The Rundown: Lil Wayne, I Am Not a Human Being II

A track-by-track review of Weezy's latest effort.

The Rundown: Lil Wayne, I Am Not a Human Being II - Everyone's been talking Lil Wayne — but unfortunately not because of his music. The rapper was in critical condition at L.A.'s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center last week after suffering a series of seizures. His new album, I Am Not a Human Being II, a sequel to his 2010 LP of the same name, is coming out just a week and a half later. It's almost impossible not to look at this album through the lens of this incident, though it was recorded well beforehand. On top of his health issues, his recent work, while commercially successful as always, had many claiming his best work was behind him. With a new lease on life, is Lil Wayne's music headed to new planets or is he still stuck in orbit? Read on for our track-by-track review of I Am Not a Human Being II to find out. —Alex Gale (Photo: Young Money Records)

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The Rundown: Lil Wayne, I Am Not a Human Being II - Everyone's been talking Lil Wayne — but unfortunately not because of his music. The rapper was in critical condition at L.A.'s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center last week after suffering a series of seizures. His new album, I Am Not a Human Being II, a sequel to his 2010 LP of the same name, is coming out just a week and a half later. It's almost impossible not to look at this album through the lens of this incident, though it was recorded well beforehand. On top of his health issues, his recent work, while commercially successful as always, had many claiming his best work was behind him. With a new lease on life, is Lil Wayne's music headed to new planets or is he still stuck in orbit? Read on for our track-by-track review of I Am Not a Human Being II to find out. —Alex Gale (Photo: Young Money Records)

Lil' Wayne on why he stopped using “lean”  - “I’m not sick anymore.”(Photo: Gary Miller/FilmMagic)

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"IANAHB" - Like much of this album, the intro is melodramatic, all over the place and perverted, but also hilariously entertaining at moments. A piano soloist gets all masturbatory and emotional for a full 100 seconds sans accompaniment before Weezy even comes in. But when he arrives, he delivers some of his most bizarre and most sexual bars. He starts the album "in the crib butt naked," and a few bars later he's "in the ocean" sexing sharks. It's a good sign of what's to come. There's another full minute of piano improv at the end, just cause. (Photo: Gary Miller/FilmMagic)

"Days and Days" feat. 2 Chainz - The Cool & Dre beat's ill combination of a bluesy vocal sample from Barbara Lynn's "Good Woman" and Lex Luger-style drums inspire more sex-addicted rhymes from Wayne, who spends at least 75 percent of his rhymes describing various nice and mostly naughty things he does with female genitalia. 2 Chainz one-ups Wayne's perversions by bragging he does it "froggy style." (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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"Days and Days" feat. 2 Chainz - The Cool & Dre beat's ill combination of a bluesy vocal sample from Barbara Lynn's "Good Woman" and Lex Luger-style drums inspire more sex-addicted rhymes from Wayne, who spends at least 75 percent of his rhymes describing various nice and mostly naughty things he does with female genitalia. 2 Chainz one-ups Wayne's perversions by bragging he does it "froggy style." (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

"Gunwalk" feat. Gudda Gudda - Everyone's been biting Three-6 Mafia's classic creep over the past few years, so you've got to give Wayne props for going straight to the source: Juicy J co-produces and appears on the mic. Inspired by the horror-movie piano and an eerily echoing chat, Lil Wayne finally stops bragging about sex for a second to fit in some good old-fashioned pistol talk. Gudda Gudda spits a verse and surprisingly doesn't suck. (Photos from left: Courtesy Young Money, Jeff Daly/PictureGroup)

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"Gunwalk" feat. Gudda Gudda - Everyone's been biting Three-6 Mafia's classic creep over the past few years, so you've got to give Wayne props for going straight to the source: Juicy J co-produces and appears on the mic. Inspired by the horror-movie piano and an eerily echoing chat, Lil Wayne finally stops bragging about sex for a second to fit in some good old-fashioned pistol talk. Gudda Gudda spits a verse and surprisingly doesn't suck. (Photos from left: Courtesy Young Money, Jeff Daly/PictureGroup)

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"No Worries" feat. Detail - With the Auto-Tuned chorus from Detail and the filtered chords and 808s of the beat, we definitely liked this better when Future did it first. Still, Wayne's wild-eyed excitable delivery entertain, even when the rhymes are facepalm-worthy ("smoke so much that Smokey the Bear has to bear with us"). (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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"Back to You" - Though the sample from Brit indie soulster Jamie Lidell's "Compass" is both unexpected and expertly utilized, Lil Wayne unfortunately doesn't follow its vulnerable wailing about love. Over melodramatic electric guitars, Wayne gratingly Auto-croons that he'll "beat it like a fistfight," a variation of the bedroom boast we hear throughout the album. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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"Back to You" - Though the sample from Brit indie soulster Jamie Lidell's "Compass" is both unexpected and expertly utilized, Lil Wayne unfortunately doesn't follow its vulnerable wailing about love. Over melodramatic electric guitars, Wayne gratingly Auto-croons that he'll "beat it like a fistfight," a variation of the bedroom boast we hear throughout the album. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

