Lil Wayne
Encyclopedia
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. (born September 27, 1982), better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper
. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records
as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z
, with B.G.
. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys
, which also included rappers Juvenile
, B.G.
, and Young Turk
. Hot Boys debuted with Get It How U Live!
that year. Lil Wayne gained most of his success with the group's major selling album Guerrilla Warfare
, released in 1999. Also in 1999, Lil Wayne released his Platinum debut album Tha Block Is Hot
, selling over one million copies in the U.S.
Although his next two albums Lights Out
(2000) and 500 Degreez
(2002) were not as successful (only reaching Gold status), Lil Wayne reached higher popularity in 2004 with Tha Carter
, which included the single "Go D.J." Wayne also appeared on the Destiny's Child
top ten single "Soldier" that year. In 2005, the sequel to Tha Carter, Tha Carter II
, was released. In 2006 and 2007, Lil Wayne released several mixtapes and appeared on several popular rap and R&B singles.
His most successful album, Tha Carter III
, was released in 2008 and sold over 1 million copies in the U.S. its first week of release. It included the number-one single "Lollipop
" and won the Grammy Award
for Best Rap Album. Lil Wayne released his debut rock album, Rebirth
, in 2010 to primarily negative reception from critics. The album eventually went gold. In March 2010, Lil Wayne began serving an 8-month prison sentence in New York after being convicted of criminal possession of a weapon stemming from an incident in July 2007. While in prison he released another album entitled I Am Not a Human Being
in September 2010, featuring Young Money artists such as Drake
, Nicki Minaj
and Lil Twist. His ninth studio album and first since being released from prison, Tha Carter IV
, was released on August 29, 2011. It sold 964,000 copies in the U.S. its first week out.
neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana.
Carter was born when his mother, a chef, was 19 years old. His parents were divorced when he was 2, and his father permanently abandoned the family. Carter enrolled in the gifted program of Lafayette Elementary School and in the drama club of Eleanor McMain Secondary School.
He wrote his first rap song at age eight. In the summer of 1991, he met Bryan Williams, rapper and owner of Cash Money Records
. Carter recorded freestyle raps on Williams's answering machine, leading him to mentor the young Carter and include him in Cash Money-distributed songs. He also recorded his first ever collaboration
album True Story with rapper B.G.
. At the time, Carter was 11, and B.G. was 14, and was billed as "The B.G.'z
". When he was 12, he played the part of the Tin Man
in his middle school drama club's production of The Wiz
. At age 13, he accidentally shot himself with a 9 mm handgun, and off-duty police officer Robert Hoobler drove him to the hospital. At McMain Magnet School, Carter was an honor student, but he dropped out at the age of 14 to focus on a musical career.
along with rappers Juvenile
, B.G., and Turk
. At age 15, Carter was the youngest member at that time. Hot Boys' debut album Get It How U Live! was released the same year, followed in 1999 by the group's major-label debut Guerrilla Warfare
, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard magazine Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 5 on the Billboard 200. During their career, the Hot Boys had two charting singles, "We on Fire
" from Get It How U Live! and "I Need a Hot Girl" from Guerrilla Warfare. Carter was also featured on Juvenile's single "Back That Azz Up
", which reached No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. Let 'Em Burn, a compilation album of unreleased tracks recorded during 1999 and 2000, came out in 2003, several years after the group disbanded. It reached No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 14 on the Billboard 200.
Carter's debut solo album Tha Block Is Hot
at age 17 featured significant contributions from the Hot Boys and was certified platinum, debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard album charts. The album earned him a 1999 Source
magazine award nomination for "Best New Artist", and also became a Top Ten hit. The lead single was "Tha Block Is Hot
". After the release of Tha Block is Hot, Carter was featured on the single, "Bling Bling", with B.G., Juvenile, and Big Tymers. His verse was featured on the radio edition, and on the album version, only his hook
was featured on the single.
failed to attain the level of success achieved by his debut but was certified gold by RIAA
. Critics pointed to the lack of coherent narratives in his verses as evidence that he had yet to mature to the level of his fellow Hot Boys. The lead single was "Get Off The Corner" which was noticed for an improvement in lyrical content and style, it also received a music video. The second single which received less attention was "Shine" featuring The Hot Boys
. Near the release of Lights Out, Lil Wayne was featured on the single, "1# Stunna" with Big Tymers
and Juvenile
, which rose to 24th place on the Hot Rap Tracks
charts.
, released in 2002, followed the format of his previous two, with significant contributions from the Hot Boys
and Mannie Fresh
. While certified Gold like its predecessor, it too failed to match the success of his debut. The title was a reference to the recently estranged Hot Boys member Juvenile's recording, 400 Degreez
. The lead single was "Way Of Life" which like the album failed to match the success of his previous singles. After the release of 500 Degreez, he was featured in the single "Neva Get Enuf
" by 3LW
.
was released, marking what critics considered advancement in his rapping style and lyrical themes. In addition, the album's cover art featured the debut of Wayne's now-signature dreadlocks
. Tha Carter gained Wayne significant recognition, selling 878,000 copies in the United States, while the single "Go DJ" became a Top 5 Hit on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart. After the release of Tha Carter, Lil Wayne was featured in Destiny's Child's
single "Soldier" with T.I.
, which peaked at No. 3 on the U.S. Hot 100 and the U.S. R&B Charts.
, the follow-up to the original Tha Carter album, was released in December 2005, this time without production by longtime Cash Money Records
producer Mannie Fresh
, who had since left the label. Tha Carter II sold more than 238,000 copies in its first week of release, debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard 200
albums chart, and went on to sell 2,000,000 copies world wide. The lead single, "Fireman," became a hit in the US, peaking at 32 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart. Other singles included "Grown Man", "Hustler Muzik", and "Shooter" (featuring R&B singer Robin Thicke
). Lil Wayne also appeared on a remix of Bobby Valentino's "Tell Me
", which rose to No. 13 on the U.S. R&B Charts.
In 2005, Lil Wayne was named president of Cash Money, and in the same year he founded Young Money Entertainment
as an imprint of Cash Money. However, as of late 2007, Lil Wayne reported that he has stepped down from the management of both labels and has handed management of Young Money over to Cortez Bryant.
", reached No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100
.
and Da Drought 3
received the most media exposure and critical review. Dedication 2, released in 2006, paired Lil Wayne with DJ Drama and contained the acclaimed socially conscious track "Georgia Bush," in which Lil Wayne critiqued former US president George W. Bush
's response to the effects of Hurricane Katrina
on the city of New Orleans. Da Drought 3 was released the following year and was available for free legal download. It contained Lil Wayne rapping over a variety of beats from recent hits by other musicians. Numerous of features in prominent hip-hop magazines such as XXL
and Vibe covered the mixtape. Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone
magazine considered the mixtapes Da Drought 3 and The Drought Is Over 2 "among the best albums of 2007."
" by Chris Brown, "Make It Rain
" by Fat Joe
, "You
" by Lloyd
, and "We Takin' Over
" by DJ Khaled
(also featuring Akon
, T.I.
, Rick Ross
, Fat Joe, and Birdman), "Duffle Bag Boy
" by Playaz Circle
, "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)
" by Wyclef Jean
(also featuring Akon
), and the remix to "I'm So Hood
" by DJ Khaled
(also featuring T-Pain
, Young Jeezy
, Ludacris
, Busta Rhymes
, Big Boi
, Fat Joe, Birdman, and Rick Ross). All these singles charted within the top 20 spots on the Billboard Hot 100
, Hot Rap Tracks, and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
charts. On Birdman's 2007 album 5 * Stunna, Lil Wayne appeared on the singles "100 Million
" and "I Run This
" among several other tracks. Wayne also appeared on tracks from albums Getback
by Little Brother, American Gangster
by Jay-Z
, and Graduation
by Kanye West
and Insomniac
by Enrique Iglesias
. "Make it Rain", a Scott Storch
production that peaked at number 13 on the Hot 100 and number two on the Hot Rap Tracks chart, was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
for 2008.
Vibe magazine ranked a list of 77 of Lil Wayne's songs from 2007 and ranked his verse in DJ Khaled's "We Takin Over" as his best of 2007, with "Dough Is What I Got" (a freestyle over the beat of Jay-Z's "Show Me What You Got
") from Da Drought 3 the second song. At the end of 2007, an MTV poll selected Lil Wayne as "Hottest MC in the Game
", The New Yorker magazine ranked him "Rapper of the Year", and GQ magazine named him "Workaholic of the Year". In 2008 he was named "Best MC" by Rolling Stone. Another article, built around Lil Wayne's 2007 mixtape work, cites his creative practice as an example of post performance creative practice.
Tha Carter III (2008) Initially planned to be released in 2007, Tha Carter III
s largest delay came after the majority of the tracks were leaked and distributed on mixtapes, such as "The Drought Is Over Pt. 2" and "The Drought Is Over Pt. 4". Lil Wayne initially decided to use the leaked tracks, plus four new tracks, to make a separate album, titled The Leak. The Leak was to be released December 18, 2007, with the actual album being delayed until March 18, 2008, The release of The Leak in this format never came to fruition, but an official EP
titled The Leak and containing five tracks was released digitally on December 25, 2007.
Tha Carter III
was released on June 10, 2008, selling more than a million copies in its first week of release, the first to do so since 50 Cent
's The Massacre
in 2005. The first single "Lollipop
", featuring Static Major became the rapper's most commercially successful song at that point, topping the Billboard Hot 100
, making it the first Top 10 single for Lil Wayne as a solo artist, as well as his first No. 1 on the chart. His third single from Tha Carter III, "Got Money
" featuring T-Pain, peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard 100. Tha Carter III also won four Grammy Awards, including best rap album and best rap song, which he won for "Lollipop". Along with his album singles, Lil Wayne appeared on R&B singles "Girls Around the World
" by Lloyd, "Love In This Club, Part II
" by Usher
, "Official Girl" by Cassie, "I'm So Paid
" by Akon
, "Turnin' Me On
" by Keri Hilson
, and "Can't Believe It
" by T-Pain; rap singles "My Life
" by The Game
, "Shawty Say" by David Banner
, "Swagga Like Us
" by T.I.
, "Cutty Buddy" by Mike Jones
, All My Life (In the Ghetto)
by Jay Rock
and the remix to "Certified" by Glasses Malone
; and pop single "Let It Rock
" by new Cash Money
artist Kevin Rudolf
. On July 14, 2008, the Recording Industry Association of America
certified Tha Carter III two times platinum. In an October 2008 interview with MTV News, Lil Wayne announced plans to re-release this album with all new tracks, including a duet with Ludacris
and remixes of "A Milli".
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The lineup for New Orleans' 2008 Voodoo Experience
concert, held in October, featured Lil Wayne. Jonathan Cohen of Billboard magazine reported that the event would mark his biggest hometown headlining set of his career. Lil Wayne stated that he would reunite with Hot Boys alongside Juvenile, Turk, and B.G. They plan to release an album after B.G.'s solo album Too Hood to Be Hollywood was completed. Wayne also performed as the 2008 Virgin Mobile Music Fest
with Kanye West
, performing the remix of "Lollipop" with West and also lip-syncing to Whitney Houston
's "I Will Always Love You
". Lil Wayne also performed at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards
with Kid Rock
("All Summer Long
"), Leona Lewis
("DontGetIt (Misunderstood)") and T-Pain
("Got Money
"). On the season premiere of Saturday Night Live
, he performed "Lollipop" and "Got Money". He later performed at the homecoming
rally at Vanderbilt University
and the 2008 BET Hip Hop Awards
with 12 nominations. He won the "MVP" title at the BET Hip Hop Awards and seven others. It was revealed that M.I.A.
dropped out of performing on the tour due to her pregnancy, however Jay-Z
is expected to perform with Wayne on the song "Mr. Carter" at select shows.
On November 11, 2008, Wayne became the first hip-hop act to ever perform at the Country Music Association Awards
. He played alongside Kid Rock
for the song, "All Summer Long
", in which Wayne did not rap but instead inaudibly strummed guitar strings alongside the guitarist in Kid Rock's band. Shortly after, Wayne was nominated for eight Grammys
– the most for any artist nominated that year. Wayne was then named the first ever MTV Man of the Year
at the end of 2008. He won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance
for "A Milli
", Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
for his appearance in T.I.
's single "Swagga Like Us
", and Best Rap Song
for "Lollipop". Tha Carter III won the award for Best Rap Album.
MTV News listed Lil Wayne number two on their 2009 list of the Hottest MCs In The Game.
. The third single is "Roger That
". On May 24, 2010, the album was certified gold by the RIAA with over 500,000 copies sold.
Wayne is featured on the song, "Revolver
", with Madonna
for her 2009 greatest hits album, Celebration
. He was also featured on a Weezer
song, "Can't Stop Partying", on their 2009 album, Raditude
.
. To support the release of Rebirth and a collaboration album with Young Money Entertainment, Wayne headlined the 'Young Money Presents: America's Most Wanted Music Festival'... a United States and Canada–only concert tour which started on July 29, 2009. The Rebirth album was originally scheduled for a April 7, 2009 release, however after numerous delays, the album was released on February 2, 2010. For the anticipation of Rebirth, Wayne was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone.
"Prom Queen
", the first official single, debuted on January 27, 2009 immediately after a live Internet broadcast on Ustream
of his concert in San Diego. "Prom Queen" peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100
charts. On December 3, 2009, Lil Wayne's second single from the album, "On Fire
", was released on iTunes. "On Fire" was produced by Cool & Dre
. "On Fire" peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. "Drop the World
", which features Eminem
, is the third single from the album.
entitled I Am Not a Human Being
, but it was confirmed that would be a full length LP. The album was released on September 27, 2010 which was his birthday. The album has sold over 953,000 copies in the U.S. and has spawned a successful single in "Right Above It
" which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.
