Free Weezy Album (abbreviated as FWA) is the eleventh studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on July 4, 2015, by Young Money Entertainment and Republic Records, exclusively on Tidal. It was released on Spotify and Apple Music on July 3, 2020, to commemorate its fifth anniversary, though some samples were changed due to clearance issues, and some tracks are absent completely.[1]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 61/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    |
| Consequence of Sound | C+ |
| HipHopDX | 3.5/5 |
| Pitchfork | 5.5/10 |
| RapReviews | 6.5/10 |
FWA received generally favorable reviews from contemporary music critics upon release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received a weighted average score of 61, based on 10 reviews. Fred Thomas from AllMusic, reviewing the re-release, noted how "A few standout songs from the first release are missing" though assigned a relatively positive score.[2]
Michael Madden of Consequence of Sound was mixed in his review, penning, "Unlike his mixtape material, he's not retreading formulas by relying on established beats or verse structures. He's really on his own out here." Noting of Wayne's current situation with Birdman and Cash Money Records, he concluded, "Is the album a new benchmark for Wayne creatively? No. It works well in bursts but, over the course of a full listen, becomes a reminder that he's experienced so much success with so many different sounds that he can't please everyone all the time. At least he's pushing through the circumstances."[3] Yoh Phillips from DJBooth remarked, "It's only 15 tracks and I was left feeling like there was more good than bad, you can hear him attempting to regain his footing, but it's like watching the mediocre episode of a formerly great TV series."[4]
Exclaim!'s Calum Slingerland assessed, "More a well-timed bit of marketing on Tidal's end than a respectable entry in Wayne's canon, those anticipating any sort of return to form by Weezy F. will have to hang on a little bit longer, as the F currently stands for 'forgettable.'"[5] HipHopDX editor Kellan Miller said in agreeance, "Meant to symbolize not only his split with Cash Money but the creative unshackling of an undisputed legend, Free Weezy is not the monumental testament the world had hoped for."[6] Pitchfork's Matthew Ramirez also felt the rapper was declining in any great tracks, not the 2007 Weezy.[7] Phillip Mlynar form Spin conceded, "To its credit, FWA is slicker than most mixtapes—and on tracks like the opener, his flow remains a spectacle—but there's also the pervading sense here that he's playing it safe."[8] Steve "Flash" Juon of RapReviews was also moderately positive, writing, "feels looser and more relaxed" though overall "decidedly mixed," where "Weezy still has his swagger, and with a little more effort he could add some substance to go along with it."[9]
Track listing
| # | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Glory" |
|
| 5:07 |
| 2. | "He's Dead" |
|
| 4:31 |
| 3. | "I Feel Good" |
|
| 3:10 |
| 4. | "My Heart Races On" (featuring Jake Troth) |
|
| 3:48 |
| 5. | "London Roads" |
| London on da Track | 3:55 |
| 6. | "I'm That N*gga" (featuring HoodyBaby) |
| Onhel | 3:44 |
| 7. | "Psycho" (featuring Leah Hayes) |
| Infamous | 4:04 |
| 8. | "Murda" (featuring Cory Gunz, Capo, and Junior Reid) |
|
| 3:49 |
| 9. | "Thinking Bout You" |
|
| 4:03 |
| 10. | "Without You" (featuring Bibi Bourelly) |
|
| 4:16 |
| 11. | "Post Bail Ballin'" |
| DVLP | 3:55 |
| 12. | "Pull Up" (featuring Euro) |
| Twice as Nice | 4:15 |
| 13. | "Living Right" (featuring Wiz Khalifa) |
|
| 5:01 |
| 14. | "White Girl" (featuring Jeezy) |
| Infamous | 4:43 |
| 15. | "Pick Up Your Heart" |
| Cool & Dre | 6:10 |
| 16. | "Street Chains" |
|
| 3:36 |
| Total length: | 64:29 | |||
Notes
- "He's Dead," "I Feel Good," "Thinking Bout You" and "Without You" are removed on Apple Music and Spotify.
- The 2020 version includes the bonus track, "We Livin' Like That."
Sample credits
- "Glory" contains a sample from "Arise, Shine" performed by Greg Dykes and The Synanon Choir.
- "He's Dead" contains a sample from "I See Ghost" performed by As Animals.
- "I Feel Good" contains a sample from "I Got You (I Feel Good)" performed by James Brown.
Charts
| Chart (2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 | 77
|
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) | 47
|
References
- ↑ Clarke, Patrick (July 3, 2020). "Lil Wayne Releases Reworked 'Free Weezy Album' to Mark Project's Fifth Anniversary". NME.
- ↑ "FWA Review by Fred Thomas". AllMusic.
- ↑ Madden, Michael (July 10, 2015). "Album Review: Lil Wayne - Free Weezy Album". Consequence.
- ↑ Phillips, Yoh (July 4, 2015). "Lil Wayne Is Starring at a Mirror, Hoping to See His Former Glory on 'FWA (Free Weezy Album)'". DJBooth.
- ↑ Slingerland, Calum (July 6, 2015). "Lil Wayne: FWA". Exclaim!
- ↑ Miller, Kellan (July 7, 2015). "Lil Wayne - Free Weezy Album". HipHopDX.
- ↑ Ramirez, Matthew (July 9, 2015). "Lil Wayne: FWA". Pitchfork.
- ↑ Mlynar, Phillip (July 8, 2015). "Review: Lil Wayne Longs for True Independence on 'Free Weezy Album'". Spin.
- ↑ Juon, Steve (July 14, 2015). "Lil Wayne :: Free Weezy Album". RapReviews.
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