Customer Reviews

500 Degreez

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

The name of this album (500 Degreez) says it all: HOT! This album is so hot you could cook chicken with it! My favourite songs are: "Look At Me", "Way Of Life" Featuring Big Tymers & TQ, "Gangstas & Pimps", "Gangsta S**t" Featuring Petey Pablo, "Bloodline" & "500 Degreez". I recommend this album to any cash-money fan!

With his former Hot Boys bandmates long gone from Cash Money's roster, Lil Wayne's third album finds him trying to navigate big changes at the label. The bestselling Big Tymers are now the Cash Money prestige act, and the 19-year-old Wayne is often forced to insist he's still relevant.

It isn't a pretty sound, especially when he desperately flashes his bankroll on "Way Of Life," a Tupac-sampling mistake, and reminds anyone who'll listen on "F--k You" that he's still part of the Cash Money clique. One tune is actually titled "Look At Me," which sums up his dilemma nicely. Things don't stay that dire; although not as pop-friendly as the Big Tymers' Hood Rich, the electro-bounce beats (courtesy of Jazzy Pha, in addition to label mastermind Mannie Fresh) are intermittently interesting, and Wayne wraps his nasal, Big Easy drawl around a good idea or two, like "Bloodline," a singsong defense of heredity. But like Project English, the last outing from Wayne's former Hot Boys partner, Juvenile, this workmanlike effort makes its star sound farther than ever from his early promise.

Okay, Lil' Wayne is hot. Always has been. But for the past two of his albums, Weezy has hooked listeners with songs like "Shine" from his sophomore LP "Lights Out". The first single off of "500 Degreez," "Way Of Life", made me think that not only had Weezy's lyricism matured, but also Mannie Fresh's production. But Fresh overshadows a usually funky Jazze Pha on this album by mostly abandoning the 808s and double bass to Jazze and taking over with tracks like "Bloodline", "Way Of Life", "Young'n Blues", and "Lovely." All in all, the album's okay, but if Lil' Wayne wants to succeed in the rap game, he needs to be a lil' more creative.

How the hell is the title of this CD not a diss to former Cash Money Millionaire Juvenile? The way I see it is that with this CD, Lil Wayne is out to prove that Cash Money is hotter and stronger than ever, even with the departure of Hoy Boys Juvenile, Turk, and B.G. But after listening to this CD, I would have to disagree with Lil Weezy. This CD is definitely not even on the same level of Juvenile's 400 Degreez, becuase nothing here can even touch Juvenile's "Ha", "Back That A** Up" and "U.P.T.". But this CD is still good for what it is: bling bling rap that you don't have to take seriously.

With tracks like "Way Of Life", "500 Degreez', and "Look At Me", Wayne shows that same fire that made the Hot Boyz so hot. As for the lyrics, don't try to sit there analyzing them, because Wayne spits it simple and straight-foward. His lyrics are what they are, sometimes funny and witty, and sometimes stale and repetitive. His little kid voice is distinct, but his flow is not as good as he thinks (he still says he one of the most UNDERRATED rappers out). If you listened to the Big Tymers latest "Hood Rich", then you can expect the same on this CD.

One of the things that got to me on this CD was the production. Manny Fresh does his usual pretty good job, but after listening to the CD 21 tracks straight, you can't help but notice that Manny's sound is getting a little old. Another small gripe I had was the track "... You", which has the be the 10000000th time a rapper has a track named like that on his CD. This track you could pretty much skip without any worries.

So, if you're a fan of Cash Money, then this a must buy for you, a fun CD with party songs and flossin' anthems. But be warned, don't come in expecting an instant classic like the title suggests. As for Cash Money Records, I don't think they could possibly attain the success they had before when the Hot Boys were intact, but with signings of TQ and Mac 10, and the recent merge with Rodney Jerkins, they are still trying.

With the departure of its other star artists, like Juvenile, the Cash Money clique is hanging its hat on Big Tymers and Lil Wayne. Too bad for them. If "500 Degreez" is any indication of the future, Cash Money better plan for some dark days ahead. Lil Wayne's latest CD is pure recycled garbage with brash and boastful lyrics from a would be superstar who is ready to wear the mantle, but who isn't yet capable of delivering the lyrics he believes he's capable of. In short, the spirit is willing, but the mouth just can't deliver the goods. Manny Fresh gives Wayne the beats to work with--not Manny's best, but good. However, you can't enjoy the beats for the below-average raps. Sorry Wayne, you're not hotter than Juvy. Better luck on your next CD which I'm sure you'll title, "The W Code".

In 2002, Lil Wayne released his third album "500 Degreez." This album is Wayne's worst, displaying a lot of problems. Although his first two albums were entertaining Cash Money Records productions, this album simply doesn't deliver like those two did. At this point in his career, Weezy was lyrically not the rapper he would become in his early 20s, still in a teenage phase rapping mostly about money, cars, and prosperity, which is fine given the right production. The problem is, even the production on this album is lacking. Mannie Fresh is a great producer by all means, but on this disc he sounds like he is on cruise control, just like Wayne on the mic. At first, this album seems like one of the many inconsistent Cash Money records, and you're listening through the filler tracks waiting for the banging, excellent single track to come. On "500 Degreez," that song never comes, and there's no standout on here at all. Wayne spends a lot of the album trying to one up the 1998 album "400 Degreez" by Juvenile, who had just left the label. I consider "400 Degreez" a classic, it is the best Cash Money Records album in my opinion, and in trying to top it Wayne fails miserably. There are some cheap and failed imitations of songs on that album. The guest appearances are formulaic and the album is just weak as a whole. As someone who has thoroughly enjoyed many Cash Money albums, I was disappointed with "500 Degreez."

