''The Dedication'' is the fifth

mixtape A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...

Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...

, hosted by DJ Drama, released March 2005. It is the first

in the Dedication/Gangsta Grillz series and it was produced and hosted by

DJ Drama Tyree Cinque Simmons (born April 22, 1978), professionally known as DJ Drama, is an American DJ, record executive and music promoter. He is the co-founder (with Don Cannon) of Generation Now, an Atlantic Records imprint with artists including ...

. The

was given its name because as Wayne explains in the track "Intro", it is dedicated to everyone around the world and to the "fallen soldiers". The

cover art Cover art is a type of artwork presented as an illustration or photograph on the outside of a published product such as a book (often on a dust jacket), magazine, newspaper ( tabloid), comic book, video game (box art), music album (album art), ...

shows a shirtless Wayne standing in the road with DJ Drama looking on in the back.

Critical reception

The mixtape holds a rating of 5 stars (based on over 500 ratings) on

DatPiff DatPiff is an online audio distribution platform that was launched in 2005. It is headquartered in Pennsylvania. It specializes in hip-hop, rap, and urban music. The site was founded in the spring of 2005 by Marcus Frasier. It is owned by Media ...

and has generated over 200,000 downloads. The mixtape has been described as "inspirational" and "a classic" by rap critics, paving the way for a world famous mixtape series.

Track listing

* All tracks were arranged by

Young Money: The Mixtape

In February 2005, prior to the release of The Dedication, Wayne and his group,

Young Money Young Money Entertainment is an American record label founded by rapper Lil Wayne. Young Money's president is Lil Wayne's lifelong friend and fellow rapper Mack Maine. The label was an imprint of Cash Money Records and is distributed by Republ ...

released a mixtape, Young Money: The Mixtape. It was a double disc tape and featured every song on The Dedication (besides "Please Say The Baby") without DJ Drama and in their original form. When DJ Drama re-released it as "The Dedication", he added his tags and cut out the other members of Young Money. He also mashed up some of the songs with different instrumentals: * Motivation (Mashup of Young Money's freestyle over "No Problems" and T.I.'s "Motivation") * Like Dat (Mashup of Young Money's freestyle over "New York" and Stat Quo's "Like Dat") * Nah This Ain't The Remix (Mashup of Lil Wayne's freestyle over "Drop it like it's Hot" and Snoop Dogg's "Drop it like it's Hot emix) * Much More (Mashup of Young Money's freestyle over "Lean Back" and Fat Joe's "Much More") * D-Boyz (Mashup of Young Money's freestyle over "Smoke, Drank" and Rich Boy's "D-Boyz") * Stilettoes (Mashup of Young Money's freestyle over "Knuck if you Buck" and Crime Mob's "Stilettos")

References

External links

*
The Dedication Mixtape by Lil Wayne Hosted by DJ Drama
at

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dedication Lil Wayne albums DJ Drama albums 2005 mixtape albums