Originally released on Halloween 2009, the
No Ceilings mixtape was another triumphant part of
Lil Wayne's incontestable late 2000s hot streak. That particular era was one where
Wayne effortlessly conquered mainstream audiences without sacrificing any of the raw intensity that he'd cultivated since his youth in street rap circles. His popularity and ubiquity were at such a high that four extra tracks had to be added to the project because it had leaked online in a shortened form a few days before its official release.
Wayne's double-time flows and psychedelic, non sequitur freestyle wordplay is in relentless form on opening track "Surf Swag," and the horn samples and stomping beat of "I'm Good" is the definition of 2009 club banger. "I'm Single" offers a restrained counterpoint to the majority of the other tracks, with a brooding instrumental and slowly delivered lyrics about failed relationships. Like many of
Lil Wayne's best mixtapes, the general feeling is relaxed and casual, but cameos from
Tyga and other celebrity rappers speak to the star power
Wayne was exhibiting in his prime. [When finally released on streaming services 11 years after it first arrived, the track listing was cut substantially from 21 tracks to just 12. Contributions from
Beyoncé,
Nicki Minaj,
Mack Maine, and
Birdman were omitted as a result of the absent tracks.] ~ Fred Thomas