After a very familiar-sounding intro, the album begins with "Look at Me," which is nothing special but actually turns out to be one of the album's better tracks. "Way of Life" has lyrics that put me to sleep and uses a totally played-out sample that I've heard ten times before at least. "Gangstas and Pimps" has a decent chorus but the raps are weak and don't match it. "Lovely" is tirefully boastful and has completely uninteresting production. "Gangsta S..." is okay, and "Bloodline" has probably the best beat on the album. "Worry Me" and "Where You At" are also two decent songs, but completely forgettable. "500 Degreez" jacks the beat from Juvenile's great song "400 Degreez," and Wayne lazily tries to turn Juve's original lines around on himself, I really dislike this song. Lil' Wayne uses a boring flow to deliver worn-out bragadagio on "Go Hard," and while "Young'n Blues" is a pretty solid song lyrically it's not at all memorable. The Big Tymers save the otherwise abysmal "Believe That," and for the rest of the album, tracks like "What Does Life Mean to Me" and "Get That Dough" provide no highlights. The skits scattered throughout the album add absolutely nothing, using the played out radio station-as-interludes cliche.

I don't recommend "500 Degreez," even to Wayne fans, for this is his worst album. There's really not much good I could say about it, the lyrics are poor and the production is uninteresting. It really just doesn't seem like anyone tried hard enough on this album. To fans new to Lil' Wayne, I suggest starting out with his debut "The Block Is Hot" or either one of his "Tha Carter" albums. To other fans interested in buying this album, I suggest the Big Tymers "Hood Rich," a similarly concepted album that came out the same year and is much better executed and entertaining and is supremely superior to this album. This is a weak effort that I suggest avoiding.

After taking a year off the scene, Lil Wayne returns with his follow-up to "Lights Out" with "500 Degreez." After Juvenile released the supposed classic with "400 Degreez", Wayne is out to prove that his spit game and this album is wayyy hotter.

1. Fly Talkin' (Intro) - No Rating

2. Look at Me - 4/5

3. Way of Life (Featuring Big Tymers & TQ) - 3.5/5

4. Big Tigger Live on the Radio (Skit) - No Rating

5. Gangsta and Pimps (Featuring Baby) - 4/5

6. Lovely - 4/5

7. Gangsta S*** (Featuring Petey Pablo) - 4.5/5

8. Big Tigger Live on the Radio (Skit) - No Rating

9. Bloodline - 4/5

10. Where You At - 4.5/5

11. Worry Me - 4.5/5

12. 500 Degreez - 4.5/5

13. Go Hard - 4/5

14. Young'n Blues - 3/5

15. Believe That (Featuring Blaque & Mannie Fresh) - 3.5/5

16. Rob Nice Live on the Radio (Skit) - No Rating

17. F*** You (Featuring Big Tymers) - 4/5

18. What Does Life Mean to Me (Skit) (Featuring TQ & Big Tymers) - No Rating

19. Get That Dough (Featuring Baby, Tateeze & Cristale) - 4/5

20. Fo Sheezy - 4.5/5

21. Fly Talkin' Go Home (Outro) - No Rating

Overall:

60.5/75

3.5 Stars

After 2 solid (for the most part) efforts, this album is below them both. Production is very very solid (minus 2 or 3 tracks) but the hooks are wack on lots of them. It doesn't even feel like a Southern album like it should be. Only check it out if your a die hard fan of Lil Wayne, Cash Money Records or the Hot Boys.

This album was a dissapointment. I expected better from Lil' wayne, but when I heard it i was not impressed. Hopefully his next album out will get back at it.

ALright alright. Some people like to think they are INTELLIGENT so they don't listen to rap. That's fine, listen to classical by all means. But i would just like to note that for one, the person who wrote the above review wrote it with many spelling mistakes and grammatical errors and apparently they are intelligent? ok....
Anyway, this CD is not 'wack' something that only very 'lame' people would say it's actually extremely entertaining AND the lyrics are very solid throughout. Those of you who only listen to the beats without paying any real heed to the lyrical 'flow' will not be disappointed but will not receive their money's worth from the CD. Pretty Damn Hot.

This album wasnt as good as I expected it to be. Lil Wayne's flows doesnt come as tight compared to his previous albums:"Lights Out" and "The Block Is Hot." Once agian, Cash Money's very own super producer Mannie Fresh, does a great job providing the beats and sounds for the CD. The only mistake is Lil Wayne's rapping in this CD, seriously, I truly think that "Lil Weezy" didnt even try hard and didnt do his best spittin his flows.It sounds more as if he is goofin off more then jus rappin. Lil Wayne is now older and his voice slightly changed so he no longer has that deep, street toned voice he has. And that could possibly hurted this album. Im a huge cash money fan and I enjoy listenin to Mannie Fresh but the music and the rapping in this CD both dont match. I think "Lights Out" was more of an effort then this one. So if your expecting to buy this CD, I suggest you wait a couple of months and hopefully you'll find it in the "USED" section.