. Following Tha Carter IIIs achievement of selling over 3 million copies, becoming 2008's best-selling record, Wayne re-signed with Cash Money Records
for a multi-album deal. Wayne said Tha Carter IV will be released in 2009 just before the holidays. Birdman had previously stated that Tha Carter IV would be packaged with Rebirth
as a double disc album. However, Wayne denied this idea saying that "Tha Carter IV deserves Tha Carter IV". He went on to say that We Are Young Money may be packaged with Rebirth. However, it was later confirmed that Rebirth and We Are Young Money will be released separately and that Tha Carter IV will be released during 2011. He started from scratch on Tha Carter IV since getting released from prison. He recorded his first track since being released from prison and it was described as being "a 2010 version of A Milli
on steroids." The album is set to feature multiple guests, including Tech N9ne
. The first single "6 Foot 7 Foot
" featuring Cory Gunz was released on December 15, 2010. It was available for digital download on iTunes
December 16, 2010. The song is produced by Bangladesh, who also produced Lil Wayne's single "A Milli" in 2008. On March 8, 2011, Weezy released another song called "We Back Soon." The song is produced by StreetRunner
; It is more relaxed than "6 Foot 7 Foot" is, but will not be a track on Tha Carter IV. He also released a second single to Tha Carter IV called "John" on March 24, 2011, which features Rick Ross
and is produced by Polow Da Don
. On April 20, 2011, the official cover of Tha Carter IV was released. Tha Carter IV was scheduled to be released on May 16, 2011, but Mack Maine
had confirmed that the forthcoming ninth studio album will be released in June 21, 2011 instead of May 16, 2011, because they need more time to make the album perfect and they'll have a "monster" single coming soon that will possibly be titled "Blows My Brains" or "She's Always In My Head". On May 26, the 3rd single, "How to Love
" was released. Tha Carter IV was eventually pushed back to August 29, 2011. A song called "Dear Anne (Stan Part 2)" was released in June, when the snippet was released back in April. Lil Wayne said the song was throw away track for Tha Carter III. He said it was originally suppose to be on Tha Carter IV when it leaked, but decided not to put it one there. He said he's not a fan of the song since it was so old. Lil Wayne said that he that liked the beat, but not the lyrics, and was thinking about redoing "Dear Anne."
For preparation for Tha Carter IV, Lil Wayne released a mixtape titled, Sorry 4 the Wait
. He named the mixtape so as an apology to his fans for the delay of the album. It consists of 13 with all the beats on the mixtape coming from other artists song, like his "No Ceilings
" mixtape.
In July 2011, Lil Wayne confirmed in an interview with MTV that Tha Carter IV is finished.
The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200
with 964,000 copies sold in its first week, making it Lil Wayne's third chart topping album of his career.
from Limp Bizkit
tweeted that Lil Wayne will be featured on the song "Ready To Go" from Limp Bizkit
's upcoming album Gold Cobra
, although it was later revealed that the song did not make the final tracklist.
Lil Wayne has announced several possible upcoming projects, including a collaboration album I Can't Feel My Face with rapper Juelz Santana
that has been in production for several years. And also working on Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins' album Still Cool in late 2011. He has discussed a possible R&B album titled Luv Sawngz, for which he will heavily rely on a vocoder
. He has also talked with singer Lloyd
about doing a collaboration album in the future. On June 19, 2008, Lil Wayne and T-Pain
formed a duo called T-Wayne and planned to release an album. According to an interview with Drake
in the December 2011 issue of XXL
, plans for an upcoming album with Lil Wayne have been scrapped for the time being because of the Jay-Z
and Kanye West
collaboration "Watch the Throne
". Lil Wayne and Baby will release a second Like Father, Like Son. It was announced by Mack Maine that Lil Wayne and Juelz Santana
have gone back to working on their collaboration album I Can't Feel My Face which had been delayed for a few years due to "label politics".
In October 2011 it was reported that Lil Wayne is working on sequels to I Am Not a Human Being and Rebirth.
, Lil Wayne announced that he would retire at age 35; saying "I have four kids," and that "I would feel selfish still going to the studio when it's such a vital point in their lives."
However, in an interview with XXL
, Lil Wayne hinted that Tha Carter IV
would be his last album.
on the "1st & 10" segment on the January 6, 2009 edition of ESPN First Take
. On February 10, 2009 he also appeared on ESPN's Around the Horn
and beat out veterans Woody Paige
, Jay Mariotti
and fellow New Orleanian Michael Smith
to win that show's episode. Prior to the 2009 Grammy Awards, Wayne was featured in an interview with Katie Couric
. On February 7, 2009, he presented the Top Ten List on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman
. He then appeared on the April 24, 2009 episode of The View, talking about his GED and addictions. In September 2009, Wayne was profiled in an episode of VH1
's Behind the Music
and was a presenter of the 2009 MTV Movie Awards
.
In film, Wayne produced and composed music for and starred in the direct-to-video film Hurricane Season
. A documentary of Lil Wayne titled The Carter
was released at the Sundance Film Festival
.
on September 9, 2009. He had his fourth child, Neal, on November 30, 2009 with singer Nivea
.
In a CBS interview with Katie Couric
, Wayne described why he goes by the name of "Wayne" instead of his given name, Dwayne. Carter explained, "I dropped the D because I'm a junior and my father is living and he's not in my life and he's never been in my life. So I don't want to be Dwayne, I'd rather be Wayne". Couric asked Wayne if his father knew of this and Wayne replied with a smile, "He knows now".
, Wayne enrolled at the University of Houston
in January 2005. He dropped out in the same year due to his conflicting schedule. He also revealed on The View that he switched to the University of Phoenix
and majored in psychology taking online courses. An article in Urb magazine in March 2007 asserted that Wayne had been earning high grades at Houston.
magazine, Lil Wayne revealed one of his favorite bands from childhood to be rock group Nirvana
, and cites them as a major influence in his music.
On September 24, 2008, Lil Wayne published his first blog for ESPN
in their issue, ESPN The Magazine
. Wayne revealed he was a fan of tennis, the Green Bay Packers
, the Boston Bruins
, the Los Angeles Lakers
and the Boston Red Sox
. To commemorate the Packers'
making it to Super Bowl XLV
, he spoofed Wiz Khalifa
's hit song "Black and Yellow
" (which were the colors of the Packers' opponents, the Pittsburgh Steelers
) in a song titled "Green and Yellow". Wayne has continued writing for ESPN, notably reporting at the ESPN Super Bowl
party.
Lil Wayne made his debut on ESPN's daily sports round table show Around The Horn on February 10, 2009.
At E3 2011, Lil Wayne, along with Young Money member Drake, appeared on the trailer of FIFA 12
.
, who takes time to read the Bible
regularly. While playing in Newark Symphony Hall
, Lil Wayne professed his belief "in God and His son, Jesus." He then asked the Newark crowd if they also believed, and they responded affirmatively with a roar.
According to his Rikers Island
inmate ID and prison records, Wayne is specifically a Roman Catholic.
on at least two occasions, in mixed contexts. Speaking to a largely African-American audience during a general election campaign town hall speech
in Georgia
, then-U.S. Senator Obama exhorted children to stay in school and achieve their dreams through education and perseverance instead of hoping for shortcuts to fame and riches, stating: "You are probably not that good a rapper. Maybe you are the next Lil Wayne, but probably not, in which case you need to stay in school."
After assuming the Presidency, Obama later echoed this theme of personal and familial responsibility and the difficulty of achieving Lil Wayne's lyrical skills or success—during an address to a meeting commemorating the 100th anniversary of the NAACP, telling the audience:
Obama has also noted that the music on his iPod includes Lil Wayne:
discovered Lil Wayne and another man smoking marijuana near a tour bus. After taking Lil Wayne into custody, police discovered a .40 caliber pistol on his person. The gun, which was registered to his manager, was in a bag located near the rapper. He was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and marijuana. On October 22, 2009, Lil Wayne pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon. He was due for sentencing in February 2010 and was expected to receive a one-year county jail sentence, but on February 9, 2010, Lil Wayne's attorney announced that the sentencing was delayed until March 2 due to dental surgery, which was performed on February 16. The surgery included eight root canals, the replacement of several tooth implants, as well as the addition of a few new implants and work on his remaining original teeth. On March 2, 2010, sentencing was postponed again when the courthouse reported a fire in the basement. On March 8, 2010, Lil Wayne was sentenced to a year in prison, which he served in Rikers Island
. His lawyer said the rapper expected to be held in protective custody, separated from other prisoners. In May 2010 Wayne was found by Rikers Island correctional staff to be in possession of contraband (an MP3 player, charger, and headphones). In April 2010, Lil Wayne's friends created a website called Weezy Thanx You, which publishes letters written by Wayne in prison. In the first letter, titled "Gone 'til November", the rapper described his daily routine, saying he works out a lot, and reads the Bible every day. Wayne was released from Rikers Island prison facility on November 4, 2010 after serving eight months of his year-long sentence.
Following a performance at Qwest Arena
in Boise
, Idaho, Lil Wayne was arrested October 5, 2007 on felony fugitive charges after Georgia
authorities accused the rapper of possessing a controlled substance. The incident was later described as a "mix-up" and the fugitive charges were dropped.
On January 23, 2008, Lil Wayne was arrested alongside two others. His tour bus was stopped by Border Patrol
agents near Yuma
, Arizona. A K-9 Unit recovered 105 grams (3.7 oz) of marijuana, almost 29 grams (1 oz) of cocaine, 41 grams (1.4 oz) of MDMA, and $22,000 in cash. Lil Wayne was charged with four felonies: possession of narcotic drug for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was granted permission to travel outside of the state and remain out of custody on the $10,185 bond he posted. On May 6, 2008, Wayne returned to court in Arizona to plead not guilty to the charges. A bench warrant was issued on March 17, 2010 when Lil Wayne did not show for a final trial management conference. However, the rapper was already in prison, serving a year-long sentence in Rikers on weapons charges. On June 22, 2010 Wayne plead guilty to the charges. As part of the plea deal he may serve 36 months of probation. On June 30, 2010, he was sentenced to 3 years probation.
On December 18, 2009, Wayne and 11 others were detained at the Falfurrias
, Texas border patrol checkpoint after an unknown amount of marijuana was found on two of his tour buses.
filed a lawsuit
against Lil Wayne for copyright infringement
and unfair competition
, specifically referring to Tha Carter III
s track "Playing with Fire". In the lawsuit, Abkco claims that the song was obviously derived from The Rolling Stones
' "Play with Fire
", to which Abkco owns the rights. Subsequently, "Playing with Fire" was removed from the tracklist of Tha Carter III on all online music stores and replaced with the David Banner
produced track, "Pussy Monster".
In February 2009, production company RMF Productions filed a $1.3 million lawsuit against Wayne, following a $100,000 advance payment for three shows, all of which were cancelled by the artist.
On October 2009, Lil Wayne, Birdman, Cash Money Records
, and various music distribution outlets were sued for copyright infringement by Thomas Marasciullo, who claims his voice was used without permission. The rappers asked him to record some "Italian-styled spoken word recordings" in 2006. The lyrics were allegedly used on "Respect" and other tracks from the rappers' collaboration album Like Father, Like Son and Birdman's 5 * Stunna.
In March 2011, producer Deezle
(Darius Harrison) sued Wayne and his parent labels Cash Money Records over unpaid royalties from Tha Carter III.
In May 2011, producer Bangladesh also filed a lawsuit against Weezy & Co. over unpaid royalties as well.
In early June 2011, another producer named David Kirkwood filed a lawsuit against Young Money Entertainment and Cash Money Records on claims that the labels have failed to pay him over $1.5 million in royalties and production services for his work on the album, also including his songwriting on "Love Me or Hate Me", a bonus song featured only on the deluxe edition of the album.
Also in June 2011, Dallas producers Play-N-Skillz
filed a lawsuit against him claiming Wayne owes them at least $1 million in unpaid royalties for "Got Money
" from his album Tha Carter III. The single has sold over 2 million copies since being released.
In July 2011, Done Deal Enterprises, a production company based in Georgia, filed suit against Wayne, Universal Music Group, Cash Money Records and Young Money Entertainment, claiming copyright infringement. The lawsuit alleges Wayne stole the song "BedRock", featured on the compilation album We Are Young Money, and seeks damages of $15 million.
made some unkind remarks, 50 lashed out at Wayne first on August 17, 2007 with the song "Part Time Lover". Wayne never really responded to the song, although a 50 Cent diss track called "Louisianimal" did leak much later on November 17, 2008. 50 responded to Lil Wayne in January 2009 in a song entitled "Play This On The Radio". As of August 14, 2009, the controversy between 50 Cent and Lil Wayne seems to have ended after 50 Cent appeared and performed at Lil Wayne's America's Most Wanted Musical Festival stop in Anaheim, California.
& Kanye West
's single "H•A•M
" was released, Jay-Z took shots at Lil Wayne's mentor Birdman, saying "Really, you got Baby money" and "[you] ain't got my lady's money!". On August 24 2011, a song called "It's Good
" by Lil Wayne (featuring Drake
and Jadakiss
) was leaked online and included Lil Wayne responding "Talkin’ ‘bout baby money? I gotcha baby money. Kidnap your bitch, get that, How much you love your lady? money". Rapper Jadakiss
later absolved himself of involvement in any brewing beef on his official Twitter feed.
With The B.G.'z
With Hot Boys
With Cash Money Millionaires
With Birdman
With Young Money Entertainment
With Juelz Santana
Extended Plays:
Mixtapes
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records is a record label founded by brothers Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Universal Republic Records as of 2011...
as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z
The B.G.'z
The B.G.'z were an American teenage hip-hop duo from New Orleans, Louisiana, active from 1993 to 1997. The duo consisted of rappers Lil Wayne and B.G.. The two made up the youngest artists on Cash Money Records, Lil Wayne being 12 years old, and B.G. only 14 years old. In 1995, B.G...
, with B.G.
