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Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining
Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Birdman" Williams. Distributed by Republic, formerly known as Universal Republic, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip h ...
as the youngest member of the label. From then on, Wayne was the flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...
artist of Cash Money Records before ending his association with the company in June 2018. Regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation by '' XXL'', he has often been cited as one of the greatest rappers of all time.
In 1995, Wayne was put in a duo with label-mate B.G. (at the time known as Lil Doogie) and they recorded an album, ''True Story'', released that year, although Wayne (at the time known as Baby D) only appeared on three tracks. Wayne and B.G. soon joined the southern hip hop
Southern hip hop, also known as Southern rap, South Coast hip hop, or dirty south, is a blanket term for a regional genre of American hip hop music that emerged in the Southern United States, especially in Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston, Memph ...
group Hot Boys
The Hot Boys (often styled as Hot Boy$) are an American hip hop group formed in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1997. The group is made up of B.G. (rapper), B.G., Lil Wayne, Juvenile (rapper), Juvenile and Turk (rapper), Turk.
The group was originally ...
, with Cash Money label-mates Juvenile
Juvenile may refer to:
*Juvenile status, or minor (law), prior to adulthood
*Juvenile (organism)
*Juvenile (rapper) (born 1975), American rapper
* ''Juvenile'' (2000 film), Japanese film
* ''Juvenile'' (2017 film)
*Juvenile (greyhounds), a greyho ...
and Turk
Turk or Turks may refer to:
Communities and ethnic groups
* Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic languages
* Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
* Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic o ...
in 1997; they released their debut album ''Get It How U Live!
''Get It How U Live!!'' is the debut album by New Orleans hip-hop group the Hot Boys, released on October 28, 1997, on Ca$h Money. The album sold over 400,000 copies, primarily in New Orleans following B.G.'s success. It peaked at No. 37 on t ...
'' in October that year. The Hot Boys became popular following the release of the album ''Guerrilla Warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or Irregular military, irregulars, use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, Raid (military), raids ...
'' (1999) and the song "Bling Bling
Bling-bling, often shortened to just bling, is "flashy jewelry worn especially as an indication of wealth or status; broadly: expensive and ostentatious possessions" such as grills and designer bags. The term arose as slang, but grew into a cu ...
".
Lil Wayne's solo debut album ''Tha Block Is Hot
''Tha Block Is Hot'' is the debut major label studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on November 2, 1999, by Universal Records and Baby's Cash Money Records. Recording sessions took place from 1997 to 1999, with the executive p ...
'' (1999) was his solo breakthrough, and he reached higher popularity with his fourth album ''Tha Carter
''Tha Carter'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on June 29, 2004, by Cash Money Records and Universal Records. The production on the album was mostly handled by Cash Money's former in-house producer Mannie ...
'' (2004) and fifth album ''Tha Carter II
''Tha Carter II'' is the fifth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on December 6, 2005, by Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment and Universal Records. Recording sessions took place from 2004 to 2005, with Birdman ...
'' (2005), as well as several mixtape
A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...
s and collaborations throughout 2006 and 2007. He gained more prominence within the music industry with his sixth album ''Tha Carter III
''Tha Carter III'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on June 10, 2008, by Cash Money, Universal Motown & Young Money Entertainment. It follows a long string of mixtape releases and guest appearances on other hip h ...
'' (2008), with first-week sales of over one million copies in the US. The album won the Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for Best Rap Album
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums with rapping at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in several categories ...
and included successful singles "A Milli
"A Milli", abbreviated occasionally as "Milli", is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne. The song was released February 13, 2008, as the second official single from his sixth album ''Tha Carter III''.
Background
The original version leaked earl ...
", "Got Money
"Got Money" is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne featuring fellow American rapper and singer T-Pain, released as the third single from the former's sixth studio album ''Tha Carter III'' (2008). Both artists use the Auto-Tune effect in the song ...
" (featuring T-Pain), and "Lollipop
A lollipop is a type of sugar candy usually consisting of hard candy mounted on a stick and intended for sucking or licking. Different informal terms are used in different places, including lolly, sucker, sticky-pop, etc. Lollipops are availa ...
" (featuring Static Major
Stephen Ellis Garrett (November 11, 1974 – February 25, 2008), known professionally as Static Major (and previously as Static), was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Louisville, Kentucky. He was a member of the R&B tri ...
)—the latter being his first single to reach number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
In February 2010, Wayne released his seventh studio album, ''Rebirth
Rebirth may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Film
* ''Rebirth'' (2011 film), a 2011 Japanese drama film
* ''Rebirth'' (2016 film), a 2016 American thriller film
* ''Rebirth'', a documentary film produced by Project Rebirth
* ''The Re ...
'', which experimented with rap rock
Rap rock is a fusion genre that fuses vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop with various forms of rock. Rap rock's most popular subgenres include rap metal and rapcore, which include heavy metal and hardcore punk-oriented influences, resp ...
and was met with generally negative reviews. A month later in March 2010, Lil Wayne began serving an 8-month jail sentence in New York after being convicted of criminal possession of a weapon stemming from an incident in July 2007. His eighth studio album ''I Am Not a Human Being
''I Am Not a Human Being'' is the eighth studio album by the American rapper Lil Wayne. It had a digital release on September 27, 2010, and on compact disc on October 12, 2010, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Motown. ...
