"Nobody's walking through that door": Joe Budden claims Lil Wayne is "not same" anymore after Tha Carter VI album release

Joe Budden talked about Lil Wayne's new album, Tha Carter VI, during a recent episode of his podcast. He questioned the album's creative choices and how well everything came together. A fan page shared Budden’s comments on June 7, 2025, where he pointed out that longtime collaborators like Drake and Nicki Minaj were not involved this time. Budden said the album felt unclear in its structure, concept, and overall delivery.

Budden seemed surprised when Drake and Nicki Minaj were left out, considering they have often worked with Wayne before and made many hits together. He called their absence a big change from past collaborations. He said,

"This is not the same Wayne..this sounds like 'who the f*ck is around him?' This sounds like is the engineer ni**a still mad at him? There's no Drake, there's no Nicki, nobody's walking through that door."

Just a few days earlier, Sports Illustrated had shared a piece on June 5, 2025, hinting at the possibility of the three teaming up again for Tha Carter VI. Fans grew excited at the idea, hoping to see the magic of their earlier work come alive again.

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Lil Wayne unveils Tha Carter VI after nearly seven years

Lil Wayne dropped the sixth chapter of his Tha Carter series almost seven years after Tha Carter V. This album carries on the journey he started back in 2004. It comes packed with 19 songs and brings in a wide mix of guest artists, like BigXThaPlug, Jay Jones, Jelly Roll, Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Andrea Bocelli, Wyclef Jean, Mannie Fresh, MGK, Kodak Black, Lil Novi, and even Lil Wayne's son, Kameron Carter.

Here is the track list:

1. King Carter

2. Welcome To Tha Carter

3. Bells

4. Hip-Hop ft. BigXThaPlug, Jay Jones

5. Sharks ft. Jelly Roll, Big Sean

6. Banned From No

7. The Days ft. Bono

8. Cotton Candy ft. 2Chainz

9. Flex Up

10. Island Holiday

11. Loki’s Theme

12. If I Played Guitar

13. Peanuts 2 N Elephant

14. Rari ft. Kameron Carter

15. Maria ft. Andrea Bocelli, Wyclef Jean

16. Bein Myself ft. Mannie Fresh

17. Mula Komin In ft. Lil Novi

18. Alone In The Studio With My Gun ft. MGK, Kodak Black

19. Written History

The album got one featured track, “The Days,” which hit platforms during an NBA Finals promo just hours before the full album arrived.

Lil Wayne’s release of Tha Carter VI stands out as a key entry in his collection of music, even though its launch felt quieter than expected. Before this album, he dropped a mixtape called Tha Fix Before Tha VI in September 2023, acting as a warm-up to the main project. In November 2023, Wayne teamed up with 2 Chainz to put out their collaborative album, Welcome 2 Collegrove.

Lil Wayne revealed plans for a nationwide tour to promote Tha Carter VI. The tour kicks off on June 6, 2025, in New York City and wraps up on October 2, 2025, in West Palm Beach.

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Budden’s remarks have started discussions among listeners, and Tha Carter VI keeps drawing interest thanks to its mix of collaborators and the comeback of one of hip-hop's longest-running series.