{grate 1.5}
Lil Wayne has been something of a feature slut this past
year, appearing on tracks with almost every mainstream rapper in hip-hop, as
well as releasing countless mixtapes (including the highly entertaining Da
Drought 3) easily adding up to several albums’ worth of material.

Still, he has yet to drop his highly anticipated sixth solo
album, The Carter III.

So in comes The Leak, a puzzling EP released December last
year to very little fanfare or promotion. The Leak is supposed to be a
mini-compilation of Lil Wayne songs that serves as a precursor for his upcoming
album. The only thing is, a leak is supposed to create a buzz; an interest in
the artist’s project, and in order for that to happen you would need to leak
quality material (or at least entertaining in some form or fashion). No one in
Lil Wayne’s camp seemed to remember that last bit.

Instead, what we’re left with is a pretty accurate portrayal
of what Lil Wayne seems to be right now: all over the place, unfocused, rapping
like a maniac and slightly boring. The most exciting track is easily “I’m Me,”
where Wayne does what Wayne
does best: rap about himself, how much weed he smokes and how he makes much
more money than you — and it sounds pretty damn fun.

Too bad he can’t keep the same spirit going for the rest of
the EP. “Love Me or Hate Me” and “Talkin’ ‘Bout It” are some of the most boring
Weezy tracks in recent memory, as WF Baby phones in his verses over mediocre
beats. “Kush” is a fun little track, but it’s nothing
noteworthy or extraordinary, especially considering the standards Wayne
has set for himself. “Gossip,” the track Lil Wayne debuted at the B.E.T. awards
this past year, is pretty ridiculous. The track runs around how much Wayne has
done for hip-hop, yet how little he has been appreciated, which is particularly
hard to believe — especially since Wayne has been on the cover of magazines,
every remix in the past year and pretty much lauded from all circles.

The Leak is a joke, the material is sub par and its timing
is odd. More puzzling still: Who the hell is going to buy a crappy five-song EP
nowadays anyway?