"Trigger Finger" feat. Soulja Boy - Following the blueprint he established on "Gunwalk," Wayne threatens over another Memphis horrorcore beat from Juicy J and his co-producer Crazy Mike. There's a few cringe-worthy rhymes — "I pass that weed, like I studied" — that detract from the grim gloom. But even stranger, Soulja half-rhymes, half-talks an offbeat verse. (Photos from left: Ben Rose/PictureGroup, Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)

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"Trigger Finger" feat. Soulja Boy - Following the blueprint he established on "Gunwalk," Wayne threatens over another Memphis horrorcore beat from Juicy J and his co-producer Crazy Mike. There's a few cringe-worthy rhymes — "I pass that weed, like I studied" — that detract from the grim gloom. But even stranger, Soulja half-rhymes, half-talks an offbeat verse. (Photos from left: Ben Rose/PictureGroup, Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)

"Beat the S--t" feat. Gunplay - Lil Wayne's Auto-Tuned, nursery-rhymed hook here once again doesn't do him any favors — especially when Gunplay shows up and truly murders the synth-y beat in perhaps the album's best, most adrenaline-pumping performance. His muscular rhymes make Wayne's jokey, stream-of-consciousness metaphors seem lightweight in comparison. (Photos from left: Courtesy of Myspace/Def Jam, Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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"Beat the S--t" feat. Gunplay - Lil Wayne's Auto-Tuned, nursery-rhymed hook here once again doesn't do him any favors — especially when Gunplay shows up and truly murders the synth-y beat in perhaps the album's best, most adrenaline-pumping performance. His muscular rhymes make Wayne's jokey, stream-of-consciousness metaphors seem lightweight in comparison. (Photos from left: Courtesy of Myspace/Def Jam, Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

"Rich as F--k" feat. 2 Chainz - One of the most interesting beats on the album, courtesy of T-Minus, who, with help from co-producer Nikhil S., couples his usual filtered synth melodies with a dope West Coast-inspired bassline. It's a new look for him and for Wayne sonically. But in an bad omen, he boasts of having Xanax, percoset, promethazine and codeine. While you can't take a song that says "rest in p---y" too seriously, that sure sounds like a seizure-inducing mix to us. (Photos from left: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BET, Mark Davis/Getty Images for Caesars Entertainment)

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"Rich as F--k" feat. 2 Chainz - One of the most interesting beats on the album, courtesy of T-Minus, who, with help from co-producer Nikhil S., couples his usual filtered synth melodies with a dope West Coast-inspired bassline. It's a new look for him and for Wayne sonically. But in an bad omen, he boasts of having Xanax, percoset, promethazine and codeine. While you can't take a song that says "rest in p---y" too seriously, that sure sounds like a seizure-inducing mix to us. (Photos from left: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BET, Mark Davis/Getty Images for Caesars Entertainment)

"Trippy" feat. Juicy J - The drug cocktail hinted at in "Rich" gets the full-song treatment. "Weed, pills and that drink — that's my trippy kit," a screwed-down Juicy raps on the hook. It'd be a little more hilarious if said kits, or something like it, hadn't reportedly given Wayne his recent near-death experience. (Photos from left: Ray Tamarra/Getty Images, Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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"Trippy" feat. Juicy J - The drug cocktail hinted at in "Rich" gets the full-song treatment. "Weed, pills and that drink — that's my trippy kit," a screwed-down Juicy raps on the hook. It'd be a little more hilarious if said kits, or something like it, hadn't reportedly given Wayne his recent near-death experience. (Photos from left: Ray Tamarra/Getty Images, Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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10 Things You Should Know About Future - "Tony Montana" dominated Atlanta and the South last year, and eventually caught the ear of Drake, who contacted Future about the song and hopped on the remix. Future says Drake's YMCMB boss Lil Wayne wanted to get on the song as well, but Future turned him down because, as he told XXL magazine in November, there were "too many big artists on the song already."  (Photos: John Amis/PictureGroup; Mark Davis/Getty Images for Caesars Entertainment; Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) 

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"Love Me" feat. Drake and Future - This may be a platinum-selling smash single, but the two guests — rap's current undispited Auto-Tune masters — make Wayne's jarring singing look bad. (Photos from left: John Amis/PictureGroup, Mark Davis/Getty Images for Caesars Entertainment, Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

