ATLANTA – On June 29, 2004, New Orleans-born icon Lil Wayne welcomed fans to “Walk in” to his world and boldly claimed he was “the best rapper alive since the best rapper retired” on his fourth solo album, “Tha Carter” on Cash Money and Universal Records.

Saturday marks the milestone 20th anniversary of “Tha Carter.” Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., is considered by many as the undisputed greatest rapper of all time.

WSB Radio discussed the anniversary and a look at “Tha Carter” album with fans from Atlanta and around the world as a special Black Music Month feature.

The album series means “longevity” to Amber, a 24-year-old France native who runs the @Weloveliltunechi Instagram page for Lil Wayne fans around the world.

“To hip-hop, it was a great introduction of what Wayne could do solo wise and what he was capable of lyrics and punchline wise,” Amber said. “Tha Carter album helped understand that Wayne could be a really dope lyricist and be taken seriously as a solo artist.”

Atlanta native Antoine Joyner said Lil Wayne’s legacy is special to have watched from afar and to watch up close.

“I was in elementary school when I first heard him rap,” said Joyner. “There was this big Cash Money tour in Atlanta that my aunt took me to. I was in high school when “Tha Carter” album first came out. We truly saw Wayne grow into this young man at that time.”

Joyner joined Young Money as Lil Wayne’s Creative Director in 2022. He says what he has seen from Lil Wayne working up close is phenomenal.

“I give all shout outs to Karen Civil. She is the one who I owe it all to,” said Joyner. “She saw my brand and was a fan of it. She reached out to me one day and said, ‘do you want to do stuff for Wayne?’ I’m super grateful for her.”

Joyner had the chance of a lifetime when he was asked to create merchandise for Lil Wayne’s Welcome 2 Tha Carter tour in 2023.

“I got a phone call from Wayne’s team to create merch for his Welcome 2 Tha Carter tour last year. Being on most of the stops on the Welcome 2 Tha Carter tour, seeing different generations of people who have either been introduced to it already or just getting introduced to it is special,” he said.

Lil Wayne made his solo debut with “Tha Block is Hot” in 1999. He also released “500 Degreez,” and “Lights Out” afterwards. However, to many fans, he didn’t become a more recognized and respected lyricist until “Tha Carter.”

“Tha Carter” featured three singles, “Bring It Back,” “Go DJ”, and “Earthquake” however, there are many fan-favorite tracks throughout the 21-track classic.

The album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and went platinum thereafter. All of the albums in the series have gone platinum or multi-platinum. The Grammy Award-winning “Tha Carter III” went platinum in one week and has sold more than five million worldwide.

Daniel Mousdell has been running the fan site LilWayneHQ since 2008 and says “Tha Carter” album series inspired a “whole new generation of rappers.”

“For me, I love and will always love “Tha Carter” series. Each album is like a journey through Wayne’s evolution as a music artist. You can hear his growth in every Carter album,” Mousdell said. “For hip-hop, “Tha Carter” series has inspired a whole new generation of rappers.”

Mousdell, who is a Manchester, United Kingdom native, said he was only 12 when the album came out in 2004 and it began a conversation that Lil Wayne belonged in the best rappers in the game category.

“Tha Carter album played a big role in cementing Wayne’s legacy in rap,” Mousdell said. “I’m very inspired by his work ethic.”

Another fan favorite track “I Miss My Dawgs” saw Wayne pour out his heart and speak freely about what he felt about his close friends Juvenile, Turk, and BG leaving Cash Money Records.

“Tha Carter album series is a “display of some of the most elite rapping from every era of hip-hop,” said 21-year-old New Orleans native Chandler. He has run the Instagram fan page @Liltunechi_classics for six years.

Chandler said Lil Wayne is a hometown hero to him and he has been heavily influenced by his music and his journey. Reflecting on the 20th anniversary, Chandler said the album is very nostalgic and has songs that can relate to many people’s lives.

“Tha Carter album is the first of many elite Wayne albums where he really took his craft to the next level,” Chandler said. “It’s a main part of the foundation of his legacy as one of the greatest rappers alive.”

The ground-breaking smash hit “Go DJ” is considered a “classic” among fans.

“To me, Lil Wayne is the greatest rapper alive and an inspiration to work hard with anything that I do,” said Chandler.

Atlanta native Corey Cotton said he became a fan of Lil Wayne in 1998.

“I remember kids who were older than me at the time rapping Lil Wayne songs word for word and thinking it was so cool,” Cotton said.

“It’s still Lil Wayne but the dividend is not little, don’t be surprised by how the crown fits him,” Lil Wayne said on Bring it Back.

Sam Hall said the “Tha Carter” series means “everything” to him and to hip hop and is a “timeless masterpiece.”

Hall runs the fan page @Weezydagoatupdates on Instagram and has lauded Lil Wayne’s evolution throughout his career that spans four decades.

“This album cemented Wayne’s legacy by proving he ain’t nothing to play with,” the Cincinnati native said. “From being with the Hot Boys, to becoming a solo artist, he has elevated each album from the previous one and this shows. Wayne and his music mean the world to me.”

Cotton fondly remembers when “Tha Carter” first came out and people in Atlanta loved it.

“I remember people drove around in old school cars in Atlanta, in the Cutlasses and Monte Carlo’s blasting that album,” Cotton said. “I heard that all the time when it came out. He took his time on that album and he told a story. That album represented new life. It was like he announced he was here and we got a new version of Lil Wayne. It was refreshing.”

“As an album, it marks the proper beginning of Wayne’s solo era of his career after the breakup of the Hot Boys,” said Lilwaynefangang. “It’s the start of one of hip hop and music’s greatest and long running series. It’s literally the welcome to Tha Carter.”

In 2023, Lil Wayne received a star on the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for his endless contributions to music. He also received the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the 2023 Grammy Awards.

“He had a tutor back in the early Cash Money days when he was on tour. This man has been looking at words all of his life. You’re not going to out rap him. It’s not going to happen,” Joyner said. “It’s so dope to see how long he’s been doing it, but to see him still doing it in 2024 is the most amazing part.”

On Friday, Lil Wayne and Georgia native and LSU basketball player Flau’Jae released their highly anticipated collaboration called, “Came out a Beast.”

Chandler called the song “fire” and said he can’t to watch the music video when it gets released.

Lil Wayne recently appeared on the “Not Just Football” podcast with Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward and hinted that his upcoming “Tha Carter VI″ album is “coming soon.” Lil Wayne first teased “Tha Carter 6″ in a remix to “Sweet Dreams” on his mixtape “No Ceilings” in 2009 and fans have been excited ever since.

Everyone who spoke to WSB Radio said they expect nothing but the best for Lil Wayne’s upcoming “Tha Carter VI” album, which would mark his first solo album since “Funeral” in 2020. It would also mark the first Carter album since “Tha Carter V″ was released in 2018.

“The world is going to be in a good place when they hear what he has next,” Joyner. “The world needs more Wayne. This man is trying to perfect “Tha Carter VI″ to the absolute highest level possible.”

Since the moment that Lil Wayne said “Walk Out,” on “Tha Carter” album 79 minutes later, he further cemented his case that he is in fact the best rapper alive and one of the most influential worldwide.