The Carter Documentary Revisited

It's taken me a while to watch more of The Carter, mainly because I need frequent breaks from the incoherency and ridiculousness on-screen. From the moment Lil Wayne's anti-writing, anti-intellectual statements relatively early in the film floored me, I became skeptical about the man and his work.

Now, further into the film (though still not finished), I can honestly say my opinion is no better. When asked what he would do if he was president, Wayne had a long laundry list of ideas. The legalization of marijuana, of course was his main priority. But beyond that, he also would revoke all child support laws (i.e. men don't have to take any responsibility for the children they father), and he would get rid of prenups because they would be unnecessary because "the bitch don't get nothin." His words, paraphrased of course amount to, just because a bitch lies with you for years doesn't mean she gets anything because he's been lying with another bitch and she don't get shit. Seriously?? As a woman and a feminist, I am revolted. What a message to send out into the world!

Basically, any respect I may have had for the man was lost with that one rant, and I believe his publisist was fully cognizant of this possibility as she interrupted him during his explanation of no prenups and simply said, "Next question." As a woman who sees Lil Wayne as a voice that has been embraced by an entire generation, I have to wonder...couldn't he use his influence and his very public platform to actually promote good? To talk about things that really matter and not try to make life even more difficult for women? Just a thought.

Burn After Reading

So, I know I'm kind of late in finally seeing Burn After Reading, but my God what a movie! Hysterical and fun with twists and turns and you can always count on the Coen brothers to hit you with the unexpected! Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John Malkovich, etc...the list of cast members is extraordinary and they all play their roles so well! I normally prefer to analyze movies from a literary-based standpoint (i.e. I tend to be an academic nerd), but I just wanted to post this little rave about Burn After Reading. If you haven't seen it, go out and rent it ASAP. You won't be sorry.

As a funny sidenote, the reason I saw this movie today was that my grandparents couldn't believe that a movie fanatic like me had not seen it, and insisted that I sit down with them and watch it. Thanks grandma and grandpa! Your taste in movies is awesome!! :)

"The Carter"

So, I'm watching the documentary made about Lil Wayne called "The Carter." I'm not really sure what to think of the man to tell everyone the truth. I fully admit to being a big fan of his music. He's got a strange sounding voice and comes up with lyrics (rhymes...whatever you want to call them) that nobody else would come up with. But at the same time I don't know how to feel about a man who's constantly seen with a blunt to his lips or a cup of "syrup" in his hand...basically indicating to the world that he is high in some shape or form all day, everyday.

Even more difficult for me to relate to is his notion of not writing a thing down. He refuses...says he doesn't want to leave any evidence, doesn't want to end up like Kurt (Cobain) with his journals and notebooks getting sold. But for me, leaving evidence is the whole point of writing, is the whole point of being an artist. Wayne seems to think that his music will last, that he doesn't need a written hard copy of what he's done. This troubles me for some reason and I can't get past it. Perhaps it's the writer in me that fights this idea. Or the reader. Or the aspiring professor, but something about this anti-writing notion troubles me.

One could easily mistake Wayne's anti-writing stance as an anti-intellectual stance. I doubt this is what it is, considering the documentarians make a repeatedly big point that Lil Wayne was an honor roll student in school, but just got in trouble for bringing weapons and selling drugs at school. This is an interesting paradoxical combination. It established Lil Wayne as a sort of "intellectual" but at the same time establishes the necessary "street cred" to be a rap star. It seems like the documentarians are trying to show Lil Wayne almost as a modern day Renaissance man, a jack of all trades, when this in fact is not the case. Talented? Yes. Driven? Yes. Intriguing? Yes. But I do not seem him as the scholar or intellectual they would have us believe he is.

I don't know. Maybe I'm being to harsh or reading too much into small moments of the film. Anyone else who is a Lil Wayne fan (or not), or has seen this film...what do you think?