'' (2010) was released during his incarceration, while his 2011 album ''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. Recording sessions for the album began in late 2008, short ...
'' was released following his release. ''Tha Carter IV'' sold 964,000 copies in its first week in the United States. His twelfth studio album ''Tha Carter V
''Tha Carter V'' is the twelfth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on September 28, 2018, by Young Money Entertainment and Republic Records. The album's features include Swizz Beatz, Kendrick Lamar, Sosamann, Lil Wayne's d ...
'' was released in 2018 after multiple delays. Wayne's thirteenth album, ''Funeral'', was released in early 2020.
Lil Wayne has sold over 120 million records worldwide, including more than 20 million albums and 70 million digital tracks in the United States, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists. He has won five Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
s, 11 BET Awards
The BET Awards is an American award show that was established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which are presented annua ...
, four ''Billboard'' Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Award
The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...
s and eight NAACP Image Awards
The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ( NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. Similar to ...
. On September 27, 2012, he became the first male artist to surpass Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
with the most entries on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, with 109 songs. Lil Wayne also currently serves as the chief executive officer
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
(CEO) of his own label, 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 and fellow rapper Mack Maine. The label was an imprint of Cash Money Records and is distributed by Republi ...
.
Early life
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. was born on September 27, 1982, and spent his first few years in the impoverished Hollygrove neighborhood ofUptown New Orleans
Uptown is a section of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, on the east bank of the Mississippi River, encompassing a number of neighborhoods (including the similarly-named and smaller Uptown area) between the French Quarter and the Jefferso ...
, Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
's 17th Ward. His mother, a cook, gave birth to him when she was 19 years old. His parents divorced when he was two and his father permanently abandoned the family. When CBS interviewer Katie Couric
Katherine Anne Couric ( ; born January 7, 1957) is an American journalist and presenter. She is founder of Katie Couric Media, a multimedia news and production company. She also publishes a daily newsletter, ''Wake Up Call''. From 2013 to 2017, ...
asked why he used the name Wayne instead of his given name, Carter explained that "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". Asked if his father knew of this, Carter replied, "He knows now". Carter has said that he considers his deceased stepfather Reginald "Rabbit" McDonald to be his real father. Carter has a tattoo dedicated to McDonald.
Carter was enrolled in the gifted program at Lafayette Elementary School. He later attended Eleanor McMain Secondary School
Eleanor Laura McMain Secondary School is a charter secondary school in Uptown New Orleans, Louisiana. It is operated by the Inspire Charter Network.
History
The school was named in honor of New Orleans social activist Eleanor McMain. It opened ...
for two years, where he was an honor student and a member of the drama club, playing the Tin Man in the school's production of ''The Wiz
''The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz"'' is a Musical theatre, musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls (and others) and book by William F. Brown (writer), William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's childr ...
''. After matriculating to Marion Abramson Senior High School
Marion Abramson Senior High was a high school in the New Orleans East area of New Orleans, United States.
Carter wrote his first rap song at age eight. In the summer of 1991, he met rapper and
Instead of a follow-up solo album, Carter began to reach his audience through a plethora of mixtapes and guest appearances on a variety of pop and hip hop singles. Of his many mixtapes, ''
In 2007, Carter stated that he would reunite with Hot Boys, with plans to release an album after B.G.'s solo album ''
Mary J. Blige 'Lives' Again On TV Soap; Plus Remy Ma, Lil Wayne, Nelly, Amy Winehouse, Scarlett Johansson, Zac Efron & More, In For The Record
MTV. Retrieved January 17, 2008. Instead, ''The Leak'' became an EP with five songs and was released digitally on December 25, 2007. ''
''Rap-Up''. Retrieved February 12, 2009. Birdman had previously stated that ''Tha Carter IV'' would be packaged with ''Rebirth'' as a double disc album. However, Carter denied this idea saying that "''Tha Carter IV'' deserves ''Tha Carter IV''", adding that ''
In July 2011, Carter confirmed in an interview with MTV that ''Tha Carter IV'' was finished, and was released on August 29, 2011. For preparation for ''Tha Carter IV'', Carter released a mixtape, ''
On February 10, 2014,
Carter has announced several possible upcoming projects, including a collaborative album entitled ''I Can't Feel My Face'' with Harlem-based rapper
Carter got his first tattoo at age 14 of his dad's name and his second was "Cash Money" across his stomach. His tattoos have grown to include a
;Studio albums
*''
Lil Wayne
on Spotify {{DEFAULTSORT:Lil Wayne Lil Wayne, 1982 births Living people 20th-century American rappers 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American rappers African-American business executives African-American businesspeople African-American male actors African-American male rappers African-American record producers American businesspeople convicted of crimes American chief executives American hip hop record producers American hip hop singers American male rappers American male television actors American music industry executives American people convicted of drug offenses American shooting survivors Bloods Businesspeople from New Orleans Cash Money Millionaires members Cash Money Records artists Gangsta rappers Grammy Award winners for rap music Hot Boys members Male actors from New Orleans People with epilepsy Pop rappers Record producers from Louisiana Rappers from New Orleans Recipients of American presidential pardons Republic Records artists Songwriters from Louisiana Southern hip hop musicians Trap musicians Universal Motown Records artists Universal Records artists University of Phoenix alumni World Music Awards winners Young Money Entertainment artists
Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Birdman" Williams. Distributed by Republic, formerly known as Universal Republic, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip h ...
co-founder Bryan "Baby" Williams (known currently as Birdman), who mentored him and encouraged his love of hip-hop; Birdman included Carter on several Cash Money tracks, and Carter would often record freestyle raps on Williams' answering machine.
