Tha Carter is the fourth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on June 29, 2004, by Cash Money Records and Universal Records. The album was mostly produced from Cash Money's former in-house producer Mannie Fresh, who had worked with Lil Wayne before Fresh left the label. The album is based on "The Carter", the empire crack house from the 1991 movie New Jack City, and his last name.