dre 3:13
4. "Gunwalk" (featuring Gudda Gudda) Carter, Jr., Carl "Gudda Gudda" Lilly, Jordan Houston, Michael "Crazy Mike" Foster, Preyan, Williams Juicy J, Crazy Mike 4:31
5. "No Worries" (featuring Detail) Carter, Jr., Fisher, Diaz, Preyan, Williams Detail, Rasool Diaz (co.) 3:41
6. "Back to You"   Carter, Jr., Fabio Marascuillo, Christian Stalnecker, Jamie Lidell Marascuillo, Stalnecker (co.) 5:29
7. "Trigger Finger" (featuring Soulja Boy) Carter, Jr., DeAndre Way, Houston, Foster, Preyan, Williams Juicy J, Crazy Mike 4:32
8. "Beat the Shit" (featuring Gunplay) Carter, Jr., Bigram Zayas, Matthew DelGiorno, Richard Morales DVLP, Filthy (co.) 4:28
9. "Rich As Fuck" (featuring 2 Chainz) Carter, Jr., Epps, Tyler Williams, Nikhil Seetharam T-Minus, Seetharam (co.) 3:43
10. "Trippy" (featuring Juicy J) Carter, Jr., Houston, Foster, Preyan, Williams Juicy J, Crazy Mike 4:23
11. "Love Me" (featuring Drake and Future) Carter, Jr., Nayvadius Wilburn, Aubrey Graham, Michael Williams II, Asheton "A+" Hogan Mike WiLL Made It, A+ (co.) 4:13
12. "Romance"   Carter, Jr., Fisher, Preyan, Willams Detail 4:20
13. "God Bless Amerika"   Carter, Jr., Lyon, Valenzano, Preyan, Williams Cool & Dre 5:03
14. "Wowzers" (featuring Trina) Carter, Jr., Way, Katrina Taylor Soulja Boy 3:45
15. "Hello" (featuring Shane Heyl) Carter, Jr., Michael "Banger" Cadahia, Shane Heyl Mike Banger 4:02
Notes
  • "Romance" is not included on the iTunes version of the album.[75]
  • "Gunwalk" features uncredited vocals by Juicy J.
Samples credits
  • "Days and Days" contains samples from Barbara Lynn's "Good Women."
  • "Back to You" contains samples from Jamie Lidell's "Compass."
  • "Hot Revolver" contains samples from Green Day's "Basket Case."
  • "Trigger Finger" contains samples from Jesper Kyd's "Leonardo's Inventions, Part 1."
  • "Lay It Down" heavily samples TNGHT's song "Easy Easy."

Credits and personnel

Credits for I Am Not a Human Being II adapted from Allmusic.[76][77]

Charts

Release history

Region Date Label
Australia[91] March 22, 2013 Republic Records
Germany[92] March 25, 2013
Ireland[93]
United Kingdom[93] Island Records
Canada[94] March 26, 2013 Republic Records
United States[75] Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, Republic Records

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ RIAA Gold&Platinum
  3. ↑ Lil Wayne Didn't Rush The Music For I Am Not A Human Being 2.
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  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  7. ↑ XXL Presents... The 35 Most Anticipated Albums of 2013 - XXL
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  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Kanye West Is Designing Lil Wayne’s Human Being II: What Will It Look Like?
  17. ↑ Lil Wayne's DONDA-Designed "I Am Not A Human Being II" Artwork Has Arrived | Complex
  18. ↑ Lil Wayne Explains Moth-Inspired Album Cover | Complex
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ http://www.complex.com/art-design/2013/12/best-album-covers-2013/i-am-not-a-human-being-ii
  21. ↑ Birdman Talks Lil Wayne’s “I Am Not A Human Being II” Album, Mack Maine Confirms Two Features.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Gunplay To Appear On Lil Wayne's "I Am Not A Human Being II," Taps Pharrell Williams & Big Sean For "Medellin" | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales | ...
  24. ↑ Soulja Boy on Getting "Dropped" From Interscope, Producing for Lil Wayne's Next Album, and Why He'll Never Go Broke | Complex
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lil Wayne Explains Album Cover For "I Am Not A Human Being II" | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales | HipHop DX
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  29. ↑ Cortez Bryant confirming No Worries as 2nd single of I Am Not A Human Being 2
  30. ↑ Cortez Bryant announcing the 2nd single of IANAHB2
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lil Wayne Ft. Drake, Future – ‘Good Kush & Alcohol’
  34. ↑ iTunes - Music - Love Me (feat. Drake & Future) - Single by Lil Wayne
  35. ↑ The Source - Lil Wayne x Drake x Future - "Love Me" Goes Gold
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Mike WiLL Made It Talks About How "Good Kush & Alcohol" Came Together | Complex
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  48. ↑ Lil Wayne Postpones European Tour | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales | HipHop DX
  49. ↑ Lil Wayne Announces 2013 European Arena Tour With 2 Chainz & Mac Miller | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales | HipHop DX
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  55. ↑ http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?content_selector=gold-platinum-searchable-database
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  78. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Lil Wayne – I Am Not a Human Being II". Hung Medien.
  79. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Lil Wayne – I Am Not a Human Being II" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
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