In 1994, at age 12, Carter suffered a near-fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. At the time he said the injury was accidental. Decades later Carter claimed that it was an attempted suicide after he was told by his mother that he would have to end his rap-related associations. Carter credits off-duty police officer Robert Hoobler, who he calls "Uncle Bob", with saving his life by insisting the dying child be driven immediately to hospital in a police car rather than waiting for an ambulance to become available. Other accounts indicate that several officers played a part in deciding on and implementing that course of action.
Career
1997–1999: Career beginnings and Hot Boys
In 1997, Carter joined theHot Boys
The Hot Boys (often styled as Hot Boy$) are an American hip hop group formed in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1997. The group is made up of B.G. (rapper), B.G., Lil Wayne, Juvenile (rapper), Juvenile and Turk (rapper), Turk.
The group was originally ...
along with rappers Juvenile
Juvenile may refer to:
*Juvenile status, or minor (law), prior to adulthood
*Juvenile (organism)
*Juvenile (rapper) (born 1975), American rapper
* ''Juvenile'' (2000 film), Japanese film
* ''Juvenile'' (2017 film)
*Juvenile (greyhounds), a greyho ...
, B.G., and Turk
Turk or Turks may refer to:
Communities and ethnic groups
* Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic languages
* Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
* Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic o ...
. At age 14, Carter was the youngest member at the 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 is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or Irregular military, irregulars, use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, Raid (military), raids ...
'', which reached No. 1 on the ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...
chart and No. 5 on the ''Billboard'' 200. During their career, the Hot Boys had two charting singles, "We on Fire
"We on Fire" is the lead single from The Hot Boys' album '' Guerrilla Warfare''. The songs are in the form of continued questions starting with "What kind of nigga..." (In the edited version, it's "What kind of boy...").
The music video for th ...
" from ''Get It How U Live!'' and "I Need a Hot Girl
"I Need a Hot Girl" is a song by New Orleans hip-hop group, the Hot Boys. The single was featured on their album '' Guerrilla Warfare''. The song, as well as the entire album, was produced by Mannie Fresh. "I Need a Hot Girl" was written by Lil ...
" from ''Guerrilla Warfare''. Carter was also featured on Juvenile's single "Back That Azz Up
"Back That Thang Up" (or the uncensored version "Back That Azz Up") is a song recorded by American rapper Juvenile featuring fellow American rappers Mannie Fresh and Lil Wayne. Produced by Fresh, it was released on June 11, 1999, as the second ...
", 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.
1999–2004: ''Tha Block Is Hot'', ''Lights Out'', and ''500 Degreez''
Carter's debut solo album, ''Tha Block Is Hot
''Tha Block Is Hot'' is the debut major label studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on November 2, 1999, by Universal Records and Baby's Cash Money Records. Recording sessions took place from 1997 to 1999, with the executive p ...
'', was released when he was 17 and featured significant contributions from the Hot Boys
The Hot Boys (often styled as Hot Boy$) are an American hip hop group formed in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1997. The group is made up of B.G. (rapper), B.G., Lil Wayne, Juvenile (rapper), Juvenile and Turk (rapper), Turk.
The group was originally ...
. It debuted at number 3 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was later certified platinum by the RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
less than two months after its release. The album earned Carter a 1999 ''Source
Source may refer to:
Research
* Historical document
* Historical source
* Source (intelligence) or sub source, typically a confidential provider of non open-source intelligence
* Source (journalism), a person, publication, publishing institute o ...
'' magazine nomination for "Best New Artist", and also became a Top Ten hit. The lead single was "Tha Block Is Hot
''Tha Block Is Hot'' is the debut major label studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on November 2, 1999, by Universal Records and Baby's Cash Money Records. Recording sessions took place from 1997 to 1999, with the executive p ...
". After the release of ''Tha Block Is Hot'', Carter was featured on the single "Bling Bling
Bling-bling, often shortened to just bling, is "flashy jewelry worn especially as an indication of wealth or status; broadly: expensive and ostentatious possessions" such as grills and designer bags. The term arose as slang, but grew into a cu ...
", with B.G., Juvenile, and Big Tymers. Carter's verse appeared only on the radio version of the song, while on the album version he performed on the chorus.
His second album, '' Lights Out'', was released in 2000, and failed to attain the level of success achieved by his debut but was certified gold by RIAA. Critics noted 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 its lyrical content and style. The second single, which received less attention, was "Shine" featuring the Hot Boys. Near the release of ''Lights Out'', Carter was featured on the single, "Number One Stunna
"#1 Stunna" is the second official single by the Big Tymers, from their third studio album, ''I Got That Work''. The single was featured in the 2000 in film, 2000 stand-up comedy film, ''The Original Kings of Comedy'', and its stars Steve Harvey ...
