Following JAY-ZвЂ™s brief retirement in 2003, Weezy declared he was вЂњthe best rapper alive since the best rapper retiredвЂќ on вЂњBring It BackвЂќ and backed up his bold claim with his 79-minute performance on Tha Carter. Tha Carter, which marked Mannie FreshвЂ™s last time producing an album for Cash Money, was WayneвЂ™s first attempt to claim Hip HopвЂ™s throne. and Juvenile for years in the Cash Money hierarchy, Wayne finally emerged as a true star on the first entry in his Carter series. One Weezy album thatвЂ™s completely worth the long runtime though is 2004вЂ™s Tha Carter, a pivotal release in the former Cash Money rapperвЂ™s career. That doesnвЂ™t even count his mixtapes, which have also tended to be marathon listens (such as his acclaimed Dedication 2 tape with DJ Drama). Lil Wayne is no stranger to long albums with multiple LPs in his discography containing at least 20 tracks and clocking in at well over 70 minutes. A Prince Among Thieves is the Hip Hop concept album at its finest and absolutely justifies its length. Although the conclusion is a punch in the gut, the 77-minute album is worth every second. With a mix of skits and story-driven songs, each track builds to a heartbreaking ending when Tariq is betrayed by his close friend True (played by rapper Big Sha). The Juggaknots member Breeze Brewin plays the lead role of Tariq, an aspiring rapper with the goal of recording a demo tape for RZA.ДЄlong the way, Tariq encounters a varied cast of characters portrayed by artists such as Big Daddy Kane, De La Soul, Xzibit, Everlast and Kool Keith. Paul directs the proceedings, producing the 35-track LP and casting multiple MCs in key parts in his tragic story. But Paul achieved unimaginable heights on A Prince Among Thieves, concocting an album-long narrative that could have been its own movie. A decade before its release, the legendary producer pioneered the Hip Hop skit with De La Soul and introduced a new tool to rapвЂ™s worldbuilding in the process. Prince Paul mastered the concept album when he made 1999вЂ™s A Prince Among Thieves. Prince Paul - A Prince Among Thieves (1999)

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