B.G. (rapper)
Christopher Dorsey , better known by his stage name B.G. , is an American rapper and actor, from New Orleans, Louisiana. He began his music career signed to Cash Money Records in 1993 with Lil Wayne as half of the duo The B.G.'z...
. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys
Hot Boys
The Hot Boys is a music American hip hop group active from 1996 to 2001 and reformed in 2007. The group consists of rappers formerly on the New Orleans-based record label, Cash Money Records. The members are Lil Wayne, Juvenile, B.G. and Turk.-History:The members of the group were rappers, Lil...
, which also included rappers Juvenile
Juvenile (rapper)
Terius Gray, better known by his stage name Juvenile, is an American rapper, He is also a former member of hip-hop group the Hot Boys . At the age of 19, he began recording raps, releasing his debut album Being Myself in 1995...
, B.G.
B.G. (rapper)
Christopher Dorsey , better known by his stage name B.G. , is an American rapper and actor, from New Orleans, Louisiana. He began his music career signed to Cash Money Records in 1993 with Lil Wayne as half of the duo The B.G.'z...
, and Young Turk
Turk (rapper)
Tab Virgil, Jr., better known by his stage name Turk , is an American rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is best known for his time with Cash Money Records and with the Hot Boys. His debut album Young & Thuggin became a Top 10 hit on the Billboard 200 and pushed his album to Gold sales in the...
. Hot Boys debuted with Get It How U Live!
Get It How U Live!
Get It How U Live! is the debut album by New Orleans hip-hop group, the Hot Boys, released on October 28, 1997 on Cash Money Records. The album quickly sold over 300,000 copies, primarily in New Orleans following B.G.'s success. Although Get It How U Live! was considered a rap album, it managed to...
that year. Lil Wayne gained most of his success with the group's major selling album Guerrilla Warfare
Guerrilla Warfare (album)
-Album chart positions:-Release history:...
, released in 1999. Also in 1999, Lil Wayne released his Platinum debut album Tha Block Is Hot
Tha Block Is Hot
Tha Block Is Hot is the debut album by Lil Wayne, released November 2, 1999, on Cash Money Records.The album debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with 229,000 copies sold in its first week released. This was significant, as none of the other members of Hot Boys had released solo...
, selling over one million copies in the U.S.
Although his next two albums Lights Out
Lights Out (Lil Wayne album)
Lights Out is the second studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released December 19, 2000 on Cash Money Records.- Track listing :* All tracks produced by Mannie Fresh#"Watch Them People" - 0:34#"Get Off the Corner" - 4:45...
(2000) and 500 Degreez
500 Degreez
500 Degreez is the third studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released July 23, 2002 on Cash Money Records.The title of the album is a nod to fellow rapper Juvenile's album from four years earlier, 400 Degreez. The album peaked at number six on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and peaked at...
(2002) were not as successful (only reaching Gold status), Lil Wayne reached higher popularity in 2004 with Tha Carter
Tha Carter
Tha Carter is the fourth studio album and major-label debut by American rapper Lil Wayne, released June 29, 2004.- Background :The album was produced by Cash Money's former in-house producer, Mannie Fresh. This was the last album that feature longtime in-house producer Mannie Fresh before he split...
, which included the single "Go D.J." Wayne also appeared on the Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
top ten single "Soldier" that year. In 2005, the sequel to Tha Carter, Tha Carter II
Tha Carter II
Tha Carter II is the fifth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on December 6, 2005.- Critical reception :The album received general acclaim and was regarded as Lil Wayne's "Classic" and his best work to date.- Track listing :Notes...
, was released. In 2006 and 2007, Lil Wayne released several mixtapes and appeared on several popular rap and R&B singles.
His most successful album, Tha Carter III
Tha Carter III
Tha Carter III is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released June 10, 2008 on Cash Money Records. It follows a long string of mixtape releases and guest appearances on other hip hop and R&B artists records, helping to increase his exposure in the mainstream...
, was released in 2008 and sold over 1 million copies in the U.S. its first week of release. It included the number-one single "Lollipop
Lollipop (Lil Wayne song)
"Lollipop" is the first single from Lil Wayne's sixth studio album, Tha Carter III. The track features the late R&B artist Static Major and is produced by Deezle and Jim Jonsin. The song was released digitally on March 13, 2008. The song is Lil Wayne's & Static Major's most successful to date,...
" and won the Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Rap Album. Lil Wayne released his debut rock album, Rebirth
Rebirth (Lil Wayne album)
Rebirth is the seventh studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released February 2, 2010, on Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment and Universal Motown. Originally set to be released in early 2009 before several delays, the album was produced primarily by Cool & Dre, DJ Infamous, DJ...
, in 2010 to primarily negative reception from critics. The album eventually went gold. In March 2010, Lil Wayne began serving an 8-month prison sentence in New York after being convicted of criminal possession of a weapon stemming from an incident in July 2007. While in prison he released another album entitled I Am Not a Human Being
I Am Not a Human Being
I Am Not a Human Being is the eighth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released digitally on September 27, 2010. Its physical version was released on October 12, 2010. It was recorded in 2010 prior to Wayne's nine-month prison term for criminal possession of a weapon...
in September 2010, featuring Young Money artists such as Drake
Drake (entertainer)
Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
, Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
and Lil Twist. His ninth studio album and first since being released from prison, Tha Carter IV
Tha Carter IV
Tha Carter IV is the ninth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on August 29, 2011 through Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Republic Records...
, was released on August 29, 2011. It sold 964,000 copies in the U.S. its first week out.
Early life
Lil Wayne was born Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. and grew up in the HollygroveHollygrove, New Orleans
Hollygrove is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, located in the city's 17th Ward. A subdistrict of the Uptown/Carrollton area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: Palmetto Street to the north, Cambronne, Edinburgh, Forshey, Fig and Leonidas Streets to...
neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana.
Carter was born when his mother, a chef, was 19 years old. His parents were divorced when he was 2, and his father permanently abandoned the family. Carter enrolled in the gifted program of Lafayette Elementary School and in the drama club of Eleanor McMain Secondary School.
He wrote his first rap song at age eight. In the summer of 1991, he met Bryan Williams, rapper and owner of Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records is a record label founded by brothers Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Universal Republic Records as of 2011...
. Carter recorded freestyle raps on Williams's answering machine, leading him to mentor the young Carter and include him in Cash Money-distributed songs. He also recorded his first ever collaboration
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
album True Story with rapper B.G.
B.G. (rapper)
Christopher Dorsey , better known by his stage name B.G. , is an American rapper and actor, from New Orleans, Louisiana. He began his music career signed to Cash Money Records in 1993 with Lil Wayne as half of the duo The B.G.'z...
. At the time, Carter was 11, and B.G. was 14, and was billed as "The B.G.'z
The B.G.'z
The B.G.'z were an American teenage hip-hop duo from New Orleans, Louisiana, active from 1993 to 1997. The duo consisted of rappers Lil Wayne and B.G.. The two made up the youngest artists on Cash Money Records, Lil Wayne being 12 years old, and B.G. only 14 years old. In 1995, B.G...
". When he was 12, he played the part of the Tin Man
Tin Woodman
The Tin Woodman, sometimes referred to as the Tin Man or the Tin Woodsman , is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum...
in his middle school drama club's production of The Wiz
The Wiz
The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the context of African American culture. It opened on October 21, 1974 at the Morris A...
. At age 13, he accidentally shot himself with a 9 mm handgun, and off-duty police officer Robert Hoobler drove him to the hospital. At McMain Magnet School, Carter was an honor student, but he dropped out at the age of 14 to focus on a musical career.
1997–99: Hot Boys
In 1997, Carter joined the Hot BoysHot Boys
The Hot Boys is a music American hip hop group active from 1996 to 2001 and reformed in 2007. The group consists of rappers formerly on the New Orleans-based record label, Cash Money Records. The members are Lil Wayne, Juvenile, B.G. and Turk.-History:The members of the group were rappers, Lil...
along with rappers Juvenile
Juvenile (rapper)
Terius Gray, better known by his stage name Juvenile, is an American rapper, He is also a former member of hip-hop group the Hot Boys . At the age of 19, he began recording raps, releasing his debut album Being Myself in 1995...
, B.G., and Turk
Turk (rapper)
Tab Virgil, Jr., better known by his stage name Turk , is an American rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is best known for his time with Cash Money Records and with the Hot Boys. His debut album Young & Thuggin became a Top 10 hit on the Billboard 200 and pushed his album to Gold sales in the...
. At age 15, Carter was the youngest member at that time. Hot Boys' debut album Get It How U Live! was released the same year, followed in 1999 by the group's major-label debut Guerrilla Warfare
Guerrilla Warfare (album)
-Album chart positions:-Release history:...
, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard magazine Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 5 on the Billboard 200. During their career, the Hot Boys had two charting singles, "We on Fire
We on Fire
"We On Fire" is a single from Hot Boys' albums Get It How U Live!, and Guerrilla Warfare. The songs are in the form of continued questions starting with "What kind of nigga..." . In the original song on Get It How U Live, Juvenile asks the first question, Lil Wayne the second, and Turk the third,...
" from Get It How U Live! and "I Need a Hot Girl" from Guerrilla Warfare. Carter was also featured on Juvenile's single "Back That Azz Up
Back That Azz Up
"Back That Thang Up" is a 1999 hit single by Juvenile for Cash Money Records, the second single from his 1998 album 400 Degreez...
", which reached No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. Let 'Em Burn, a compilation album of unreleased tracks recorded during 1999 and 2000, came out in 2003, several years after the group disbanded. It reached No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 14 on the Billboard 200.
Carter's debut solo album Tha Block Is Hot
Tha Block Is Hot
Tha Block Is Hot is the debut album by Lil Wayne, released November 2, 1999, on Cash Money Records.The album debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with 229,000 copies sold in its first week released. This was significant, as none of the other members of Hot Boys had released solo...
at age 17 featured significant contributions from the Hot Boys and was certified platinum, debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard album charts. The album earned him a 1999 Source
The Source (magazine)
The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
magazine award nomination for "Best New Artist", and also became a Top Ten hit. The lead single was "Tha Block Is Hot
Tha Block Is Hot
Tha Block Is Hot is the debut album by Lil Wayne, released November 2, 1999, on Cash Money Records.The album debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with 229,000 copies sold in its first week released. This was significant, as none of the other members of Hot Boys had released solo...
". After the release of Tha Block is Hot, Carter was featured on the single, "Bling Bling", with B.G., Juvenile, and Big Tymers. His verse was featured on the radio edition, and on the album version, only his hook
Hook (music)
A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...
was featured on the single.
Lights Out (2000)
His 2000 follow-up album Lights OutLights Out (Lil Wayne album)
Lights Out is the second studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released December 19, 2000 on Cash Money Records.- Track listing :* All tracks produced by Mannie Fresh#"Watch Them People" - 0:34#"Get Off the Corner" - 4:45...
failed to attain the level of success achieved by his debut but was certified gold by RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
. Critics pointed to the lack of coherent narratives in his verses as evidence that he had yet to mature to the level of his fellow Hot Boys. The lead single was "Get Off The Corner" which was noticed for an improvement in lyrical content and style, it also received a music video. The second single which received less attention was "Shine" featuring The Hot Boys
Hot Boys
The Hot Boys is a music American hip hop group active from 1996 to 2001 and reformed in 2007. The group consists of rappers formerly on the New Orleans-based record label, Cash Money Records. The members are Lil Wayne, Juvenile, B.G. and Turk.-History:The members of the group were rappers, Lil...
. Near the release of Lights Out, Lil Wayne was featured on the single, "1# Stunna" with Big Tymers
Big Tymers
The Big Tymers were an American rap duo active from 1997 to 2005 from New Orleans, Louisiana. The Big Tymers consisted of Cash Money Records co-founder, Baby and former Cash Money in-house producer, Mannie Fresh. Baby later changed his stage name to Birdman after the group was dissolved...
and Juvenile
Juvenile (rapper)
Terius Gray, better known by his stage name Juvenile, is an American rapper, He is also a former member of hip-hop group the Hot Boys . At the age of 19, he began recording raps, releasing his debut album Being Myself in 1995...
, which rose to 24th place on the Hot Rap Tracks
Hot Rap Tracks
Rap Songs is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was based on how much the single...
charts.
500 Degreez (2002)
Lil Wayne's third album 500 Degreez500 Degreez
500 Degreez is the third studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released July 23, 2002 on Cash Money Records.The title of the album is a nod to fellow rapper Juvenile's album from four years earlier, 400 Degreez. The album peaked at number six on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and peaked at...
, released in 2002, followed the format of his previous two, with significant contributions from the Hot Boys
Hot Boys
The Hot Boys is a music American hip hop group active from 1996 to 2001 and reformed in 2007. The group consists of rappers formerly on the New Orleans-based record label, Cash Money Records. The members are Lil Wayne, Juvenile, B.G. and Turk.-History:The members of the group were rappers, Lil...
and Mannie Fresh
Mannie Fresh
Byron O. Thomas, better known by his stage name Mannie Fresh, is currently an artist and hip-hop producer who records for Def Jam South and his own division Chubby Boy Records...
. While certified Gold like its predecessor, it too failed to match the success of his debut. The title was a reference to the recently estranged Hot Boys member Juvenile's recording, 400 Degreez
400 Degreez
400 Degreez is the third studio album by New Orleans-based rapper Juvenile, released June 2, 1998, on Cash Money Records. The album received rave reviews and introduced Juvenile to mainstream hip hop listeners, selling over four million copies in the United States...
. The lead single was "Way Of Life" which like the album failed to match the success of his previous singles. After the release of 500 Degreez, he was featured in the single "Neva Get Enuf
Neva Get Enuf
"Neva Get Enuf" is the second single released from 3LW's second album A Girl Can Mack and features Lil Wayne, it heavily samples Teddy Pendergrass's Close the Door. The single is also the first to not feature former member Naturi Naughton, who left the group before the single's release...
