After 18 months of leaks, mixtapes and giveaways, Dwayne Michael Carter distributed some real uncut product in 2008 and, in the process, made real his claims to be the "best rapper alive".
Hauling together a panel of the best producers in hip-hop (from Kanye – to Bangladesh, Wayne performed over a broad spectrum of beats that ranged from old school jazz to modern bounce.
On the track A Milli Wayne raps over one of the beats of the year, but even there the glowering presence of his inimitable vocals are the main attraction. In fact, however big the beats or mellifluous the supporting vocal, Wayne never left you in any doubt as to who was the star of the piece.
Lil' Wayne may have been a recording artist for a decade, but this album brought his skills to a whole new audience. While the standout tracks are limited to just two or three (not uncommon in hip-hop), the lyrical flourishes are everywhere and impossible to ignore. As Wayne himself says on the opening track 3peat: "Get on my level/You can't get on my level/You will need a space shuttle/Or a ladder that's forever."
• Disagree? Vote for your favourite albums in our Readers' Poll 2008.
