The Carter

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The Carter
The-carter-doc.jpg
Promotional poster for the movie
Directed by Adam Bhala Lough
Produced by Quincy Jones III
Joshua Krause
Jared Freedman
Starring Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr.
Bryan Williams
Cortez Bryant
Reginae Carter
Cinematography Adam Bhala Lough
Edited byAndy Grieve
Music byLil Wayne
Distributed byQD3 Entertainment
Release date
  • November 17, 2009 (2009-11-17)
Running time
75 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Carter is a 2009 documentary film about the American hip hop recording artist Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr., better known as Lil Wayne. The film was directed by Adam Bhala Lough and produced by Joshua Krause and Quincy Jones III, and documents Lil Wayne in the period before and shortly after the release of his studio album, Tha Carter III, which achieved platinum status and critical acclaim, and sold one million copies in one week. After being shown at the Sundance Film Festival, it was subjected to a lawsuit by Carter to block distribution but eventually was released direct to DVD and iTunes, where it topped all movie charts. The film has since been banned from legal sale again but is widely bootlegged on the Internet. Despite having no formal release, it has been rated as one of the top 70 music documentaries of all time. [1]

Contents

Production

While filming The Carter (between 2007 and 2008), the filmmakers conducted no interviews with Carter. As Quincy Jones III told MTV,

"With Wayne, he was like, 'I don't want to do anything that's really missionary. I want to give this a whole, new, fresh approach, so I don't necessarily want to do a formal sit-down interview.'" [2]

The film was shot in a cinéma vérité style, with the production team following the artist during his tours, and conducting interviews with his manager and other associates. [2] Lough said the film is about fame and the "artist's life".

Carter was filmed using marijuana and purple drank (soda laced with a prescription cough syrup) as recreational drugs. [3] Lough also clearly showed the artist's strong work ethic which has enabled his high productivity, and said that Carter was always recording, whether on the road or not. [4] He is devoted to the process and working all the time. [5]

Distribution and lawsuit

Although Carter was under contract to participate in the film, and Jones said he was "ecstatic" about the final cut, [2] Carter later filed a lawsuit to prevent its distribution after the second screening at the 25th Sundance Film Festival in 2009. [6] His lawsuit said that Carter was promised the final cut and wanted certain scenes removed that were still in at the Sundance screening. [3] [4] A judge threw out the $50 million lawsuit, and the film was released directly to DVD on November 17, 2009. [4]

The independently distributed film topped iTunes movie charts in its first week of release. [7]

The infamous Lil Wayne deposition video that went viral [8] in 2012 was from a deposition about The Carter documentary with Quincy Jones III in attendance at a law office in Beverly Hills. [9] [10]

Critical reception

The film received favorable reviews. Jon Caramanica's review in The New York Times called it one of "the most revealing and provocative hip hop films" of all time, observing, "It’s a little like watching Nero fiddle just before Rome begins to burn." [11] Brandon Perkins in the Huffington Post ranked it as "one of the top five greatest hip-hop documentaries of all time" [5] and noted, "it's Lil Wayne's commitment to his art that truly resonates." [5] Ben Westhoff wrote in The Guardian , "it is one of the best music documentaries I’ve ever seen." [12] Complex , [13] IndieWire , [14] Rolling Stone , [15] The Hollywood Reporter , [16] , XXL [17] and "Screen Rant" [18] have also included it on their lists of the greatest rock and hip hop films.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil Wayne</span> American rapper and singer (born 1982)

Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, and is often cited as one of the greatest rappers of all time. Wayne's career began in 1995, when he was signed by rapper Birdman to his record label Cash Money Records, becoming the youngest member of the label at age eleven. From then on, he was the flagship artist of Cash Money Records before ending his association with the imprint in June 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cash Money Records</span> American record label

Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Baby" Williams. In the early years, Cash Money Records released albums of Juvenile, B.G., and Hot Boys. Distributed by Republic Records, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip hop artists, including Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Tyga. The company is regarded as one of the most successful record labels of the 2000s–2010s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quincy Jones III</span> Music and documentary film producer

Quincy Delight Jones III, better known as QDIII, QD3 and Snoopy, is a music producer and documentary film producer.

<i>Tha Carter II</i> 2005 studio album by Lil Wayne

Tha Carter II is the fifth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on December 6, 2005, by Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment and Universal Records. Recording sessions took place from 2004 to 2005, with Birdman and his brother Ronald "Slim" Williams serving as the record's executive producers. Additional producers on the album included The Runners and The Heatmakerz, among others. The album serves as a sequel to his fourth album Tha Carter (2004), and was supported by three singles.