" with Big Tymers
Big Tymers (stylized as Big Tymer$) was an American musical duo active from 1997 to 2005 and again in 2018-2018 from New Orleans, Louisiana consisting of Cash Money Records co-founder Birdman (rapper), Baby and former Cash Money in-house record ...
and Juvenile, which peaked at number 24 on the Hot Rap Tracks
Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) 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 statio ...
chart.
Carter's third album, ''500 Degreez
''500 Degreez'' is the third studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on July 23, 2002, by Cash Money Records and Universal Records. The album's title was inspired by the album '' 400 Degreez'' (1998), by fellow rapper and lab ...
'', was released in 2002. It followed the format of his previous two, with significant contributions from the Hot Boys and Mannie Fresh
Byron Otto Thomas (born March 20, 1969), better known by his stage name Mannie Fresh, is an American music producer and rapper. He's best known for his productions on Cash Money Records releases, as well being half of the hip hop duo (alongside ...
. While being certified gold like its predecessor, it also 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'' is the third studio album by American rapper Juvenile. The album was released on November 3, 1998, on Universal Records and Baby's Cash Money Records. It remains Juvenile's best-selling album of his solo career. The album was cert ...
''. The lead single was "Way of Life" which failed to match the success of his previous singles. After the release of ''500 Degreez'', Carter was featured on the single "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 song is a trio but the video was released by the group as a duo, afte ...
" by 3LW
3LW (initialism of "3 Lil Women") was an American girl group formed in 1999 by Adrienne Bailon, Kiely Williams, and Naturi Naughton. Jessica Benson later replaced Naughton after she left the group in 2002. 3LW was signed to the label Epic Recor ...
.
2004–2006: ''Tha Carter'', ''Tha Carter II'', and ''Like Father, Like Son''
In the summer of 2004, Carter's fourth studio album, ''Tha Carter
''Tha Carter'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on June 29, 2004, by Cash Money Records and Universal Records. The production on the album was mostly handled by Cash Money's former in-house producer Mannie ...
'', 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, also known as locs or dreads, are rope-like strands of hair formed by locking or braiding hair.
Origins
Some of the earliest depictions of dreadlocks date back as far as 1600–1500 BCE in the Minoan Civilization, one of Europe' ...
. ''Tha Carter'' gained Wayne significant recognition, selling 878,000 copies in the United States, while the single "Go DJ
"Go D.J." is the second single from Lil Wayne's fourth studio album, '' Tha Carter''. The single's famous drum beat is produced by DJ Mannie Fresh, who also provides vocals in the song.
The lyrics to the song are both written and performed by Li ...
" 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
Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final line-up comprised Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Houston, Texas. After years of limited ...
's single "Soldier
A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a conscripted or volunteer enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, or an officer.
Etymology
The word ''soldier'' derives from the Middle English word , from Old French ...
" with T.I., which peaked at number 3 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
charts.
''Tha Carter II
''Tha Carter II'' is the fifth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on December 6, 2005, by Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment and Universal Records. Recording sessions took place from 2004 to 2005, with Birdman ...
'', 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 is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Birdman" Williams. Distributed by Republic, formerly known as Universal Republic, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip h ...
producer Mannie Fresh
Byron Otto Thomas (born March 20, 1969), better known by his stage name Mannie Fresh, is an American music producer and rapper. He's best known for his productions on Cash Money Records releases, as well being half of the hip hop duo (alongside ...
, who had left the label. ''Tha Carter II'' sold more than 238,000 copies in its first week of release, debuting at number 2 on the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart, and went on to sell 2,000,000 copies worldwide. The lead single "Fireman
A firefighter is a first responder and rescuer extensively trained in firefighting, primarily to extinguish hazardous fires that threaten life, property, and the environment as well as to rescue people and in some cases or jurisdictions also a ...
" became a hit in the US, peaking at 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Other singles included "Grown Man" with Currensy
Shante Scott Franklin (born April 4, 1981), better known by his stage name Currensy (often stylized as Curren$y), is an American rapper. In 2011, he founded the label Jet Life Recordings.
Music career
2002–2008: No Limit and Young Money ...
, "Hustler Musik
"Hustler Musik" is the second single from Lil Wayne's 2005 album ''Tha Carter II''. Although popular, it failed to live up on the ''Billboard'' chart to other singles put out by Lil Wayne. The song received airplay on East Coast radio stations a ...
", and "Shooter
Shooting is the act or process of discharging a projectile from a ranged weapon (such as a gun, Bow and arrow, bow, crossbow, slingshot, or Blowgun, blowpipe). Even the acts of launching Flamethrower, flame, artillery, Dart (missile), darts, ha ...
" with R&B singer Robin Thicke
Robin Alan Thicke (born March 10, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his 2013 hit single " Blurred Lines", which is one of the best-selling singles of all time. At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, h ...
. Carter also appeared on a remix of Bobby V
Bobby Marcel Wilson (born February 27, 1980), better known by his stage name Bobby V (also known as Bobby Valentino), is an American R&B singer. He was first a member of the R&B group Mista in 1994, before signing to rapper Ludacris through h ...
alentino's "Tell Me Tell Me may refer to:
* '' Tell Me...'', a 1979 album by Jimmy Knepper
* Tell me (advertisement), a 2005 Chinese-language newspaper ad calling for universal suffrage in Hong Kong
* ''Tell Me'' (TV series), a 2019 South Korean quiz show
* Tellme ...
