Well the day has arrived. Lil Wayne is off to the pen. This is a definite downer for many hip hop heads, but I'm going to remain optimistic. Here's my theory:
1. Prison is brutal. Never been, never gonna go, but regardless it's safe to assume Wayne will receive some pretty quality treatment inside (celebrities always seem to do OK).
2. Being "sober" is prison will clear his head. True, a sober Lil Wayne may not be the creative, lyrical craftsman as when under the influence of:
a) marijuana
b) alcohol
c) cough syrup
d) all of the above
But I'm anticipating Wayne's prison term as a reconstructive, reflective period that is sure to churn out some deeply introspective s**t. Think street braggadocio meets prison hardness, a la "Playing with Fire" off Tha Carter III:
I'll admit I'm a fan of Wayne's stream-of-consciousness, "absence-of-narrative-quality" approach but I'm also hoping this changes. His punchlines are unique, often hilarious, but there's usually no story, no dramatic quality like NaS or Biggie. My reasoning is Eminem created Relapse "sober," therefore, I expect something similar to evolve from the demented mind of Dwayne Carter.
Here's a video of Lil Wayne's final time before reporting to prison. A bit slow to develop, but altogether pretty amusing. Plus, for serious Wayne fans, there's a sentimental "goodbye" from Young Money's finest as he pulls away from the studio in his Bugati.
Wayne: good luck inside. And remember what the dudes at Broken Cool had to say here: 8 Things Lil' Wayne Should Deny While In Prison.
Stacks Out.
