Dubbed a "street release" and not his official debut album,
Barter 6 was originally called Tha Carter VI until
Lil Wayne voiced his disapproval, seeing as how the cocksure
Young Thug saw himself as
Weezy's heir apparent. Two of the highlights included here -- the weird "Constantly Hating" and "Knocked Off," which offers "We roll these bitches like they're centipedes" -- feature
Lil Wayne's usual collaborator
Birdman, but the biggest name to guest on
Barter 6 is
T.I., who acts as a hardcore rap anchor during the tripped-out "Can't Tell."
Thug remains a unique mix of influences, with strains of
Wayne,
Migos,
Lil B, and
Future in his style, and yet he can skillfully ride a serene beat on "Numbers" or sound legitimately dangerous on "Check." Producers Wheezy and
London on da Track handle most the beats on this freaky and fantastic release. ~ David Jeffries