" by 3LW
3LW
3LW was an American hip hop soul and R&B girl group that enjoyed a number of modest hits during the early 2000s. Its founding members were Naturi Naughton, Adrienne Bailon, and Kiely Williams. Jessica Benson later replaced Naughton after she left the group in 2002...
.
Tha Carter (2004)
In the summer of 2004, Wayne's album Tha CarterTha Carter
Tha Carter is the fourth studio album and major-label debut by American rapper Lil Wayne, released June 29, 2004.- Background :The album was produced by Cash Money's former in-house producer, Mannie Fresh. This was the last album that feature longtime in-house producer Mannie Fresh before he split...
was released, marking what critics considered advancement in his rapping style and lyrical themes. In addition, the album's cover art featured the debut of Wayne's now-signature dreadlocks
Dreadlocks
Dreadlocks, also called locks, a ras, dreads, "rasta" or Jata , are matted coils of hair. Dreadlocks are usually intentionally formed; because of the variety of different hair textures, various methods are used to encourage the formation of locks such as backcombing...
. Tha Carter gained Wayne significant recognition, selling 878,000 copies in the United States, while the single "Go DJ" became a Top 5 Hit on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart. After the release of Tha Carter, Lil Wayne was featured in Destiny's Child's
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
single "Soldier" with T.I.
T.I.
Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. , better known by his stage name T.I., is an American rap artist, film and music producer, actor and author. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records....
, which peaked at No. 3 on the U.S. Hot 100 and the U.S. R&B Charts.
Tha Carter II (2005)
Tha Carter IITha Carter II
Tha Carter II is the fifth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on December 6, 2005.- Critical reception :The album received general acclaim and was regarded as Lil Wayne's "Classic" and his best work to date.- Track listing :Notes...
, the follow-up to the original Tha Carter album, was released in December 2005, this time without production by longtime Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records is a record label founded by brothers Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Universal Republic Records as of 2011...
producer Mannie Fresh
Mannie Fresh
Byron O. Thomas, better known by his stage name Mannie Fresh, is currently an artist and hip-hop producer who records for Def Jam South and his own division Chubby Boy Records...
, who had since left the label. Tha Carter II sold more than 238,000 copies in its first week of release, debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
albums chart, and went on to sell 2,000,000 copies world wide. The lead single, "Fireman," became a hit in the US, peaking at 32 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart. Other singles included "Grown Man", "Hustler Muzik", and "Shooter" (featuring R&B singer Robin Thicke
Robin Thicke
Robin Charles Thicke is an Award-winning American R&B singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and actor. Thicke's albums, which he previously released under the moniker Thicke, are noted for their feature of a predominantly R&B sound. Robin Thicke has penned hits for popular artists such as...
). Lil Wayne also appeared on a remix of Bobby Valentino's "Tell Me
Tell Me (Bobby Valentino song)
"Tell Me" is the second single produced by Tim & Bob from Bobby Valentino's debut album Bobby Valentino. The song sampled "For the World" composed by Tan Dun on the Hero soundtrack, starring Jet Li...
", which rose to No. 13 on the U.S. R&B Charts.
In 2005, Lil Wayne was named president of Cash Money, and in the same year he founded Young Money Entertainment
Young Money Entertainment
Young Money Entertainment is an American record label founded by rapper Lil Wayne. Young Money's president is Lil Wayne's lifelong friend Mack Maine. The label is an imprint of Cash Money Records and is distributed by Universal Republic Records...
as an imprint of Cash Money. However, as of late 2007, Lil Wayne reported that he has stepped down from the management of both labels and has handed management of Young Money over to Cortez Bryant.
Like Father, Like Son collaboration (2006)
In 2006, Lil Wayne collaborated with rapper Birdman for the album Like Father, Like Son, whose first single "Stuntin' Like My DaddyStuntin' Like My Daddy
"Stuntin' Like My Daddy" is the first single off Birdman and Lil Wayne's album, Like Father, Like Son. It reached a number twenty-one on the U.S...
", reached No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
Mixtapes (2006–2008)
Instead of a follow-up solo album, Lil Wayne reached his audience through a plethora of mixtapes and guest appearances on a variety of pop and hip-hop singles. Of his many mixtapes, Dedication 2Dedication 2
Dedication 2 is a 2006 mixtape by DJ Drama and Lil Wayne. It is a sequel to Lil Wayne's previous mixtape, Dedication, and is second in DJ Drama's Gangsta Grillz series with Lil Wayne. It is one of the few mixtapes in the hip hop genre to be both financially successful and critically acclaimed...
and Da Drought 3
Da Drought 3
- Background :This is the third in the trilogy of mixtapes in Da Drought series. Released in 2007, the mixtape was delayed slightly as a result of Wayne's last-minute decision to add songs to the album's second disc. The album is available as a free legal download. It contains mostly remixes of...
received the most media exposure and critical review. Dedication 2, released in 2006, paired Lil Wayne with DJ Drama and contained the acclaimed socially conscious track "Georgia Bush," in which Lil Wayne critiqued former US president George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's response to the effects of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
on the city of New Orleans. Da Drought 3 was released the following year and was available for free legal download. It contained Lil Wayne rapping over a variety of beats from recent hits by other musicians. Numerous of features in prominent hip-hop magazines such as XXL
XXL (magazine)
XXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.In 1997, XXL was founded by former Source staffers as well as other Harris Publication employees, who wanted to create their own magazine about the hip-hop music and culture using the model developed by the founders of The Source...
and Vibe covered the mixtape. Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine considered the mixtapes Da Drought 3 and The Drought Is Over 2 "among the best albums of 2007."
Collaborations with other artists
Despite no album release for two years, Lil Wayne appeared in numerous singles as a featured performer, including "Gimme ThatGimme That
"Gimme That" is a song by American R&B singer Chris Brown from his eponymous album. The official remix, co-written by Wayne, Scott Storch and Sean Garrett, features American rapper Lil Wayne and was released as a single, although the remix doesn't appear on the standard version...
" by Chris Brown, "Make It Rain
Make It Rain
"Make It Rain" is the first single released from Fat Joe's album Me, Myself & I. It features Lil Wayne, who only sings the chorus , and was produced by Scott Storch. It peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was nominated for a Grammy at the 2008 Grammy Awards...
" by Fat Joe
Fat Joe
Joseph Antonio Cartagena , better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
, "You
You (Lloyd song)
"You" is the title of a song by R&B artist Lloyd featuring rapper Lil Wayne, and was produced by Big Reese for Lloyd's second studio album, Street Love. It was recorded in the producer's basement. It is the first official single off the album. Lloyd himself has reported that he leaked the song to...
" by Lloyd
Lloyd (singer)
Lloyd Polite, Jr. , who performs under the mononym Lloyd, is an American R&B recording artist, who experienced as a member of the group N-Toon before embarking on a solo career in 2004....
, and "We Takin' Over
We Takin' Over
"We Takin' Over" is the first single from DJ Khaled's second album, We the Best. T.I., Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Birdman, Lil Wayne and Akon are all featured on this track. The song, produced by Danja, was released through the iTunes Store on March 27, 2007 and debuted at number 51 on Billboards Hot...
" by DJ Khaled
DJ Khaled
Khaled bin Abdul Khaled , better known by his stage name DJ Khaled, is an American record producer, radio personality, DJ, and record label executive. He is a radio host for the Miami-based urban music radio station WEDR and the DJ for the hip hop group Terror Squad. In 2006, Khaled released his...
(also featuring Akon
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...
, T.I.
T.I.
Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. , better known by his stage name T.I., is an American rap artist, film and music producer, actor and author. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records....
, Rick Ross
Rick Ross
Rick, Ricky or Richard Ross may also refer to:* Rick Ross , American rapper* Richard J. Ross, a Massachusetts State Senator* Richard Ross , an American photographer...
, Fat Joe, and Birdman), "Duffle Bag Boy
Duffle Bag Boy
"Duffle Bag Boy" is the first single by Playaz Circle from their debut album Supply & Demand. The song features Lil Wayne and was produced by M16. The song peaked at the Top 20 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, reaching #15.-Music video:...
" by Playaz Circle
Playaz Circle
Playaz Circle is a rap duo signed to the Def Jam Recordings record label.-Biography:The duo was formed in 1997 by two childhood friends 2 Chainz and Dolla Boy in College Park, GA. They created the acronym Playaz which stands for Preparing Legal Assets for Years from A-Z...
, "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)
Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)
"Sweetest Girl " is the lead single from American rapper Wyclef Jean's sixth studio album, Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant. The song features vocals from Niia and Akon, as well as rapper Lil Wayne...
" by Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
(also featuring Akon
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...
), and the remix to "I'm So Hood
I'm So Hood
"I'm So Hood" is the second single off DJ Khaled's album We the Best . The song features Trick Daddy, Rick Ross, Plies and T-Pain. "I'm So Hood" was Khaled's best-known song and highest charting song until "I'm on One" peaked at #10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 2011.-Video:The video was shot in...
" by DJ Khaled
DJ Khaled
Khaled bin Abdul Khaled , better known by his stage name DJ Khaled, is an American record producer, radio personality, DJ, and record label executive. He is a radio host for the Miami-based urban music radio station WEDR and the DJ for the hip hop group Terror Squad. In 2006, Khaled released his...
(also featuring T-Pain
T-Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...
, Young Jeezy
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
, Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
, Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
, Big Boi
Big Boi
Antwan André Patton , better known by his stage name Big Boi, is an American rapper, song-writer, record producer and actor, best known for being a member of American hip hop duo OutKast alongside André 3000. His work in the duo has produced six studio albums. During the duo's hiatus, he and André...
, Fat Joe, Birdman, and Rick Ross). All these singles charted within the top 20 spots on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, Hot Rap Tracks, and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
charts. On Birdman's 2007 album 5 * Stunna, Lil Wayne appeared on the singles "100 Million
100 Million
"100 Million" is the second single from Birdman's third studio album, 5 * Stunna. The track features DJ Khaled, Rick Ross, Dre, Young Jeezy and Lil Wayne and was produced by Cool & Dre. The song discusses what Birdman believes is a major accomplishment: spending 100 million dollars...
" and "I Run This
I Run This
"I Run This" is the third single from Birdman's third studio album 5 * Stunna. It features Lil Wayne. It is produced by T-Mix. Lil Jon, Brisco, DJ Drama and Glasses Malone make cameo appearances in the video...
" among several other tracks. Wayne also appeared on tracks from albums Getback
Getback
Getback is the third studio album from Little Brother, released on October 23, 2007. On October 12, Phonte leaked the album himself to Okayplayer.com-Details:...
by Little Brother, American Gangster
American Gangster (album)
American Gangster is the tenth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released November 6, 2007 on Roc-A-Fella Records. It is Jay-Z's last studio release for the Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella Records label and his first concept album, which was inspired by the film of the same name. The album features...
by Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, and Graduation
Graduation (album)
Graduation is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released September 11, 2007 on Roc-A-Fella Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2005 to 2007 at Chung King Studios and Sony Music Studios in New York City and at Chalice Studios and The Record Plant...
by Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
and Insomniac
Insomniac (Enrique Iglesias album)
A Re-release in India came with a DVD containing music videos for the songs "Do You Know", "Somebody's Me", "Tired of Being Sorry" and "Push" .-Charts:-Release history:...
by Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias is a Spanish pop music singer, a son of singer Julio Iglesias.Enrique started his musical career on Mexican label Fonovisa...
. "Make it Rain", a Scott Storch
Scott Storch
Scott Storch is an American record producer. He produces a variety of music, particularly hip hop, reggaeton, and R&B. His label, Storch Music Company responsible for signing Brooke Hogan and Nox...
production that peaked at number 13 on the Hot 100 and number two on the Hot Rap Tracks chart, was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was awarded between 1991 and 2011, alongside the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance....
for 2008.
Vibe magazine ranked a list of 77 of Lil Wayne's songs from 2007 and ranked his verse in DJ Khaled's "We Takin Over" as his best of 2007, with "Dough Is What I Got" (a freestyle over the beat of Jay-Z's "Show Me What You Got
Show Me What You Got
For the song by Powerman 5000, see Show Me What You Got "Show Me What You Got" is a single by rap artist Jay-Z from his album Kingdom Come.-Song information:...
") from Da Drought 3 the second song. At the end of 2007, an MTV poll selected Lil Wayne as "Hottest MC in the Game
MTV's Annual Hottest MC List
Every year since 2007, MTV has compiled a list of ten Hip-Hop stars deemed to be the "hottest" of that year known as the Hottest MCs in the Game...
", The New Yorker magazine ranked him "Rapper of the Year", and GQ magazine named him "Workaholic of the Year". In 2008 he was named "Best MC" by Rolling Stone. Another article, built around Lil Wayne's 2007 mixtape work, cites his creative practice as an example of post performance creative practice.
Tha Carter III (2008) Initially planned to be released in 2007, Tha Carter III
Tha Carter III
Tha Carter III is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released June 10, 2008 on Cash Money Records. It follows a long string of mixtape releases and guest appearances on other hip hop and R&B artists records, helping to increase his exposure in the mainstream...
s largest delay came after the majority of the tracks were leaked and distributed on mixtapes, such as "The Drought Is Over Pt. 2" and "The Drought Is Over Pt. 4". Lil Wayne initially decided to use the leaked tracks, plus four new tracks, to make a separate album, titled The Leak. The Leak was to be released December 18, 2007, with the actual album being delayed until March 18, 2008, The release of The Leak in this format never came to fruition, but an official EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
titled The Leak and containing five tracks was released digitally on December 25, 2007.
