Lil Wayne’s ‘Tha Carter VI’ Debuts With Disappointing First-Day Streaming Numbers

By Hiphopla News | June 9, 2025

After five years away from solo albums, Lil Wayne has returned with Tha Carter VI — but the highly anticipated project is off to a rocky start.

According to early streaming data, Tha Carter VI earned just 14.2 million Spotify streams on its first day — a steep decline compared to 2018’s Tha Carter V, which pulled in over 66 million streams on launch day.

A Disappointing Launch for a Hip Hop Icon

Despite the hype surrounding the release, Tha Carter VI has received mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. Many expected a major comeback for the Young Money boss, but the numbers suggest otherwise.

If the album fails to unseat Morgan Wallen from the top of the Billboard 200, it will mark Wayne’s first solo project since 2015 that hasn’t debuted at No. 1.

Star-Studded Tracklist — But No Drake or Nicki Minaj

The 19-track album features a diverse list of collaborators — from 2 Chainz, Kodak Black, Big Sean, and Machine Gun Kelly to more unexpected names like Andrea Bocelli, Jelly Roll, and Wyclef Jean.

The most surprising guest? U2 frontman Bono, who joins Weezy on the reflective track “The Days”. The song, which premiered during an NBA Finals promo, has already sparked discussion for its genre-bending style.

Wayne spits:
“I ain’t getting younger, but I’m getting better / No time to waste, that’s another man’s treasure.”

While Bono croons:
“We bow down to beauty and truth / These are the days.”

Fans were hoping for a Young Money reunion with Drake and Nicki Minaj, but no such track made the final cut.

Justin Bieber Still Ridin’ With Weezy

While the numbers may be down, Lil Wayne hasn’t lost all his star power. Pop superstar Justin Bieber shared a heartfelt FaceTime screenshot on Instagram, captioning it:
“Checking in with the 🐐.”

Wayne reposted the image, hinting at an emotional convo:
“It’s a painful walk, but we got each other ❤️.”