", which rose to number 13 on the U.S. R&B Charts. In 2005, Carter was named president of Cash Money, and in the same year he founded 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 and fellow rapper Mack Maine. The label was an imprint of Cash Money Records and is distributed by Republi ...
as an imprint of Cash Money. However, as of late 2007, Carter reported having stepped down from the management of both labels and had handed management of Young Money over to Cortez Bryant.
In 2006, Carter collaborated with Birdman for the album '' Like Father, Like Son'', whose first single "Stuntin' Like My Daddy
"Stuntin' Like My Daddy" is the first single from Birdman and Lil Wayne's album, '' Like Father, Like Son''. It peaked at number twenty-one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United States, won the 2007 BET Viewer's Choice Award, and was named ...
", reached number 21 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
2006–2007: Mixtapes and collaborations
Instead of a follow-up solo album, Carter began to reach his audience through a plethora of mixtapes and guest appearances on a variety of pop and hip hop singles. Of his many mixtapes, ''Dedication 2
''Dedication 2'' is the fifth mixtape by Lil Wayne, hosted by DJ Drama. It is a sequel to Lil Wayne's previous mixtape, '' The Dedication'', and is second in DJ Drama's '' Gangsta Grillz'' series with Lil Wayne. It is one of the few mixtapes in ...
'' and ''Da Drought 3
''Da Drought 3'' is the sixth mixtape by Lil Wayne, released on April 13, 2007.
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-minu ...
'' received the most media exposure and critical review. ''Dedication 2'', released in 2006, paired Carter with DJ Drama and contained the acclaimed socially conscious track "Georgia Bush", in which Carter critiqued former US president George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
's response to the effects of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
on the city of New Orleans. ''Da Drought 3'' was released the following year and was available for free legal download. It contained Carter rapping over a variety of beats from recent hits by other musicians. A number of prominent hip hop magazines such as '' XXL'' and ''Vibe
''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down productio ...
'' covered the mixtape. Christian Hoard of ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' magazine considered the mixtapes ''Da Drought 3
''Da Drought 3'' is the sixth mixtape by Lil Wayne, released on April 13, 2007.
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-minu ...
'' and ''The Drought Is Over 2 (The Carter 3 Sessions)
''Tha Carter III'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on June 10, 2008, by Cash Money, Universal Motown & Young Money Entertainment. It follows a long string of mixtape releases and guest appearances on other hip h ...
'' "among the best albums of 2007".
Despite no album release for two years, Carter appeared in numerous singles as a featured performer, including "Gimme That
"Gimme That" is a song written by Scott Storch and Sean Garrett and recorded by American singer Chris Brown for his eponymous debut album. The official remix, featuring American rapper Lil Wayne, was released as the third single from the album i ...
" by Chris Brown
Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...
, " Make It Rain" by Fat Joe
Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper from New York City. He began his music career as a member of hip hop group Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.), then forged a sol ...
, "You
In Modern English, ''you'' is the second-person pronoun. It is grammatically plural, and was historically used only for the dative case, but in most modern dialects is used for all cases and numbers.
History
''You'' comes from the Proto- ...
" by Lloyd
Lloyd, Lloyd's, or Lloyds may refer to:
People
* Lloyd (name), a variation of the Welsh word ' or ', which means "grey" or "brown"
** List of people with given name Lloyd
** List of people with surname Lloyd
* Lloyd (singer) (born 1986), American ...
, and "We Takin' Over
"We Takin' Over" is the first single from DJ Khaled's second album, ''We the Best''. Akon, T.I., Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Birdman and Lil Wayne are all featured on this hip hop track. Nate "Danja" Hills assisted the artists in writing the song and ...
" by DJ Khaled
Khaled Mohammed Khaled (born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper.
Khaled first gained recognition as a radio host in the 1990s on the radio station WEDR, 99 Ja ...
(also featuring Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (; born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles P) ...
, T.I., Rick Ross
William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper.
Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
, Fat Joe, and Birdman), "Duffle Bag Boy
"Duffle Bag Boy" is the debut single by American hip hop duo Playaz Circle featuring Lil Wayne, released as the lead single from the former's debut album, '' Supply & Demand'' (2007). The song was produced by M16 and Liam Kantwill. The song peak ...
" by Playaz Circle
Playaz Circle is an American hip hop duo signed to the Def Jam Recordings record label, composed of rappers 2 Chainz and Dolla Boy.
History 1997–2010: Beginnings and debut album
The duo was formed in 1997 by childhood friends Tity Boi (late ...
, "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)
"Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" is the lead single from Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean's sixth studio album, '' Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant''. The R&B and hip hop song features vocals from Niia and Akon, as well as rapper Lil Wayne. Veriz ...
" by Wyclef Jean
Nel Ust Wyclef Jean (; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, musician, and actor. At the age of nine, Jean immigrated to the United States with his family. He first achieved fame as a member of the New Jersey hip hop group the Fugees, a ...
(also featuring Akon), and the remix to "I'm So Hood
"I'm So Hood" is a song by American musician DJ Khaled's featuring American rappers T-Pain, Trick Daddy, Rick Ross, and Plies, released as the second single from the former's second studio album ''We the Best'' (2007). "I'm So Hood" is one of ...