Tha Carter III
Tha Carter III
Tha Carter III is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released June 10, 2008 on Cash Money Records. It follows a long string of mixtape releases and guest appearances on other hip hop and R&B artists records, helping to increase his exposure in the mainstream...
was released on June 10, 2008, selling more than a million copies in its first week of release, the first to do so since 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
's The Massacre
The Massacre
The Massacre is the second studio album by American rapper 50 Cent, released March 3, 2005 on Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records in the United States. Its initially planned release was pushed five days ahead to avoid Internet leakage. The album debuted at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard...
in 2005. The first single "Lollipop
Lollipop (Lil Wayne song)
"Lollipop" is the first single from Lil Wayne's sixth studio album, Tha Carter III. The track features the late R&B artist Static Major and is produced by Deezle and Jim Jonsin. The song was released digitally on March 13, 2008. The song is Lil Wayne's & Static Major's most successful to date,...
", featuring Static Major became the rapper's most commercially successful song at that point, topping the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, making it the first Top 10 single for Lil Wayne as a solo artist, as well as his first No. 1 on the chart. His third single from Tha Carter III, "Got Money
Got Money
"Got Money" is the third single by American recording artist Lil Wayne's sixth studio album, Tha Carter III . The single features singer-songwriter T-Pain. Both T-Pain and Lil Wayne use the auto-tune effect in the song. The single was released as a digital download on iTunes on May 27, 2008...
" featuring T-Pain, peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard 100. Tha Carter III also won four Grammy Awards, including best rap album and best rap song, which he won for "Lollipop". Along with his album singles, Lil Wayne appeared on R&B singles "Girls Around the World
Girls Around the World
"Girls Around the World" is a song by American recording artist Lloyd. The song features rapper Lil Wayne and was written by Lloyd, along with Dwayne Carter, Eric Barrier, William Griffin. The song was producted by his production team, Big Reese and Jasper Cameron, who also produced his...
" by Lloyd, "Love In This Club, Part II
Love in This Club
"Love in This Club" is a song by American R&B singer Usher. Featuring rapper Young Jeezy, it was released on February 22, 2008 as the lead single from Usher's fifth studio album, Here I Stand. The song was written by Usher, Polow da Don, Young Jeezy, Darnell Dalton, Ryon Lovett, Lamar Taylor and...
" by Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
, "Official Girl" by Cassie, "I'm So Paid
I'm So Paid
"I'm So Paid" is the second single from Akon's third studio album Freedom. The track features additional vocals from Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy. The song was released as a digital download worldwide and a physical single in France only on October 4, 2008. Akon mentions Olympic Athlete Usain Bolt in...
" by Akon
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...
, "Turnin' Me On
Turnin' Me On
"Turnin Me On" is a song by American singer-songwriter Keri Hilson, taken from her debut album, In a Perfect World.... The song features American rapper Lil Wayne who co-wrote the song alongside Hilson and Zachary Anson Wallace. Production credits are shared between Danja and Polow da Don, who also...
" by Keri Hilson
Keri Hilson
Keri Lynn Hilson is an American R&B singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, Hilson began her music career as a songwriter, penning tracks for several artists in the mid-2000s as part of the five-person production and songwriting team, The Clutch...
, and "Can't Believe It
Can't Believe It
"Can't Believe It" is a song by American producer/singer-songwriter T-Pain. It was released on July 29, 2008. The song is the first official single from T-Pain's album Thr33 Ringz. The song also features rapper Lil Wayne...
" by T-Pain; rap singles "My Life
My Life (The Game song)
"My Life" is the third single from The Game's third studio album, LAX which was released on August 22, 2008. The song, produced by Cool & Dre, features Lil Wayne.-Recording:Producers Cool & Dre have released a video documenting how they created the beat....
" by The Game
The Game (rapper)
Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
, "Shawty Say" by David Banner
David Banner
Lavell Crump , better known by his stage name David Banner, is an American rapper, record producer and occasional actor. Banner was born in Jackson, Mississippi and graduated from Southern University. He started his music career as a member of the rap duo, Crooked Lettaz before going solo in 2000...
, "Swagga Like Us
Swagga Like Us
"Swagga Like Us" is a song by rappers T.I. and Jay-Z, released as the second single from T.I.'s sixth studio album, Paper Trail. It was slated to appear on Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3; however he later confirmed all songs with Auto-Tune were removed from the album. It was released on September 6, 2008....
" by T.I.
T.I.
Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. , better known by his stage name T.I., is an American rap artist, film and music producer, actor and author. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records....
, "Cutty Buddy" by Mike Jones
Mike Jones (rapper)
Michael "Mike" Jones is an American southern rap artist, who initially was affiliated with the record label Swishahouse, then left to be the owner of Ice Age Entertainment....
, All My Life (In the Ghetto)
All My Life (In the Ghetto)
All My Life is the first single by American West Coast rapper Jay Rock off his Follow Me Home album. The song was released under Warner Bros. Records. It was produced by Cool & Dre and features Lil Wayne and will.i.am...
by Jay Rock
Jay Rock
Johnny Reed McKinzie Jr. , better known by his stage name Jay Rock, is an American rapper. He was named one of the top 13 most street artists by XXL. His voice has been called a cross between Immortal Technique and Rick Ross. He is a part of the rap group Black Hippy which also features Kendrick...
and the remix to "Certified" by Glasses Malone
Glasses Malone
Charles Phillipivory Penniman , better known by his stage name Glasses Malone, is an American rapper from Los Angeles, California.-Early life:Glasses Malone grew up in the Watts and Compton neighborhoods in Los Angeles County...
; and pop single "Let It Rock
Let It Rock (Kevin Rudolf song)
"Let It Rock" is the debut single of Kevin Rudolf from his debut album In the City. It features rapper Lil Wayne. The track was produced and written by Rudolf....
" by new Cash Money
Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records is a record label founded by brothers Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Universal Republic Records as of 2011...
artist Kevin Rudolf
Kevin Rudolf
Kevin Rudolf is an American singer-songwriter and record producer signed to Cash Money Records. Rudolf is mostly known for singing and producing rock/pop music...
. On July 14, 2008, the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
certified Tha Carter III two times platinum. In an October 2008 interview with MTV News, Lil Wayne announced plans to re-release this album with all new tracks, including a duet with Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
and remixes of "A Milli".
Voodoo Experience
Voodoo Experience, also commonly referred to as Voodoo or Voodoo Fest, is a multi-day music and arts festival held in City Park, New Orleans, Louisiana. It was first held on Halloween weekend in 1999. It has since moved between the weekend before Halloween and Halloween weekend throughout the years...
concert, held in October, featured Lil Wayne. Jonathan Cohen of Billboard magazine reported that the event would mark his biggest hometown headlining set of his career. Lil Wayne stated that he would reunite with Hot Boys alongside Juvenile, Turk, and B.G. They plan to release an album after B.G.'s solo album Too Hood to Be Hollywood was completed. Wayne also performed as the 2008 Virgin Mobile Music Fest
Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile is a brand used by many mobile phone service providers across the globe; its headquarters are based in the United Kingdom. Virgin Mobile has local operations in Australia, Canada, France, India, South Africa, Greece, United Kingdom and the United States. It briefly also had operations...
with Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
, performing the remix of "Lollipop" with West and also lip-syncing to Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
's "I Will Always Love You
I Will Always Love You
"I Will Always Love You" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton in 1973, who first released the song as a single in 1974.-Dolly Parton version:...
". Lil Wayne also performed at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards
2008 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2008 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 7, 2008 live from Paramount Pictures Studios , honoring the best music videos from the previous year. Nominations for a majority of the categories were announced on the MTV program FNMTV after being selected through viewer online voting at...
with Kid Rock
Kid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
("All Summer Long
All Summer Long (Kid Rock song)
"All Summer Long" is the title of a song recorded by Kid Rock. It was released in 2008 as the third single from his ninth studio album Rock n Roll Jesus. The song contains musical and lyrical references to several hit songs of the 1970s, including Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London", and Lynyrd...
"), Leona Lewis
Leona Lewis
Leona Louise Lewis is a British singer and songwriter. Lewis first came to prominence in 2006 when she won the third series of the British television series The X Factor....
("DontGetIt (Misunderstood)") and T-Pain
T-Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...
("Got Money
Got Money
"Got Money" is the third single by American recording artist Lil Wayne's sixth studio album, Tha Carter III . The single features singer-songwriter T-Pain. Both T-Pain and Lil Wayne use the auto-tune effect in the song. The single was released as a digital download on iTunes on May 27, 2008...
"). On the season premiere of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, he performed "Lollipop" and "Got Money". He later performed at the homecoming
Homecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
rally at Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
and the 2008 BET Hip Hop Awards
BET Hip Hop Awards
The BET Hip Hop Awards are an annual awards show, airing on BET, showcasing hip hop performers, producers and music video directors. The awards ceremony began in 2006, was held on November 12, 2006 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, was first aired November 15 and was hosted by comedian Katt...
with 12 nominations. He won the "MVP" title at the BET Hip Hop Awards and seven others. It was revealed that M.I.A.
M.I.A. (artist)
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
dropped out of performing on the tour due to her pregnancy, however Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
is expected to perform with Wayne on the song "Mr. Carter" at select shows.
On November 11, 2008, Wayne became the first hip-hop act to ever perform at the Country Music Association Awards
Country Music Association Awards
The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards, or the CMAs, and not to be confused with the ACM Awards, are voted on by business members of the Country Music Association. The first CMA awards were presented at an untelevised ceremony in Nashville's Municipal Auditorium in 1967...
. He played alongside Kid Rock
Kid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
for the song, "All Summer Long
All Summer Long (Kid Rock song)
"All Summer Long" is the title of a song recorded by Kid Rock. It was released in 2008 as the third single from his ninth studio album Rock n Roll Jesus. The song contains musical and lyrical references to several hit songs of the 1970s, including Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London", and Lynyrd...
", in which Wayne did not rap but instead inaudibly strummed guitar strings alongside the guitarist in Kid Rock's band. Shortly after, Wayne was nominated for eight Grammys
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
– the most for any artist nominated that year. Wayne was then named the first ever MTV Man of the Year
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
at the end of 2008. He won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance
Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance was awarded from 1991 to 2011, alongside the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance....
for "A Milli
A Milli
"A Milli", abbreviated occasionally as "Milli", is the second official single, and the official street single from Lil Wayne's sixth studio album, Tha Carter III.-Background:...
", Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was awarded between 1991 and 2011, alongside the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance....
for his appearance in T.I.
T.I.
Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. , better known by his stage name T.I., is an American rap artist, film and music producer, actor and author. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records....
's single "Swagga Like Us
Swagga Like Us
"Swagga Like Us" is a song by rappers T.I. and Jay-Z, released as the second single from T.I.'s sixth studio album, Paper Trail. It was slated to appear on Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3; however he later confirmed all songs with Auto-Tune were removed from the album. It was released on September 6, 2008....
", and Best Rap Song
Grammy Award for Best Rap Song
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Song was first awarded in 2004. It is a songwriting award given to all who wrote the lyrics and music of the song. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year...
for "Lollipop". Tha Carter III won the award for Best Rap Album.
MTV News listed Lil Wayne number two on their 2009 list of the Hottest MCs In The Game.
We Are Young Money (2009) On December 23, 2009, Wayne released a collaboration album with Young Money, with the first single confirmed as "Every Girl". The second single is "BedRock", featuring Lloyd
Lloyd (singer)
Lloyd Polite, Jr. , who performs under the mononym Lloyd, is an American R&B recording artist, who experienced as a member of the group N-Toon before embarking on a solo career in 2004....
. The third single is "Roger That
Roger That (song)
"Roger That" is a song by rap group Young Money Entertainment released as the third single from their debut collaboration album We Are Young Money. Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, and Tyga rap on this song...
". On May 24, 2010, the album was certified gold by the RIAA with over 500,000 copies sold.
Wayne is featured on the song, "Revolver
Revolver (song)
"Revolver" is a song by American recording artist Madonna from her third greatest hits compilation, Celebration, and features rapper Lil Wayne. It was written by Madonna, Carlos Battey, Steven Battey, Dwayne Carter, Justin Franks and Brandon Kitchen, and produced by Madonna and DJ Frank E. The song...
", with Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
for her 2009 greatest hits album, Celebration
Celebration (Madonna album)
Celebration is the third greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, and the closing release under her contract with Warner Bros. Records, her record company since 1982. The release follows her two previous greatest hits albums, The Immaculate Collection and GHV2...
. He was also featured on a Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
song, "Can't Stop Partying", on their 2009 album, Raditude
Raditude
Raditude is the seventh studio album by American alternative rock band Weezer, released on November 3, 2009 and is their final album on DGC Records, Geffen Records and Interscope Records...
.
Rebirth (2008–2010) In late 2008, Wayne stated that he would re-release The Carter III with leftover tracks and call it Rebirth, several months later, however, he announced Rebirth would instead release as his debut rock album, maintaining its title as Rebirth
Rebirth (Lil Wayne album)
Rebirth is the seventh studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released February 2, 2010, on Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment and Universal Motown. Originally set to be released in early 2009 before several delays, the album was produced primarily by Cool & Dre, DJ Infamous, DJ...
. To support the release of Rebirth and a collaboration album with Young Money Entertainment, Wayne headlined the 'Young Money Presents: America's Most Wanted Music Festival'... a United States and Canada–only concert tour which started on July 29, 2009. The Rebirth album was originally scheduled for a April 7, 2009 release, however after numerous delays, the album was released on February 2, 2010. For the anticipation of Rebirth, Wayne was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone.
"Prom Queen
Prom Queen (song)
"Prom Queen" is the first official single off of Lil Wayne's rock album, Rebirth. The track is produced by DJ Infamous and Andrew "Drew" Correa. The song is written by and contains backing vocals from Shanell Woodgett. The song made its official debut on January 27, appearing on Lil Wayne's...
", the first official single, debuted on January 27, 2009 immediately after a live Internet broadcast on Ustream
Ustream
Ustream is a website which consists of a network of diverse channels providing a platform for lifecasting and live video streaming of events online. Established in March 2007, the site has over 2,000,000 registered users who generate 1,500,000+ hours of live streamed content per month with over ten...
of his concert in San Diego. "Prom Queen" peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
charts. On December 3, 2009, Lil Wayne's second single from the album, "On Fire
On Fire (Lil Wayne song)
"On Fire" is a song performed by rapper Lil Wayne. The song is taken from Lil Wayne's seventh studio album Rebirth. It was released as the album's second single on December 3, 2009.-Background:...
