Single Review: Lil Wayne - "How to Love"

By Hardcore Critic
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Towards the end of May, fans were gearing up for the release of the long-awaited Tha Carter IV from Lil Wayne. "6 Foot 7 Foot" had been dominating the radio for months and "John (If I Die Today)" was becoming a big hit. Lil Wayne was preparing to change things up.

"How to Love" was released and it immediately touched the hearts of fans around the world. Not only was the song different from other songs from Lil Wayne, at the time, it also had a powerful message. This goes without mentioning how Lil Wayne sang with no auto-tune.

The lyrics of "How to Love" describe a beautiful woman who made the wrong decisions in life. Now a single mother, she is stripping to support her family. In the video, which is reminiscent of 2009's "Prom Queen," the woman is shown to have turned a guy down in high school, which led to her contracting HIV while stripping. But, in the alternate ending, when she dates the guy, she is stable, successful, and discovers she is pregnant, as opposed to having HIV.

While the song's theme may have heavily borrowed from "Prom Queen," "How to Love" does stand on it's own legs.

Hip Hop Vibe's Rating: 7/10