Mirror

"Mirror"
Single by Lil Wayne featuring Bruno Mars
from the album Tha Carter IV
Released	November 1, 2011 (2011-11-01)
Format	Digital download
Recorded	2011
Genre	Alternative hip hop, soul, R&B
Length	3:48
Label	Young Money, Cash Money, Universal Republic
Writer(s)	Dwayne Carter, Jr., Peter Hernandez, Phillip Lawrence, Ramon Owen
Producer	Ramon REO Owen of The Soundkillers, The Smeezingtons
Certification	Gold (RIAA)
Lil Wayne singles chronology
"Strange Clouds" (2011) "Mirror" (2011) "The Motto" (2011)
Bruno Mars chronology "Young, Wild & Free" (2011) "Mirror" (2011) "Count on Me" (2011) Music sample "Mirror"

"Mirror" is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne from the deluxe edition of his ninth studio album, Tha Carter IV. Produced by Ramon REO Owen of The Soundkillers, the song features American pop singer Bruno Mars. The song was released to urban radio on November 1, 2011 as the sixth single from Tha Carter IV.^[1] The song marks Wayne's highest charting single as the lead artist in the UK.

Background

Rap-Up describes Lil Wayne's inspiration for the track "Weezy gets personal with his bars, rapping about his father ("Lookin' at me now I can see my past. Damn, I look just like my fuckin' dad."), while taking inspiration from Michael Jackson. "And no message could have been any clearer, so I'm starting with the man in the mirror," he says. "MJ taught me that.".^[2] This was the last piece of work that Lil Wayne composed before his trial and subsequent incarceration for narcotics possession and a weapons charge.^{[citation needed]}

Critical reception

Lewis Corner from Goku stated, "'I see the blood in your eyes/ I see the love in disguise/ I see the pain hidden in your pride,' the pint-sized performer broods over melancholy harmonies and echoing beats, while Bruno sings to the mirror, 'Through my rise and fall/ You've been my only friend.' The final result is much like the heartthrob himself; love-torn, moody and destined to be popular."^[3]

Music video

A music video for "Mirror" was filmed in November 2011 by director Antoine Fuqua. A teaser of the music video was released onto YouTube by VEVO on January 27, 2012.^[4] The full length video premiered on VEVO's official website on January 31, 2012. The video begins with a shirtless Wayne rapping to the song in a dimly-lit workshop, while the camera pictures various closeups of his intricate tattoos. As the chorus starts, Wayne is shown painting the room red while the depressed Bruno Mars sings. Wayne is also shown spurting red paint on the wall to form some sort of unknown picture. The rest of the video focuses on Wayne blasting red, black and white paint all over the place. The bridge starts with Wayne doing the Sign of the Cross, before applying final touches to his painting. It is finally revealed that the painting was none other than Wayne himself crucified on the cross, while holding a mic on his left hand, with a rather convoluted background of a face, clouds and lightnings, all toned in magnificent red. He then stares at his masterpiece as the video comes to an end.

Chart performance

The song debuted at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and debuted number 1 on Belgium (Ultratip Flanders) which was the highest debut for any non-single off of Tha Carter IV on the week of September 17, 2011 and February 6, 2012.^[5] The song was certified Gold by the RIAA for shipments of 500,000

Certifications

Release history

References