", was released on iTunes. "On Fire" was produced by Cool & Dre
Cool & Dre
Cool & Dre are a team of hip hop producers from Miami, Florida, consisting of Marcello "Cool" Valenzano and Andre "Dre" Christopher Lyon.-Epidemic Records:...
. "On Fire" peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. "Drop the World
Drop the World
"Drop the World" is a single by American rapper Lil Wayne, which features American rapper Eminem. It is the third single off Lil Wayne's seventh studio album, Rebirth. The song was released on iTunes on December 28, 2009. Lil Wayne, Eminem, and Travis Barker of Blink-182 performed the song together...
", which features Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
, is the third single from the album.
I Am Not a Human Being (2010) Lil Wayne was thought to be releasing an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
entitled I Am Not a Human Being
I Am Not a Human Being
I Am Not a Human Being is the eighth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released digitally on September 27, 2010. Its physical version was released on October 12, 2010. It was recorded in 2010 prior to Wayne's nine-month prison term for criminal possession of a weapon...
, but it was confirmed that would be a full length LP. The album was released on September 27, 2010 which was his birthday. The album has sold over 953,000 copies in the U.S. and has spawned a successful single in "Right Above It
Right Above It
- Chart performance :After experiencing strong digital sales on release, the song debuted at number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart dated September 4, 2010, making it the highest debuting song on the chart for that week, and at number 1 on the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart, becoming the...
" which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Tha Carter IV (2008–present) In an interview on MTV's Mixtape Monday, Wayne asserted the possibility of the album Tha Carter IV
Tha Carter IV
Tha Carter IV is the ninth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on August 29, 2011 through Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Republic Records...
. Following Tha Carter IIIs achievement of selling over 3 million copies, becoming 2008's best-selling record, Wayne re-signed with Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records is a record label founded by brothers Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Universal Republic Records as of 2011...
for a multi-album deal. Wayne said Tha Carter IV will be released in 2009 just before the holidays. Birdman had previously stated that Tha Carter IV would be packaged with Rebirth
Rebirth (Lil Wayne album)
Rebirth is the seventh studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released February 2, 2010, on Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment and Universal Motown. Originally set to be released in early 2009 before several delays, the album was produced primarily by Cool & Dre, DJ Infamous, DJ...
as a double disc album. However, Wayne denied this idea saying that "Tha Carter IV deserves Tha Carter IV". He went on to say that We Are Young Money may be packaged with Rebirth. However, it was later confirmed that Rebirth and We Are Young Money will be released separately and that Tha Carter IV will be released during 2011. He started from scratch on Tha Carter IV since getting released from prison. He recorded his first track since being released from prison and it was described as being "a 2010 version of A Milli
A Milli
"A Milli", abbreviated occasionally as "Milli", is the second official single, and the official street single from Lil Wayne's sixth studio album, Tha Carter III.-Background:...
on steroids." The album is set to feature multiple guests, including Tech N9ne
Tech N9ne
Aaron Dontez Yates , better known by his stage name Tech N9ne , is an American rapper from Kansas City, Missouri. In 1999, Yates and Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. Throughout his career, Yates has sold over one million albums and has had his music featured in film,...
. The first single "6 Foot 7 Foot
6 Foot 7 Foot
"6 Foot 7 Foot" is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne, taken from his ninth studio album, Tha Carter IV . It was officially released on iTunes on December 16, 2010. It was produced by "A Milli" producer Bangladesh. The song samples from "Day-O " by Harry Belafonte.-Background:"6 Foot 7 Foot" is...
" featuring Cory Gunz was released on December 15, 2010. It was available for digital download on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
December 16, 2010. The song is produced by Bangladesh, who also produced Lil Wayne's single "A Milli" in 2008. On March 8, 2011, Weezy released another song called "We Back Soon." The song is produced by StreetRunner
StreetRunner
Nicholas Warwar, better known as STREETRUNNER, is a Grammy Award Winning American record producer and DJ who works and lives in Miami, Florida. He first gained recognition in 2004 for producing Terror Squad's hit single, "Take Me Home". More recently he has gained fame for working with Lil Wayne on...
; It is more relaxed than "6 Foot 7 Foot" is, but will not be a track on Tha Carter IV. He also released a second single to Tha Carter IV called "John" on March 24, 2011, which features Rick Ross
Rick Ross
Rick, Ricky or Richard Ross may also refer to:* Rick Ross , American rapper* Richard J. Ross, a Massachusetts State Senator* Richard Ross , an American photographer...
and is produced by Polow Da Don
Polow Da Don
Polow-Freache Jamal Fincher Jones , better known by known by professional name Polow da Don or Awesome Jones, is an American record producer, songwriter, rapper, and singer. His cousin is Atlanta singer Monica. He has produced for a variety of artists including Usher, Nelly, Christina Aguilera, T.I...
. On April 20, 2011, the official cover of Tha Carter IV was released. Tha Carter IV was scheduled to be released on May 16, 2011, but Mack Maine
Mack Maine
Jermaine Preyan, , known by his stage name Mack Maine, is an American rapper and singer. Mack Maine is signed to Young Money Entertainment, an imprint of Birdman's Universal Motown-distributed Cash Money Records, and is currently the president of the label...
had confirmed that the forthcoming ninth studio album will be released in June 21, 2011 instead of May 16, 2011, because they need more time to make the album perfect and they'll have a "monster" single coming soon that will possibly be titled "Blows My Brains" or "She's Always In My Head". On May 26, the 3rd single, "How to Love
How to Love
"How to Love" is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne, released as the third single from his ninth studio album, Tha Carter IV. The song features production from Noel "Detail" Fisher with LaMar and LaNelle Seymour p/k/a Drum Up, and was released as a digital download on June 13, 2011. It was later...
" was released. Tha Carter IV was eventually pushed back to August 29, 2011. A song called "Dear Anne (Stan Part 2)" was released in June, when the snippet was released back in April. Lil Wayne said the song was throw away track for Tha Carter III. He said it was originally suppose to be on Tha Carter IV when it leaked, but decided not to put it one there. He said he's not a fan of the song since it was so old. Lil Wayne said that he that liked the beat, but not the lyrics, and was thinking about redoing "Dear Anne."
For preparation for Tha Carter IV, Lil Wayne released a mixtape titled, Sorry 4 the Wait
Sorry 4 the Wait
Sorry 4 the Wait is a mixtape by rapper Lil Wayne, named "Sorry 4 the Wait" as an attempt to apologize for the continued delay of his senior album Tha Carter IV. Wayne said the mixtape would have about 10 songs and be similar to No Ceilings, with him using other artists' tracks and making a cover...
. He named the mixtape so as an apology to his fans for the delay of the album. It consists of 13 with all the beats on the mixtape coming from other artists song, like his "No Ceilings
No Ceilings
No Ceilings is a mixtape by rap artist Lil Wayne. It was scheduled to be released on October 31, 2009, but was leaked before the official date. No Ceilings was officially released on October 31 , with 4 additional tracks. The mixtape is available as a free and legal download...
" mixtape.
In July 2011, Lil Wayne confirmed in an interview with MTV that Tha Carter IV is finished.
The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
with 964,000 copies sold in its first week, making it Lil Wayne's third chart topping album of his career.
Future projects
On March 12, 2011, rapper Fred DurstFred Durst
William Frederick "Fred" Durst is an American musician, director, producer and actor, well known as the frontman of the band Limp Bizkit.-Early life:...
from Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
tweeted that Lil Wayne will be featured on the song "Ready To Go" from Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
's upcoming album Gold Cobra
Gold Cobra
Gold Cobra is the sixth studio album by American rock band Limp Bizkit, released on June 24 in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, on June 27 in the United Kingdom and on June 28 in the rest of the world in 2011 by Interscope Records...
, although it was later revealed that the song did not make the final tracklist.
Lil Wayne has announced several possible upcoming projects, including a collaboration album I Can't Feel My Face with rapper Juelz Santana
Juelz Santana
LaRon Louis James , better known by his stage name Juelz Santana, is an American rapper, producer, and actor. He appeared on Cam'ron's 2002 singles, "Oh Boy" and "Hey Ma"...
that has been in production for several years. And also working on Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins' album Still Cool in late 2011. He has discussed a possible R&B album titled Luv Sawngz, for which he will heavily rely on a vocoder
Vocoder
A vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder...
. He has also talked with singer Lloyd
Lloyd (singer)
Lloyd Polite, Jr. , who performs under the mononym Lloyd, is an American R&B recording artist, who experienced as a member of the group N-Toon before embarking on a solo career in 2004....
about doing a collaboration album in the future. On June 19, 2008, Lil Wayne and T-Pain
T-Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...
formed a duo called T-Wayne and planned to release an album. According to an interview with Drake
Drake
- People :* Drake ** Notably Sir Francis Drake , an English sea captain and politician of the Elizabethan era* Drake * Drake , stage name of Aubrey Drake Graham, Canadian recording artist and actor- Places :...
in the December 2011 issue of XXL
XXL (magazine)
XXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.In 1997, XXL was founded by former Source staffers as well as other Harris Publication employees, who wanted to create their own magazine about the hip-hop music and culture using the model developed by the founders of The Source...
, plans for an upcoming album with Lil Wayne have been scrapped for the time being because of the Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
and Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
collaboration "Watch the Throne
Watch the Throne
Watch the Throne is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, released on August 8, 2011, by Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions for the album took place at various recording locations and began in November 2010. It was...
". Lil Wayne and Baby will release a second Like Father, Like Son. It was announced by Mack Maine that Lil Wayne and Juelz Santana
Juelz Santana
LaRon Louis James , better known by his stage name Juelz Santana, is an American rapper, producer, and actor. He appeared on Cam'ron's 2002 singles, "Oh Boy" and "Hey Ma"...
have gone back to working on their collaboration album I Can't Feel My Face which had been delayed for a few years due to "label politics".
In October 2011 it was reported that Lil Wayne is working on sequels to I Am Not a Human Being and Rebirth.
Post-Retirement
On March 29, 2011, in an interview with Hot 97's Angie MartinezAngie Martinez
Angela "Angie" Martinez is an American radio personality and occasional rapper.-Radio career:Angie Martinez got her first break in radio at the age of 16 answering hot lines at the urban radio station WQHT . There she met popular DJ Funkmaster Flex, and began working as his protégé...
, Lil Wayne announced that he would retire at age 35; saying "I have four kids," and that "I would feel selfish still going to the studio when it's such a vital point in their lives."
However, in an interview with XXL
XXL (magazine)
XXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.In 1997, XXL was founded by former Source staffers as well as other Harris Publication employees, who wanted to create their own magazine about the hip-hop music and culture using the model developed by the founders of The Source...
, Lil Wayne hinted that Tha Carter IV
Tha Carter IV
Tha Carter IV is the ninth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on August 29, 2011 through Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Republic Records...
would be his last album.
Television and film career
Lil Wayne was a guest debater going up against Skip BaylessSkip Bayless
Skip Bayless is an American journalist and television personality. Bayless regularly appears on ESPN2's ESPN First Take and its afternoon show 1st and 10. Bayless previously wrote regular columns for ESPN.com and its "Page 2" section.-Schooling and family:Bayless was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
on the "1st & 10" segment on the January 6, 2009 edition of ESPN First Take
ESPN First Take
ESPN First Take is an American morning sports talk program on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. The show was formerly known as Cold Pizza. The official switch was made on May 7, 2007. Two back-to-back two-hour episodes air each weekday from Monday through Friday, with the live episode airing from 10 a.m...
. On February 10, 2009 he also appeared on ESPN's Around the Horn
Around the Horn
Around the Horn is a daily, half-hour sports roundtable on ESPN filmed in Washington, D.C. It airs at 5:00 pm ET, as part of a sports talk hour with Pardon the Interruption. The show is currently hosted by Tony Reali.-History:Around the Horn premiered on November 4, 2002, hosted by Max Kellerman...
and beat out veterans Woody Paige
Woody Paige
Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Paige, Jr. is a sports columnist for The Denver Post, author, and a regular panelist on the ESPN sports-talk program Around the Horn. He was also a co-host of Cold Pizza and its spin-off show 1st and 10 until Nov. 4, 2006, when it was announced that Paige would return to the...
, Jay Mariotti
Jay Mariotti
Jay Mariotti is a former national columnist for Fanhouse.com and has done work as a panelist on the ESPN show Around the Horn.-Life and career:...
and fellow New Orleanian Michael Smith
Michael Smith (sports reporter)
Michael Smith is a host, commentator, and reporter for ESPN -Career:Smith was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana where he graduated from McDonogh No. 35 Senior High School and then Loyola University of New Orleans...
to win that show's episode. Prior to the 2009 Grammy Awards, Wayne was featured in an interview with Katie Couric
Katie Couric
Katherine Anne "Katie" Couric is an American journalist and author. She serves as Special Correspondent for ABC News, contributing to ABC World News, Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, This Week and primetime news specials...
. On February 7, 2009, he presented the Top Ten List on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
. He then appeared on the April 24, 2009 episode of The View, talking about his GED and addictions. In September 2009, Wayne was profiled in an episode of VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Behind the Music
Behind the Music
Behind the Music is a television series on VH1. It originally ran from 1997 to 2006, before it was stopped and only aired new episodes sporadically. The series places its generality on documentation of musical artists or groups who are interviewed and profiled, and discuss how their careers became...
and was a presenter of the 2009 MTV Movie Awards
2009 MTV Movie Awards
The 2009 MTV Movie Awards were presented on Sunday, May 31, 2009, at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. Andy Samberg served as host for the 18th annual ceremony.- Performers :* Eminem — "We Made You" and "Crack a Bottle"...
.