" by DJ Khaled
Khaled Mohammed Khaled (born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record executive, record producer and rapper.
Khaled first gained recognition as a radio host in the 1990s on the radio station WEDR, 99 Ja ...
(also featuring T-Pain, Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. Signing to Def Jam Recordings in 2004, his major label debut, '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'', was released the followin ...
, Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive.
Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...
, Busta Rhymes
Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after NFL and CFL wide receiver ...
, Big Boi
Antwan André Patton (born February 1, 1975), better known by his stage name Big Boi, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is best known for being a member of the southern hip hop duo Outkast alongside André 3000. ...
, Fat Joe, Birdman, and Rick Ross). All these singles charted within the top 20 spots on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
, Hot Rap Tracks, and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
charts. On Birdman's 2007 album, '' 5 * Stunna'', Carter appeared on the singles "100 Million
"100 Million" is the second single from Birdman's third studio album, '' 5 * Stunna''. The track features Young Jeezy, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne, and was produced by Cool & Dre. Dre performs the chorus and DJ Khaled performs the intro and outro, but ...
" and "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. BET's ''106 & Park'' premier ...
" among several other tracks. Carter also appeared on tracks from albums ''Getback
''Getback'' is the third studio album from Little Brother, released on October 23, 2007. Eleven days prior, Phonte leaked the album himself to Okayplayer.com
Details
The group has confirmed the involvement of several outside producers, in addi ...
'' by Little Brother, '' American Gangster'' by Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
, and ''Graduation
Graduation is the awarding of a diploma to a student by an educational institution. It may also refer to the ceremony that is associated with it. The date of the graduation ceremony is often called graduation day. The graduation ceremony is a ...
'' by Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
and ''Insomniac
Insomniac or The Insomniac may refer to:
* A person who has insomnia
Music
* ''Insomniac'' (Green Day album), 1995
* ''Insomniac'' (Enrique Iglesias album), 2007
* "Insomniac" (song), a 1994 song by Echobelly
* "Insomniac", a song by Billy P ...
'' by Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler (; (born 8 May 1975) is a Spanish singer and songwriter. He started his recording career in the mid-1990s on the Mexican indie label Fonovisa and became the bestselling Spanish-language act of the decade. By the ...
. "Make it Rain", a Scott Storch
Scott Spencer Storch (born December 16, 1973) is an American record producer and songwriter. He started off as a keyboardist for the group the Roots.
Early life
Storch was born on Long Island, New York. He was raised in South Florida and Phila ...
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
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.
The award was discontinue ...
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" is the lead single by rap artist Jay-Z from his album '' Kingdom Come''.
Song information
It is the first single from his "comeback" album '' Kingdom Come''. It was produced by Just Blaze.
The song samples " Show 'Em ...
") from ''Da Drought 3''. 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.
2007–2010: ''Tha Carter III'', ''We Are Young Money'', and ''Rebirth''
In 2007, Carter stated that he would reunite with Hot Boys, with plans to release an album after B.G.'s solo album ''Too Hood to Be Hollywood
''Too Hood 2 Be Hollywood'' is the tenth studio album by rapper B.G. The album was released on December 8, 2009 after numerous push backs. The single "Ya Heard Me" marked the first time Lil Wayne and Juvenile had collaborated on a track in eigh ...
'' was completed. ''Tha Carter III
''Tha Carter III'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on June 10, 2008, by Cash Money, Universal Motown & Young Money Entertainment. It follows a long string of mixtape releases and guest appearances on other hip h ...
'' was originally scheduled to be released in 2007, but it was delayed after several recordings were leaked and distributed through mixtapes, including ''The Drought Is Over Pt. 2'' and ''The Drought Is Over Pt. 4''. Lil Wayne initially planned to release ''The Leak'', a separate album with leaked songs and four additional tracks, on December 18, 2007, with ''Tha Carter III'' delayed to March 18, 2008.MTV News Staff (January 17, 2008)Mary J. Blige 'Lives' Again On TV Soap; Plus Remy Ma, Lil Wayne, Nelly, Amy Winehouse, Scarlett Johansson, Zac Efron & More, In For The Record
MTV. Retrieved January 17, 2008. Instead, ''The Leak'' became an EP with five songs and was released digitally on December 25, 2007. ''
Tha Carter III
''Tha Carter III'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on June 10, 2008, by Cash Money, Universal Motown & Young Money Entertainment. It follows a long string of mixtape releases and guest appearances on other hip h ...
'' was released on June 10, 2008, with first-week sales of over 1 million copies, the first to do so since 50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
's ''The Massacre
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' (2005). The album's first single "Lollipop
A lollipop is a type of sugar candy usually consisting of hard candy mounted on a stick and intended for sucking or licking. Different informal terms are used in different places, including lolly, sucker, sticky-pop, etc. Lollipops are availa ...
", featuring Static Major
Stephen Ellis Garrett (November 11, 1974 – February 25, 2008), known professionally as Static Major (and previously as Static), was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Louisville, Kentucky. He was a member of the R&B tri ...
, became the Carter's most successful song at the time, topping the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and becoming his first top 10 single as a solo artist and his first number one on the chart. The third single "Got Money
"Got Money" is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne featuring fellow American rapper and singer T-Pain, released as the third single from the former's sixth studio album ''Tha Carter III'' (2008). Both artists use the Auto-Tune effect in the song ...
