Tha Block Is Hot

Tha Block Is Hot is the debut solo album by Lil Wayne, released on November 2, 1999, by Cash Money Records and Universal Records. Wayne was 17 years old when it was released.

The story

Wayne had recorded with Cash Money since his early teens, first in the B.G.’z with B.G. and then in the Hot Boys, whose Guerrilla Warfare was released earlier in 1999. The album’s original working title was I Ride at Night. The title track, featuring Juvenile and B.G., was released as the lead single in October 1999. Guests on the album include B.G., Juvenile, Turk, the Big Tymers and the Hot Boys.

Sound and production

Mannie Fresh produced all 17 tracks, and the album was recorded at Cash Money Studios in Metairie, Louisiana. It runs just over 70 minutes. Reviewers focused on Wayne’s voice; the Chicago Tribune wrote that “Wayne’s appeal lies in his esoteric slang and squeaky-voiced phrasing.”

Legacy

The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 with about 229,500 copies sold in its first week and reached number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The RIAA certified it platinum on December 10, 1999, and it had sold 1.4 million copies in the United States by June 2012. Critical reception was mixed, with Robert Christgau giving it an honorable mention and RapReviews a 7 out of 10.

Released November 2, 1999. More from hip hop in 1999.