In film, Wayne produced and composed music for and starred in the direct-to-video film Hurricane Season
Hurricane Season (film)
Hurricane Season is a sports drama film directed by Tim Story and starring Forest Whitaker, Taraji P. Henson, Lil Wayne, and Bow Wow. The screenplay was written by Robert Eisele and the film was produced by Raymond Brothers and Scott Glassgold...
. A documentary of Lil Wayne titled The Carter
The Carter
The Carter is a 2009 documentary film about Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., also known as Lil Wayne. The film was directed by Adam Bhala Lough. The Carter documents Lil Wayne in the period before and shortly after the release of Tha Carter III and was filmed between 2007-2008...
was released at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
.
Family
Lil Wayne has four children. His first child, daughter Reginae, was born when he was 15, to his high school sweetheart Antonia "Toya" Carter (née Johnson). Wayne and Johnson married on Valentine's Day of 2004 and divorced in 2006. Internet rumours started circulating in August 2008 that Wayne's daughter had died in a car crash, which however he quickly cleared up as false saying "Please allow me to dispel any rumors or speculations and report that my daughter is alive, healthy and surrounded by family who care and love her dearly. The rumors are completely false and unfounded; neither Reginae nor any other member of my family has been involved in any car accident." His second child, Dwayne III, was then born on October 22, 2008 at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. His third child, Cameron Carter, was born to actress Lauren LondonLauren London
Lauren Nicole London is an American film and television actress, model, and occasional music video actress. Beginning her career in music videos and later transitioning into film and television, London earned recognition for her performances in the film ATL as well as the television shows 90210...
on September 9, 2009. He had his fourth child, Neal, on November 30, 2009 with singer Nivea
Nivea (singer)
Nivea B. Nash who performs under the mononym Nivea, is an American recording artist whose recordings reached the Billboard charts during the early 2000s. Nivea is known most for her singles "Don't Mess With My Man" and "Laundromat".-Early life:Hamilton was born in Savannah, Georgia, the youngest...
.
In a CBS interview with Katie Couric
Katie Couric
Katherine Anne "Katie" Couric is an American journalist and author. She serves as Special Correspondent for ABC News, contributing to ABC World News, Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, This Week and primetime news specials...
, Wayne described why he goes by the name of "Wayne" instead of his given name, Dwayne. Carter explained, "I dropped the D because I'm a junior and my father is living and he's not in my life and he's never been in my life. So I don't want to be Dwayne, I'd rather be Wayne". Couric asked Wayne if his father knew of this and Wayne replied with a smile, "He knows now".
Higher education
After earning his GEDGED
General Educational Development tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills...
, Wayne enrolled at the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
in January 2005. He dropped out in the same year due to his conflicting schedule. He also revealed on The View that he switched to the University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix
The University of Phoenix is a for-profit institution of higher learning. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Apollo Group Inc. which is publicly traded , an S&P 500 corporation based in Phoenix, Arizona...
and majored in psychology taking online courses. An article in Urb magazine in March 2007 asserted that Wayne had been earning high grades at Houston.
Sports and musical interests
In an interview with BlenderBlender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
magazine, Lil Wayne revealed one of his favorite bands from childhood to be rock group Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
, and cites them as a major influence in his music.
On September 24, 2008, Lil Wayne published his first blog for ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
in their issue, ESPN The Magazine
ESPN The Magazine
ESPN The Magazine is a bi-weekly sports magazine published by the ESPN sports network in Bristol, Connecticut in the United States. The first issue was published on March 11, 1998....
. Wayne revealed he was a fan of tennis, the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. To commemorate the Packers'
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
making it to Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in...
, he spoofed Wiz Khalifa
Wiz Khalifa
Cameron Jibril Thomaz , better known by the stage name Wiz Khalifa , is an American rapper. He released his debut album, Show and Prove, in 2006, and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 2007...
's hit song "Black and Yellow
Black and Yellow
"Black and Yellow" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa from his debut studio album, Rolling Papers. It was released on September 14, 2010 as the lead single from the album. The song was written by Wiz Khalifa, and StarGate, and it was produced by StarGate. It was released as a CD single in...
" (which were the colors of the Packers' opponents, the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
) in a song titled "Green and Yellow". Wayne has continued writing for ESPN, notably reporting at the ESPN Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
party.
Lil Wayne made his debut on ESPN's daily sports round table show Around The Horn on February 10, 2009.
At E3 2011, Lil Wayne, along with Young Money member Drake, appeared on the trailer of FIFA 12
FIFA 12
FIFA 12 is the nineteenth game in Electronic Arts' FIFA series of association football video games. It was developed by EA Canada, and published by Electronic Arts worldwide under the EA Sports label. David Rutter, the line producer for FIFA 12, promised "a revolutionary year for FIFA .....
.
Religion
Lil Wayne is a practicing ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, who takes time to read the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
regularly. While playing in Newark Symphony Hall
Newark Symphony Hall
Newark Symphony Hall at 1020 Broad Street in Newark, New Jerseywas built in 1925 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. It was known for many years as The Mosque Theater.-Design and construction:...
, Lil Wayne professed his belief "in God and His son, Jesus." He then asked the Newark crowd if they also believed, and they responded affirmatively with a roar.
According to his Rikers Island
Rikers Island
Rikers Island is New York City's main jail complex, as well as the name of the island on which it sits, in the East River between Queens and the mainland Bronx, adjacent to the runways of LaGuardia Airport. The island itself is part of the borough of the Bronx, though it is included as part of...
inmate ID and prison records, Wayne is specifically a Roman Catholic.
Philanthropy
On February 19, 2008, Lil Wayne and Cortez Bryant revisited their alma mater McMain Secondary School to get students to design an invitation to the gala introducing Lil Wayne's nonprofit One Family Foundation. The website Change.org states: "The mission of One Family Foundation, Inc. is to empower urban youth by engaging them in opportunities to cultivate their talents and skills, educating them to become productive and economically self-sufficient, and motivating them to dream beyond their circumstances."Public references by Barack Obama
Lil Wayne has been referenced in public speeches by President Barack ObamaBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
on at least two occasions, in mixed contexts. Speaking to a largely African-American audience during a general election campaign town hall speech
Town hall meeting
A town hall meeting is an American English term given to an informal public meeting. Everybody in a town community is invited to attend, not always to voice their opinions, but to hear the responses from public figures and elected officials about shared subjects of interest. Attendees rarely voted...
in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, then-U.S. Senator Obama exhorted children to stay in school and achieve their dreams through education and perseverance instead of hoping for shortcuts to fame and riches, stating: "You are probably not that good a rapper. Maybe you are the next Lil Wayne, but probably not, in which case you need to stay in school."
After assuming the Presidency, Obama later echoed this theme of personal and familial responsibility and the difficulty of achieving Lil Wayne's lyrical skills or success—during an address to a meeting commemorating the 100th anniversary of the NAACP, telling the audience:
Obama has also noted that the music on his iPod includes Lil Wayne:
Arrests and incarceration
On July 22, 2007, Lil Wayne was arrested in New York City following a performance at the Beacon Theatre; the New York City Police DepartmentNew York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
discovered Lil Wayne and another man smoking marijuana near a tour bus. After taking Lil Wayne into custody, police discovered a .40 caliber pistol on his person. The gun, which was registered to his manager, was in a bag located near the rapper. He was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and marijuana. On October 22, 2009, Lil Wayne pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon. He was due for sentencing in February 2010 and was expected to receive a one-year county jail sentence, but on February 9, 2010, Lil Wayne's attorney announced that the sentencing was delayed until March 2 due to dental surgery, which was performed on February 16. The surgery included eight root canals, the replacement of several tooth implants, as well as the addition of a few new implants and work on his remaining original teeth. On March 2, 2010, sentencing was postponed again when the courthouse reported a fire in the basement. On March 8, 2010, Lil Wayne was sentenced to a year in prison, which he served in Rikers Island
Rikers Island
Rikers Island is New York City's main jail complex, as well as the name of the island on which it sits, in the East River between Queens and the mainland Bronx, adjacent to the runways of LaGuardia Airport. The island itself is part of the borough of the Bronx, though it is included as part of...
. His lawyer said the rapper expected to be held in protective custody, separated from other prisoners. In May 2010 Wayne was found by Rikers Island correctional staff to be in possession of contraband (an MP3 player, charger, and headphones). In April 2010, Lil Wayne's friends created a website called Weezy Thanx You, which publishes letters written by Wayne in prison. In the first letter, titled "Gone 'til November", the rapper described his daily routine, saying he works out a lot, and reads the Bible every day. Wayne was released from Rikers Island prison facility on November 4, 2010 after serving eight months of his year-long sentence.
Following a performance at Qwest Arena
Qwest Arena
CenturyLink Arena Boise is a multi-purpose arena in Boise, Idaho. It holds 5,300 fans for ice hockey and basketball, 5,732 for end-stage concerts, 6,400 for boxing and up to 6,800 for center-stage concerts. It contains 4,508 permanent seats...
in Boise
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, Idaho, Lil Wayne was arrested October 5, 2007 on felony fugitive charges after Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
authorities accused the rapper of possessing a controlled substance. The incident was later described as a "mix-up" and the fugitive charges were dropped.
On January 23, 2008, Lil Wayne was arrested alongside two others. His tour bus was stopped by Border Patrol
United States Border Patrol
The United States Border Patrol is a federal law enforcement agency within U.S. Customs and Border Protection , a component of the Department of Homeland Security . It is an agency in the Department of Homeland Security that enforces laws and regulations for the admission of foreign-born persons to...
agents near Yuma
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
, Arizona. A K-9 Unit recovered 105 grams (3.7 oz) of marijuana, almost 29 grams (1 oz) of cocaine, 41 grams (1.4 oz) of MDMA, and $22,000 in cash. Lil Wayne was charged with four felonies: possession of narcotic drug for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was granted permission to travel outside of the state and remain out of custody on the $10,185 bond he posted. On May 6, 2008, Wayne returned to court in Arizona to plead not guilty to the charges. A bench warrant was issued on March 17, 2010 when Lil Wayne did not show for a final trial management conference. However, the rapper was already in prison, serving a year-long sentence in Rikers on weapons charges. On June 22, 2010 Wayne plead guilty to the charges. As part of the plea deal he may serve 36 months of probation. On June 30, 2010, he was sentenced to 3 years probation.
On December 18, 2009, Wayne and 11 others were detained at the Falfurrias
Falfurrias, Texas
Falfurrias is a city in and the county seat of Brooks County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,297 at the 2000 census. The town is named for founder Edward Cunningham Lasater's ranch, La Mota de Falfurrias. In 1893, the Falfurrias ranch was one of the largest in Texas at some 350,000...
, Texas border patrol checkpoint after an unknown amount of marijuana was found on two of his tour buses.
Lawsuits
On July 24, 2008, Abkco Music IncABKCO Records
ABKCO Music & Records, Inc. is a major independent record label, music publisher, and film and video production company. It owns and or administers the rights to music by Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, The Animals, Herman's Hermits, Marianne Faithfull, The Kinks as well as the Cameo Parkway label,...
filed a lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
against Lil Wayne for copyright infringement
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
and unfair competition
Trademark infringement
Trademark infringement is a violation of the exclusive rights attaching to a trademark without the authorization of the trademark owner or any licensees...
, specifically referring to Tha Carter III
Tha Carter III
Tha Carter III is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released June 10, 2008 on Cash Money Records. It follows a long string of mixtape releases and guest appearances on other hip hop and R&B artists records, helping to increase his exposure in the mainstream...
s track "Playing with Fire". In the lawsuit, Abkco claims that the song was obviously derived from The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
' "Play with Fire
Play with Fire (The Rolling Stones song)
"Play with Fire" is a song by English rock and roll band The Rolling Stones, originally released as B-side to the song "The Last Time". It was later included on the American release of their 1965 album Out of Our Heads....
", to which Abkco owns the rights. Subsequently, "Playing with Fire" was removed from the tracklist of Tha Carter III on all online music stores and replaced with the David Banner
David Banner
Lavell Crump , better known by his stage name David Banner, is an American rapper, record producer and occasional actor. Banner was born in Jackson, Mississippi and graduated from Southern University. He started his music career as a member of the rap duo, Crooked Lettaz before going solo in 2000...
produced track, "Pussy Monster".
In February 2009, production company RMF Productions filed a $1.3 million lawsuit against Wayne, following a $100,000 advance payment for three shows, all of which were cancelled by the artist.
On October 2009, Lil Wayne, Birdman, Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records is a record label founded by brothers Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Universal Republic Records as of 2011...
, and various music distribution outlets were sued for copyright infringement by Thomas Marasciullo, who claims his voice was used without permission. The rappers asked him to record some "Italian-styled spoken word recordings" in 2006. The lyrics were allegedly used on "Respect" and other tracks from the rappers' collaboration album Like Father, Like Son and Birdman's 5 * Stunna.
In March 2011, producer Deezle
Deezle
Darius Harrison, better known as Deezle, is an American record producer who was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is most known for co-producing Lil Wayne's hit single Lollipop alongside Jim Jonsin...
(Darius Harrison) sued Wayne and his parent labels Cash Money Records over unpaid royalties from Tha Carter III.
In May 2011, producer Bangladesh also filed a lawsuit against Weezy & Co. over unpaid royalties as well.
In early June 2011, another producer named David Kirkwood filed a lawsuit against Young Money Entertainment and Cash Money Records on claims that the labels have failed to pay him over $1.5 million in royalties and production services for his work on the album, also including his songwriting on "Love Me or Hate Me", a bonus song featured only on the deluxe edition of the album.
Also in June 2011, Dallas producers Play-N-Skillz
Play-N-Skillz
Play-N-Skillz are an American hip-hop electronic music record production duo from Irving, Texas, consisting of brothers Juan "Play" Salinas and Oscar "Skillz" Salinas, who are also rappers...
filed a lawsuit against him claiming Wayne owes them at least $1 million in unpaid royalties for "Got Money
Got Money
"Got Money" is the third single by American recording artist Lil Wayne's sixth studio album, Tha Carter III . The single features singer-songwriter T-Pain. Both T-Pain and Lil Wayne use the auto-tune effect in the song. The single was released as a digital download on iTunes on May 27, 2008...