", featuring T-Pain, peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 100. ''Tha Carter III'' went on to win four Grammy Awards, including best rap album and best rap song, which he won for "Lollipop". On July 14, 2008, the Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
certified ''Tha Carter III'' two times platinum. In October 2008, Lil Wayne announced plans to MTV News to re-release the album with new tracks, including a duet with Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive.
Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...
and remixes of "A Milli".
Carter also appeared on R&B singles "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 and Lil Wayne, along with Eric Barrier and William Griffin. The song was produced by his production team, Big Ree ...
" by Lloyd, " Love In This Club, Part II" by Usher
Usher may refer to:
Several jobs which originally involved directing people and ensuring people are in the correct place:
* Usher (occupation)
** Church usher
** Wedding usher, one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony
** Fiel ...
, " Official Girl" by Cassie
Cassie is a feminine given name and a short form of various other given names mostly used in English-speaking countries. It is more rarely a surname. People and fictional characters named Cassie include:
People with the name Given name or nickna ...
, "I'm So Paid
"I'm So Paid" is the second single from American singer Akon's third studio album, '' Freedom''. The song features additional vocals from rappers Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy, and was released as a digital download worldwide and a physical single in ...
" by Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam (; born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon, is a Senegalese-American singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of " Locked Up" (featuring Styles P) ...
, " Turnin' Me On" by Keri Hilson
Keri Lynn Hilson (born December 5, 1982) is an American R&B singer, songwriter and actress. She was born and raised in Decatur, Georgia and spent most of her youth working with producer Anthony Dent as a songwriter and background vocalist for ...
, and " Can't Believe It" by T-Pain; rap singles "My Life My Life may refer to:
Autobiographies
* ''Mein Leben'' (Wagner) (''My Life''), by Richard Wagner, 1870
* ''My Life'' (Clinton autobiography), by Bill Clinton, 2004
* ''My Life'' (Meir autobiography), by Golda Meir, 1973
* ''My Life'' (Mosley a ...
" by The Game, "Shawty Say" by David Banner
Lavell William Crump (born April 11, 1974), better known by his stage name David Banner, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor.
Born in Brookhaven, Mississippi, Banner's family moved to Jackson, Mississippi, where he was raised. Ban ...
, "Swagga Like Us
"Swagga Like Us" is a song by American hip hop recording artists Jay-Z and T.I. The song features guest verses from fellow American rappers Lil Wayne and Kanye West, the latter of whom also produced the song, constructing primarily around a ...
" by T.I., "Cutty Buddy" by Mike Jones, All My Life (In the Ghetto) by Jay Rock
Johnny Reed McKinzie Jr. (born March 31, 1983), better known by his stage name Jay Rock, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter from Los Angeles. He signed to indie label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), in 2005. Under TDE, Rock secured a rec ...
and the remix to "Certified" by Glasses Malone
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. Malone was a Crip gang member as a teenager, and got into street racing after brea ...
; and pop single " Let It Rock" by new Cash Money artist Kevin Rudolf
Kevin Winston Rudolf (born February 17, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, rapper, and multi-instrumentalist from New York City, New York. He is best known for his 2008 single " Let It Rock".
Early life
Kevin Winston Rud ...
.
In 2008, Carter performed at the Voodoo Experience
The Voodoo Music + Arts Experience (formerly The Voodoo Music Experience), commonly referred to as Voodoo or Voodoo Fest, is a multi-day music and arts festival held in City Park in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The Voodoo Experience has hosted more t ...
in October in New Orleans, which was described by Jonathan Cohen of ''Billboard'' as his biggest hometown headlining set of his career. He also performed at the Virgin Mobile Music Fest with Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
, where they performed the remix of "Lollipop" and lip-synced to Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
's "I Will Always Love You
"I Will Always Love You" is a song written and originally recorded in 1973 by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. Written as a farewell to her business partner and mentor Porter Wagoner, expressing Parton's decision to pursue a solo career, ...
". Lil Wayne also performed at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2008 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 7, 2008, live from Paramount Pictures Studios (which, like MTV, is owned by Viacom), honoring the best music videos from the previous year. Nominations for a majority of the categories were a ...
with Kid Rock
Robert James Ritchie (born January 17, 1971), known professionally as Kid Rock (also known as Bobby Shazam), is an American singer, songwriter and rapper. His style alternates between rock, hip hop, country, and metal. A self-taught musician, ...
(" All Summer Long"), Leona Lewis
Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is a British singer, songwriter, actress and activist. Born and raised in the London Borough of Islington, she attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieved nationa ...
("DontGetIt (Misunderstood)") and T-Pain ("Got Money
"Got Money" is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne featuring fellow American rapper and singer T-Pain, released as the third single from the former's sixth studio album ''Tha Carter III'' (2008). Both artists use the Auto-Tune effect in the song ...
") and performed "Lollipop" and "Got Money" on the season premiere of ''Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...
''. He later performed at the homecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States, Canada and Liberia.
...
rally at Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...
and the 2008 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; it was held on November 12, 2006 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, and w ...