<i>Tha Carter III</i> 2008 studio album by Lil Wayne

Tha Carter III is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on June 10, 2008, by Cash Money, Universal Motown & Young Money Entertainment. It follows a long string of mixtape releases and guest appearances on other hip hop and R&B artists' albums, helping to increase his exposure in the mainstream. The album features appearances from Jay-Z, T-Pain, Fabolous, Robin Thicke, Busta Rhymes, Juelz Santana, Babyface, Bobby V, and Kanye West, among others. It also features Static Major, who is credited posthumously following his death in February 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil Wayne albums discography</span>

American rapper Lil Wayne has released thirteen studio albums, one collaborative album, three compilation albums, five extended plays, and twenty-nine mixtapes. Wayne made his album debut in 1999, with Tha Block Is Hot, which was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. His later albums, Lights Out released in 2000, and 500 Degreez, released in 2002, attracted minor attention. In 2004, he released the first of his infamous Carter series, with Tha Carter. In 2005, Tha Carter II was released. In 2006, Wayne released a collaborative album with rapper Birdman, titled Like Father, Like Son. In 2008, Wayne released his best-selling album so far, titled Tha Carter III. Certified triple platinum by the RIAA, Tha Carter III won the Best Rap Album award at the 2009 Grammy Awards. Lil Wayne founded record label Young Money Entertainment and released a collaborative album featuring rappers signed to the label, We Are Young Money, in 2009, followed by his debut rock music album Rebirth in 2010. While serving an 8-month prison sentence in New York he released another album entitled I Am Not a Human Being, in September 2010. The next addition to Tha Carter series, Tha Carter IV, was released on August 29, 2011. In 2013, Wayne released a sequel to his 2010 album I Am Not a Human Being, titled I Am Not a Human Being II, followed by two compilation albums with his labels, Rich Gang (2013), and Young Money: Rise of an Empire (2014). After years of legal battles, his 12th studio album Tha Carter V was released on September 28, 2018. Lil Wayne released another album, Funeral, on January 31, 2020.

Young Money Entertainment is an American record label founded by rapper Lil Wayne. Young Money's president is Lil Wayne's lifelong friend and fellow rapper Mack Maine. The label was an imprint of Cash Money Records and is distributed by Republic Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Milli</span> 2008 single by Lil Wayne

"A Milli", abbreviated occasionally as "Milli", is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne. The song was released February 13, 2008, as the second official single from his sixth album Tha Carter III.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Life (The Game song)</span> 2008 single by The Game featuring Lil Wayne

"My Life" is the third single from The Game's third studio album, LAX which was released on July 22, 2008. The song, produced by Cool & Dre, features Lil Wayne.

<i>Rebirth</i> (Lil Wayne album) 2010 studio album by Lil Wayne

Rebirth is the seventh studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released February 2, 2010, on Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment and Universal Motown. The album's production was primarily handled by Cool & Dre, DJ Infamous, DJ Nasty & LVM, Kevin Rudolf, and J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. Rebirth was promoted as Wayne's rock music debut, though it includes some hip hop tracks. The album features guest appearances from Eminem, Kevin Rudolf, Shanell and Nicki Minaj.

<i>Tha Carter IV</i> 2011 studio album by Lil Wayne

Tha Carter IV is the ninth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on August 29, 2011, through Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Republic Records. Recording sessions for the album began in late 2008, shortly after Lil Wayne's sixth studio album, Tha Carter III (2008) was released to strong sales and critical acclaim: however, the sessions were put on hold, as Lil Wayne claimed he did not want to follow an album he held in high regard so quickly with another, potentially inferior release. In the interim, Lil Wayne released his two other albums in 2010: the largely rock-themed Rebirth, and I Am Not a Human Being. The latter was reportedly composed from unreleased material from the original Tha Carter IV sessions, as the album was released whilst Wayne served a prison sentence at Rikers Island prison for illegal possession of a weapon, and was thus unable to record any new material: this also meant Tha Carter IV's recording sessions were once more put on hold.

Adam Bhala Lough is an American film director, screenwriter, and documentary filmmaker from Fairfax, Virginia. Known for his dramas about subcultures and popular youth cultures, several of Lough's films have been selected as part of the Sundance Film Festival, and is the only filmmaker with a feature film and a documentary in the festival, as well as a screenplay selected for the annual Sundance Screenwriter's Lab.

<i>I Am Not a Human Being</i> 2010 studio album by Lil Wayne

I Am Not a Human Being is the eighth studio album by the American rapper Lil Wayne. It had a digital release on September 27, 2010, and on compact disc on October 12, 2010, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Motown. It was recorded before Wayne's eight-month prison term for criminal possession of a weapon. Production for the album was by Wayne and several record producers, including Boi-1da, Cool & Dre, Streetrunner, Noah "40" Shebib and DJ Infamous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Right Above It</span> 2010 single by Lil Wayne featuring Drake

"Right Above It" is a hip hop song by American rapper Lil Wayne, released as the first single off his eighth studio album, I Am Not a Human Being (2010). The song features vocals from Canadian and Young Money rapper Drake, and is produced by American hip-hop producer Kane Beatz. The song is also written by rapper and producer Andrew Canton. The song achieved reasonable chart success, particularly in the United States where it peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot Digital Songs chart, and also charted modestly internationally.

This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2011.