" from his album Tha Carter III. The single has sold over 2 million copies since being released.
In July 2011, Done Deal Enterprises, a production company based in Georgia, filed suit against Wayne, Universal Music Group, Cash Money Records and Young Money Entertainment, claiming copyright infringement. The lawsuit alleges Wayne stole the song "BedRock", featured on the compilation album We Are Young Money, and seeks damages of $15 million.
50 Cent
After hearing word that Lil Wayne had written a diss song for him after 50 Cent50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
made some unkind remarks, 50 lashed out at Wayne first on August 17, 2007 with the song "Part Time Lover". Wayne never really responded to the song, although a 50 Cent diss track called "Louisianimal" did leak much later on November 17, 2008. 50 responded to Lil Wayne in January 2009 in a song entitled "Play This On The Radio". As of August 14, 2009, the controversy between 50 Cent and Lil Wayne seems to have ended after 50 Cent appeared and performed at Lil Wayne's America's Most Wanted Musical Festival stop in Anaheim, California.
Jay-Z
In early 2011, when Jay-ZJay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
& Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
's single "H•A•M
H•A•M
"H•A•M" is a song by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, released as the first single from their collaboration album Watch the Throne. It debuted at #23 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was released as a digital download on iTunes on January 11, 2011. It was produced by Lexus "Lex Luger" Lewis...
" was released, Jay-Z took shots at Lil Wayne's mentor Birdman, saying "Really, you got Baby money" and "[you] ain't got my lady's money!". On August 24 2011, a song called "It's Good
It's Good
"It's Good" is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne and features Canadian rapper Drake and American rapper Jadakiss. The song is the fourteenth track off Wayne's ninth studio album, Tha Carter IV.-Critical Reception:...
" by Lil Wayne (featuring Drake
Drake (entertainer)
Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
and Jadakiss
Jadakiss
Jason Phillips , better known as Jadakiss, is an American rapper. He is a member of the group The LOX. Jadakiss is one of the three owners of the imprint known as D-Block. In early 2007, Jadakiss signed to Roc-a-Fella Records / Def Jam Records.-Early life:By the age of 16, Jadakiss was a freestyle...
) was leaked online and included Lil Wayne responding "Talkin’ ‘bout baby money? I gotcha baby money. Kidnap your bitch, get that, How much you love your lady? money". Rapper Jadakiss
Jadakiss
Jason Phillips , better known as Jadakiss, is an American rapper. He is a member of the group The LOX. Jadakiss is one of the three owners of the imprint known as D-Block. In early 2007, Jadakiss signed to Roc-a-Fella Records / Def Jam Records.-Early life:By the age of 16, Jadakiss was a freestyle...
later absolved himself of involvement in any brewing beef on his official Twitter feed.
Discography
Solo Studio Albums- 1999: Tha Block Is HotTha Block Is HotTha Block Is Hot is the debut album by Lil Wayne, released November 2, 1999, on Cash Money Records.The album debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with 229,000 copies sold in its first week released. This was significant, as none of the other members of Hot Boys had released solo...
- 2000: Lights OutLights Out (Lil Wayne album)Lights Out is the second studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released December 19, 2000 on Cash Money Records.- Track listing :* All tracks produced by Mannie Fresh#"Watch Them People" - 0:34#"Get Off the Corner" - 4:45...
- 2002: 500 Degreez500 Degreez500 Degreez is the third studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released July 23, 2002 on Cash Money Records.The title of the album is a nod to fellow rapper Juvenile's album from four years earlier, 400 Degreez. The album peaked at number six on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and peaked at...
- 2004: Tha CarterTha CarterTha Carter is the fourth studio album and major-label debut by American rapper Lil Wayne, released June 29, 2004.- Background :The album was produced by Cash Money's former in-house producer, Mannie Fresh. This was the last album that feature longtime in-house producer Mannie Fresh before he split...
- 2005: Tha Carter IITha Carter IITha Carter II is the fifth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on December 6, 2005.- Critical reception :The album received general acclaim and was regarded as Lil Wayne's "Classic" and his best work to date.- Track listing :Notes...
- 2008: Tha Carter IIITha Carter IIITha Carter III is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released June 10, 2008 on Cash Money Records. It follows a long string of mixtape releases and guest appearances on other hip hop and R&B artists records, helping to increase his exposure in the mainstream...
- 2010: RebirthRebirth (Lil Wayne album)Rebirth is the seventh studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released February 2, 2010, on Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment and Universal Motown. Originally set to be released in early 2009 before several delays, the album was produced primarily by Cool & Dre, DJ Infamous, DJ...
- 2010: I Am Not a Human BeingI Am Not a Human BeingI Am Not a Human Being is the eighth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released digitally on September 27, 2010. Its physical version was released on October 12, 2010. It was recorded in 2010 prior to Wayne's nine-month prison term for criminal possession of a weapon...
- 2011: Tha Carter IVTha Carter IVTha Carter IV is the ninth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on August 29, 2011 through Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Republic Records...
- TBA: I Am Not a Human Being II
- TBA: Rebirth II
With The B.G.'z
The B.G.'z
The B.G.'z were an American teenage hip-hop duo from New Orleans, Louisiana, active from 1993 to 1997. The duo consisted of rappers Lil Wayne and B.G.. The two made up the youngest artists on Cash Money Records, Lil Wayne being 12 years old, and B.G. only 14 years old. In 1995, B.G...
- 1995: True Story
With Hot Boys
Hot Boys
The Hot Boys is a music American hip hop group active from 1996 to 2001 and reformed in 2007. The group consists of rappers formerly on the New Orleans-based record label, Cash Money Records. The members are Lil Wayne, Juvenile, B.G. and Turk.-History:The members of the group were rappers, Lil...
- 1997: Get It How U Live!Get It How U Live!Get It How U Live! is the debut album by New Orleans hip-hop group, the Hot Boys, released on October 28, 1997 on Cash Money Records. The album quickly sold over 300,000 copies, primarily in New Orleans following B.G.'s success. Although Get It How U Live! was considered a rap album, it managed to...
- 1999: Guerrilla WarfareGuerrilla Warfare (album)-Album chart positions:-Release history:...
- 2003: Let 'Em BurnLet 'Em BurnLet 'Em Burn is the third studio album by New Orleans rap group, Hot Boys, released March 25, 2003, on Cash Money Records. The album was originally recorded from 1998 to 2000, but wasn't released until 3 years later due to Juvenile, B.G. and Turk leaving Cash Money Records...
With Cash Money Millionaires
Cash Money Millionaires
Cash Money Millionaires was a group of Cash Money rappers from New Orleans, Louisiana formed in 1995 and broke up in 2001. The group consisted rappers Birdman, Juvenile, Lil Wayne, Mannie Fresh, B.G. and Young Turk....
- 2000: Baller Blockin'
- 2002: UndisputedUndisputed (soundtrack)Undisputed is the soundtrack to the 2002 action film, Undisputed. It was released on August 20, 2002 through Cash Money and featured mostly Southern rap...
With Birdman
- 2006: Like Father, Like Son
- TBA: Like Father, Like Son 2
With Young Money Entertainment
Young Money Entertainment
Young Money Entertainment is an American record label founded by rapper Lil Wayne. Young Money's president is Lil Wayne's lifelong friend Mack Maine. The label is an imprint of Cash Money Records and is distributed by Universal Republic Records...
- 2009: We Are Young Money
- 2012: YMCMB
With Juelz Santana
Juelz Santana
LaRon Louis James , better known by his stage name Juelz Santana, is an American rapper, producer, and actor. He appeared on Cam'ron's 2002 singles, "Oh Boy" and "Hey Ma"...
- 2012: I Can't Feel My Face
Extended Plays:
- 2007: The Leak
Mixtapes
- 2002: SQ1
- 2002: SQ2
- 2002: SQ3
- 2002: SQ4
- 2002: SQ5
- 2002: SQ6
- 2002: SQ7
- 2004: Da DroughtDa DroughtDa Drought is the 1st mixtape by New Orleans rapper Lil Wayne, distributed by Cash Money Records. - Track listing :#Intro#Da Drought#Cops Is Watchin’#Dat Boy Weezy#Won’t Fuck With Me#Raw Tunes#Drought Interlude#Pop Goes The Pussy#So Many Places...
- 2004: Da Drought 2
- 2004: The Prefix
- 2005: The Suffix
- 2006: Dedication
- 2006: Dedication 2Dedication 2Dedication 2 is a 2006 mixtape by DJ Drama and Lil Wayne. It is a sequel to Lil Wayne's previous mixtape, Dedication, and is second in DJ Drama's Gangsta Grillz series with Lil Wayne. It is one of the few mixtapes in the hip hop genre to be both financially successful and critically acclaimed...
- 2006: Blow
- 2007: Da Drought 3Da Drought 3- Background :This is the third in the trilogy of mixtapes in Da Drought series. Released in 2007, the mixtape was delayed slightly as a result of Wayne's last-minute decision to add songs to the album's second disc. The album is available as a free legal download. It contains mostly remixes of...
- 2008: Dedication 3Dedication 3Dedication 3 is a mixtape by DJ Drama and Lil Wayne. It is the sequel to its predecessors, Dedication and the highly successful Dedication 2, becoming the third in Lil Wayne's "Gangsta Grillz" trilogy. Lil Wayne also told MTV, "Tha Carter IV is nice but you need to be looking for Dedication 3"...
- 2009: No CeilingsNo CeilingsNo Ceilings is a mixtape by rap artist Lil Wayne. It was scheduled to be released on October 31, 2009, but was leaked before the official date. No Ceilings was officially released on October 31 , with 4 additional tracks. The mixtape is available as a free and legal download...
- 2011: Sorry 4 the WaitSorry 4 the WaitSorry 4 the Wait is a mixtape by rapper Lil Wayne, named "Sorry 4 the Wait" as an attempt to apologize for the continued delay of his senior album Tha Carter IV. Wayne said the mixtape would have about 10 songs and be similar to No Ceilings, with him using other artists' tracks and making a cover...
- TBA: Dedication 4
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 2000 | Baller Blockin' Baller Blockin' (film) Baller Blockin is a 2000 action and comedy film set in New Orleans 3rd Ward, specifically in and around the Magnolia Projects. A dramatic portrayal of the everyday trials and tribulations that arise on the hometown streets of the Cash Money Millionaires record label, New Orleans, Louisiana... |
Iceberg Shorty | Main Role |
| 2007 | Who's Your Caddy? Who's Your Caddy? Who's Your Caddy? is a 2007 comedy film directed by Don Michael Paul, and starring Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Andy Milonakis, Faizon Love, Terry Crews, Tony Cox, Jeffrey Jones, and Jesper Parnevik. It is the first film produced by Robert L. Johnson's Our Stories Films studio... |
Himself | Small Role |
| 2009 | The Carter The Carter The Carter is a 2009 documentary film about Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., also known as Lil Wayne. The film was directed by Adam Bhala Lough. The Carter documents Lil Wayne in the period before and shortly after the release of Tha Carter III and was filmed between 2007-2008... |
Himself | Documentary DVD, Main Role |
| 2010 | Hurricane Season Hurricane Season (film) Hurricane Season is a sports drama film directed by Tim Story and starring Forest Whitaker, Taraji P. Henson, Lil Wayne, and Bow Wow. The screenplay was written by Robert Eisele and the film was produced by Raymond Brothers and Scott Glassgold... |
Lamont Johnson | Small Role |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2007 | Access Granted Access Granted Access Granted is an American television series that features an in depth look at the planning and production of R&B and hip hop music videos. Each week, a different artist and their new music video are featured, with the video premiering at the end of the episode. The series began airing in 2001... |
Himself | |
| The Boondocks The Boondocks (TV series) The Boondocks is an American animated series created by Aaron McGruder on Cartoon Network's late night programing block, Adult Swim, based on McGruder's comic strip of the same name... |
|||
| 2009 | Nike Nike, Inc. Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area... Zoom VI LeBron James LeBron James LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a... "Chalk" |
Himself | Minor appearance |
| Gatorade Gatorade Gatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries... |
Himself | Narrator | |
| 1st and 10 | |||
| Around the Horn Around the Horn Around the Horn is a daily, half-hour sports roundtable on ESPN filmed in Washington, D.C. It airs at 5:00 pm ET, as part of a sports talk hour with Pardon the Interruption. The show is currently hosted by Tony Reali.-History:Around the Horn premiered on November 4, 2002, hosted by Max Kellerman... |
|||
| Behind The Music Behind the Music Behind the Music is a television series on VH1. It originally ran from 1997 to 2006, before it was stopped and only aired new episodes sporadically. The series places its generality on documentation of musical artists or groups who are interviewed and profiled, and discuss how their careers became... |
Himself | ||
| All Access With Katie Couric | Himself | ||
| The Mo'Nique Show The Mo'Nique Show The Mo'Nique Show is an American talk show hosted by comedienne actress Mo'Nique. Aired on BET, the series began October 5, 2009. She is the first African American woman to host her own late night show. The show's second and final season premiered on Monday, October 4, 2010.On July 18, 2011, BET... |
Himself | ||
| 2010 | Freaknik: The Musical Freaknik: The Musical Freaknik: The Musical is a musical special produced by T-Pain. It features the voice of T-Pain as the Ghost of Freaknik, as well as the voices of entertainers such as Lil Wayne, Young Cash, Snoop Dogg, Sophia Fresh, and Rick Ross, and comedians such as Andy Samberg and Charlie Murphy who provide... |
Trap Jesus | |
| 2010 | Saturday Night Live Saturday Night Live Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture... |
Himself | Performed alongside Eminem a medley of songs including "No Love" |