Lil Wayne - Lil Wayne, who got his start as a 14-year-old member of the Hot Boys, has had a great career musically, but he’s had to endure some serious problems on the personal side, from an alleged cough-syrup addiction to a year-long jail sentence for gun changes. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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"Romance" - Ever wondered what it's like being Lil Wayne's girl? You don't have to any longer. Just listen to the madness that is "Romance." There's sweet moments, like kissing his sprained ankle, but then there's having sex at his "mama's crib on Thanksgiving, everybody listening." Sounds like true love. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Lil Wayne vs. Rich Rick - Adding to the laundry lists of artists, producers and music industry-related figures suing Lil Wayne, rapper Rich Rick filed suit against the Young Money General in L.A. Superior Court in August 2011. Claiming that he is the rightful owner of the beat used for Weezy's single, "How to Love," Rick sought royalties in addition to 10 percent interest. (Photo: Aaron Gilbert / WENN.com)

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"God Bless America" - Wayne finally goes beyond the surface on this song with some cutting sociopolitical commentary ("the stars on the flag are never shining") and personal reflection ("will I die or go to jail today?"). (Photo: Aaron Gilbert / WENN.com)

Lil Wayne, I Am Not a Human Being 2 - Lil Wayne has sometimes seemed to be rhyming on autopilot of late, and his next project, a sequel to his 2010 album I Am Not a Human Being, is the perfect chance to right the course. He’s certainly off to a promising start: Juicy J, David Banner and Cool & Dre are among the reported producers; Kanye West appears on the album and is also designing the artwork; and the first single, “Rich as F--k,” features 2 Chainz. (Photo: Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Clear Channel)

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"Wowzers" - Is Weezy a sex addict? At this point, with the millionth cunnilingus reference on the album, we're saying yes. But for every eye-rolling line there's an effectively juvenile gem, like when he calls oral sex a "penis colada." Bottoms up! (Photo: Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Clear Channel)

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"Hello" - Like all of Wayne's recent non-Carter digressions, this album features a crappy rap-rock song. The music is hard rock at its most prosaic, and Wayne's unhinged delivery is grating. The nasally guest verse from skateboarder Shane Heyl is so bad we can only assume he's got blackmail material on Weezy. Easily the most fast-forwardable song on the album. (Photo: Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Clear Channel)

Photo By Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Clear Channel

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"Lay It Down" feat. Cory Gunz and Nicki Minaj - The most unexpected moment on this album isn't Wayne's vagina obsession or his comical rhymes — it's his teaming with blog-favorite beatmaking duo TNGHT (Hudson Mohawke and Lunice), who lace him with one of their signature quirky electro-trap masterworks. The beat definitely inspired Nicki, who takes a break from her American Idol spot to absolutely steal the show. There's even a Cory Gunz sighting. (Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Pepsi)

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"Lay It Down" feat. Cory Gunz and Nicki Minaj - The most unexpected moment on this album isn't Wayne's vagina obsession or his comical rhymes — it's his teaming with blog-favorite beatmaking duo TNGHT (Hudson Mohawke and Lunice), who lace him with one of their signature quirky electro-trap masterworks. The beat definitely inspired Nicki, who takes a break from her American Idol spot to absolutely steal the show. There's even a Cory Gunz sighting. (Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Pepsi)

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"Hot Revolver" feat. Dre - We were already forced to endure this amateurish pop-rap song, originally slated for his Rebirth album, when it first leaked in 2009. Bonus track or no, why we're forced to endure it again is anyone's guess. Especially given this bit of foreboding: "And I be havin' seizures, but she says she can't shake me." (Photo: Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images for GQ)

"My Homies Still" feat. Big Sean - This single, which we first heard last year during the height of the supposed beef between Young Money and G.O.O.D. Music, still doesn't make much sense on its own — bragging that your friends sell drugs doesn't mean much when other rappers are claiming that they still do it. But on this album, the song, with its schizophrenic siren and claps and Wayne finally touching on some new subject matter, shines on idiosyncratic beats like this, which seem to match his inner crazy. We wish he had used more of them on the album. He's definitely nowhere near Tha Carter III, but this album isn't the throwaway that its prequel and Rebirth were. If anything, it's pretty obvious he's having a hell of a lot of fun here, and this album will surely satisfy his millions of fans enough to keep the good times rolling. (Photos from left: Christie Goodwin/R...

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"My Homies Still" feat. Big Sean - This single, which we first heard last year during the height of the supposed beef between Young Money and G.O.O.D. Music, still doesn't make much sense on its own — bragging that your friends sell drugs doesn't mean much when other rappers are claiming that they still do it. But on this album, the song, with its schizophrenic siren and claps and Wayne finally touching on some new subject matter, shines on idiosyncratic beats like this, which seem to match his inner crazy. We wish he had used more of them on the album. He's definitely nowhere near Tha Carter III, but this album isn't the throwaway that its prequel and Rebirth were. If anything, it's pretty obvious he's having a hell of a lot of fun here, and this album will surely satisfy his millions of fans enough to keep the good times rolling. (Photos from left: Christie Goodwin/R...