I Am Not a Human Being (song)

"I Am Not a Human Being" is the title track of Lil Wayne's 2010 album I Am Not a Human Being, which was released while the rapper was incarcerated.

According to Vice, the song reflects Wayne's self-image, with the phrase "I Am Not a Human Being" used to express the persona he was projecting at the time.^[1] The song and its accompanying video were produced before Wayne began serving his prison sentence, though the video was released while he was incarcerated at Rikers Island.^[2]

Vice wrote that the track marked Wayne's return to rap after Rebirth, blending hip-hop with heavy guitar elements, and introducing a "rock star alien" persona through prankish imagery and wordplay.^[1] Entertainment Weekly described the song as having an angry tone, combining humorous similes and tough-talk lyrics with punk-hop-style guitar riffs.^[3]

Contactmusic described the song as rocky and experimental, with heavy bass, and noted it as a surprising stylistic departure from the rest of the album.^[4] The Line of Best Fit wrote that the song uses a beat inspired by Jay-Z's "99 Problems" and places emphasis on Wayne's "weird" persona, which some critics found grating.^[5]

According to Consequence of Sound, the song draws on the rock approach Wayne used on Rebirth, featuring a menacing guitar and a solid hook alongside non-rock vocal elements.^[6] RapReviews noted that the song includes a partial guitar riff and incorporates rock elements similar to Rebirth, and regarded it as stronger than most tracks from that album.^[7]

Beats Per Minute also described the track as rock-infused, noting the presence of a guitar riff but stating that it lacked impact.^[8] The AV Club similarly characterized the song as a continuation of Wayne's rock-oriented style from Rebirth.^[9]

Entertainment Weekly wrote that the song's punk-hop guitar riffs compared poorly to those on Wayne's rock album Rebirth.^[3] Contactmusic described the song's rocky, experimental style as a surprising departure from Wayne's usual sound,^[4] while The Line of Best Fit identified it as the weakest track on the album.^[5] Consequence of Sound considered it the most radio-ready track on the album.^[6] RapReviews regarded the song as one of the stronger tracks when compared with Wayne's earlier rock-leaning material on Rebirth.^[7] Beats Per Minute described the production as uncertain, noting that the guitar riff lacked impact.^[8] The AV Club viewed the track as derivative of Wayne's earlier rock-oriented work and less effective than his previous experiments in the genre.^[9] Rolling Stone described the song as a power-chord-driven rock rap track.^[10]

Vice stated that the song has been seen as a turning point in Wayne's public persona, helping to establish his "alien" or otherworldly image.^[1]

Rolling Stone noted that the video features Wayne displaying tattoos that are visible only under ultraviolet light.^[2]Pitchfork reported that the video appeared to be an unfinished or leaked version, showing Wayne performing amid zoned-out visual effects and similarly displaying glow-in-the-dark black-light tattoos.^[11]

• Lil Wayne – vocals, songwriter
• Drew Correa – producer, songwriter
• Marco Rodriguez-Diaz – songwriter