<i>I Am Not a Human Being II</i> 2013 studio album by Lil Wayne

I Am Not a Human Being II is the tenth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on March 26, 2013, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Republic Records. Recording sessions took place during 2006 to 2012, with Lil Wayne serving as the records executive producers, alongside Ronald "Slim" Williams and Birdman, who enlisted a wide variety of record producers such as Cool & Dre, Mike Will Made It, David Banner, T-Minus, Diplo, Juicy J and Street Runner, among others. The album serves as the sequel to I Am Not a Human Being (2010), incorporating the elements of these hip hop styles. The album was supported by three singles: "No Worries" featuring Detail, "Love Me" featuring Drake and Future, and "Rich As Fuck" featuring 2 Chainz; the latter of which peaked at numbers 29, 9 and 38 respectively, on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was the last album Lil Wayne released under Cash Money Records.

<i>Tha Carter V</i> 2018 studio album by Lil Wayne

Tha Carter V is the twelfth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on September 28, 2018, by Young Money Entertainment and Republic Records. The album's release date commenced the day following Lil Wayne's 37th birthday. The album's features include Swizz Beatz, Kendrick Lamar, Sosamann, Lil Wayne's daughter Reginae Carter, Snoop Dogg, Nicki Minaj, Ashanti, Mack Maine, Travis Scott, Nivea, and the late XXXTentacion, with bonus tracks and the deluxe edition featuring additional appearances from Post Malone, Gucci Mane, Raekwon, and 2 Chainz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rich As Fuck</span> 2013 single by Lil Wayne featuring 2 Chainz

"Rich As Fuck" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Lil Wayne, sent to urban radio on April 9, 2013, as the third and final single from his tenth studio album, I Am Not a Human Being II (2013). The song, produced by T-Minus and Nikhil Seetharam, features a guest appearance from fellow rapper 2 Chainz. The song has since peaked at number 38 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and at number 11 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil Wayne singles discography</span>

American rapper Lil Wayne has released 285 singles including 19 promotional singles. Lil Wayne attained his first singles chart entry in 1999 as a featured artist on Hot Boys member Juvenile's single "Back That Azz Up", which peaked at number 19 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 and became a top ten hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts. Wayne later released his debut solo studio album Tha Block Is Hot in November 1999. Its title track and lead single, which features B.G. and Juvenile, reached number 65 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lights Out followed in December 2000 and produced the singles "Get Off the Corner", "Everything" and "Shine". "Way of Life", the lead single from Wayne's third studio album 500 Degreez, peaked at number 71 on the Hot 100 and became a top 20 hit on the Hot Rap Songs chart. In 2004, Wayne was featured on the single "Soldier" by American girl group Destiny's Child, which became his first top ten hit on the Hot 100 and enjoyed commercial success internationally.

<i>Free Weezy Album</i> 2015 studio album by Lil Wayne

Free Weezy Album is the eleventh studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on July 4, 2015, by Young Money Entertainment and Republic Records, exclusively on TIDAL. It was released on Spotify and Apple Music on July 3, 2020, to commemorate its fifth anniversary, though some samples were changed due to clearance issues, and some tracks are absent completely.

References

  1. Rolling Stone 70 Greatest Rock Docs
  2. 1 2 3 Rodriguez, Jayson (November 13, 2009). "'The Carter' Documentary Gets 'Intimate' With Lil Wayne, Producer Says". MTV.
  3. 1 2 Wolfe, Roman & Lil Wayne (2009-04-22). "Lil Wayne Loses In Court; 'Carter' Doc Greenlighted". AllHipHop.com . Retrieved 2013-04-11.
  4. 1 2 3 "The battle over controversial Lil Wayne film". CNN. November 24, 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 Perkins, Brandon (November 17, 2009). "New Lil Wayne Documentary: One of Hip-Hop's Best". Huffington Post.
  6. "Lil Wayne documentary gets release date and film trailer - video". NME . November 10, 2009. Retrieved 2013-04-11.
  7. "Lil Wayne Documentary Shoots to Number on iTunes". theboombox.com.
  8. "Lil Wayne -- I Got GOD on Speed Dial".
  9. "Lil Wayne Accused of Ditching Legal Hearing with $20M on the Line". 2 October 2021.
  10. "Additional Footage from Lil Wayne Lawsuit Deposition Released". 26 September 2012.
  11. Caramanica, Jon (August 6, 2015). "An N.W.A. Biopic Heads Straight to Mainstream". The New York Times.
  12. Westhoff, Ben (August 26, 2015). "The Straight Outta Compton Effect". The Guardian.
  13. "The 25 Best Hip-Hop Documentaries". Complex Networks .
  14. "The 25 Best Music Documentaries of the 21st Century, from 'Amy' to 'The Devil and Daniel Johnston'". 5 March 2018.
  15. "40 Greatest Rock Documentaries". Rolling Stone . 25 November 2021.
  16. "Critic's Picks: Top 10 Hip-Hop Flix". The Hollywood Reporter . 11 August 2015.
  17. "29 of the Greatest Hip-Hop Documentaries of All-Time".
  18. "Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy & 9 Other Insightful Documentaries About Popular Rappers". Screen Rant . 27 February 2022.