Lil Wayne Dedication 6 Mixtape Download

On the first Dedication mixtape installment in four years, Lil Wayne and DJ Drama show some of their former sparkle, but the tape does little to right the trajectory of Wayne's career.

The early versions of the Dedication mixtape series hold a special place in the mythology of internet mixtapes. The first was a prototype, the second is among the best mixtapes of all time, and all those that followed helped cement Wayne's legacy as an ingenious and unstoppable rap force. Few rappers have made mixtapes more central to their reputations and discographies, and they not only defined an era, but helped rewrite the rules of how to be somebody in the digital age (no wonder Chance the Rapper often cites the New Orleans legend as his "greatest inspiration").

The tapes revealed a prolific artist at the top of his game, paired with a DJ who knew how to edit him. "Weezy and Dram'-We are the Mixtape Blueprint," Drama shouts from the opening seconds of Dedication 6, reminding listeners of their pedigree. Dedication mixtapes are always constructed the same way: furious, back-to-back one-liners rapped over the beats of the moment - in this case, Lil Uzi Vert's "XO Tour Llif3," 21 Savage's "Bank Account," JAY-Z's "The Story of O.J.," Kendrick Lamar's "DNA," and more - a rap gauntlet designed to challenge him and measure his raps against those of his greatest peers. At his peak, Lil Wayne would completely own a beat and there was a certain ease to the method, as if elaborate thoughts were simply pouring out of him, as if he could go on forever.