, where he received 12 nominations. He won eight awards at the BET Hip Hop Awards, one of which included the "MVP" title. After M.I.A. dropped out of performing on the I Am Music Tour
The I Am Music Tour, was a concert tour headlined by American rapper Lil Wayne. The tour was following his Grammy Award-winning album ''Tha Carter III''.
The tour concluded with America's Most Wanted Tour featured Wayne's record label, Young M ...
due to her pregnancy, Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
performed "Mr. Carter" with Lil Wayne at select shows.
Following ''Tha Carter III'' achievement of selling over 3 million copies, becoming 2008's best-selling record, Carter re-signed with Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Birdman" Williams. Distributed by Republic, formerly known as Universal Republic, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip h ...
for a multi-album deal.
On November 11, 2008, Carter became the first hip hop act to perform at the Country Music Association Awards
The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards or CMAs, are presented to country music artists and broadcasters to recognize outstanding achievement in the country music industry. The televised annual presentation ceremony f ...
, playing " All Summer Long" alongside Kid Rock
Robert James Ritchie (born January 17, 1971), known professionally as Kid Rock (also known as Bobby Shazam), is an American singer, songwriter and rapper. His style alternates between rock, hip hop, country, and metal. A self-taught musician, ...
, in which Carter inaudibly strummed guitar strings alongside the guitarist in Kid Rock's band. Shortly after, Wayne was nominated for eight Grammys
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
– the most for any artist nominated that year. He was then named the first MTV Man of the Year at the end of 2008. He won the 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.
In 2003, this award was split into separate awa ...
for "A Milli
"A Milli", abbreviated occasionally as "Milli", is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne. The song was released February 13, 2008, as the second official single from his sixth album ''Tha Carter III''.
Background
The original version leaked earl ...
", 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.
The award was discontinue ...
for his appearance in T.I.'s single "Swagga Like Us
"Swagga Like Us" is a song by American hip hop recording artists Jay-Z and T.I. The song features guest verses from fellow American rappers Lil Wayne and Kanye West, the latter of whom also produced the song, constructing primarily around a ...
", and Best Rap Song
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rap music genre. Honors in several ...
for "Lollipop". ''Tha Carter III'' won the award for Best Rap Album
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums with rapping at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in several categories ...
. MTV News listed Carter number two on their 2009 list of the Hottest MCs In The Game.
On January 6, 2009, Carter was a guest debater against Skip Bayless
Skip Bayless (born John Edward Bayless II) is an American sports columnist, commentator, and television personality. He is well-known for his work as a commentator on the ESPN2 show '' First Take'' with Stephen A. Smith, a show which he left ...
on the "1st & 10" segment of ''ESPN First Take
''First Take'' is an American sports talk television show on ESPN. Episodes air daily Monday through Friday, with the live episode airing from 10am ET until noon, with reruns from noon to 2pm ET on ESPN2 and from 2 to 4pm ET on ESPNews.
The sho ...
''. On February 10, 2009, he appeared on ESPN's Around the Horn
''Around the Horn'' (''ATH'') is an American sports Round table (discussion), roundtable discussion show, conducted in the style of a panel game, produced by ESPN. The show premiered on November 4, 2002, as a replacement for ''Unscripted with C ...
and beat out veterans Woody Paige
Woodrow Wilson Paige, Jr. (born June 27, 1946) is a sports columnist for '' The Gazette'', author, and a regular panelist on the ESPN sports- talk program ''Around the Horn''. He was a columnist for the ''Denver Post'' for 35 years, and co-host ...
, Jay Mariotti
Jay Mariotti (; born June 22, 1959) is an American sports journalist and commentator who currently hosts the sports-related podcast ''Unmuted''. He previously spent 17 years as a ''Chicago Sun-Times'' columnist and eight years as a regular pan ...
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
Katherine Anne Couric ( ; born January 7, 1957) is an American journalist and presenter. She is founder of Katie Couric Media, a multimedia news and production company. She also publishes a daily newsletter, ''Wake Up Call''. From 2013 to 2017, ...
. On February 7, 2009, he presented the Top Ten List on CBS's ''Late Show with David Letterman
The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the The Late Show (franchise), ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by ...
''. On April 24, 2009, he appeared on '' The View'', discussing his GED and addictions. In September 2009, Carter was profiled in an episode of VH1
VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Commun ...
's ''Behind the Music
''Behind the Music'' is a documentary television series on VH1. Each episode profiles and interviews a popular musical artist or group. The program examines the beginning of their career, their road to success, and the hardships they may have ...
'' and was a presenter of the 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, Carter produced and composed music for and starred in the direct-to-video film '' Hurricane Season''. A documentary of Carter, titled ''The Carter
''The Carter'' is a 2009 documentary film about the American hip hop recording artist Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr., better known as Lil Wayne. The film was directed by Adam Bhala Lough and produced by Joshua Krause and Quincy Jones III, and docu ...
'', was released at the Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,66 ...
.
On December 23, 2009, Carter released a collaboration album with Young Money, ''We Are Young Money
''We Are Young Money'' is the first compilation album by American hip hop record label Young Money Entertainment, and released on December 21, 2009 by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Motown Records. The album garnered ...
'', with its lead single being " Every Girl". The second single was "BedRock
In geology, bedrock is solid Rock (geology), rock that lies under loose material (regolith) within the crust (geology), crust of Earth or another terrestrial planet.
Definition
Bedrock is the solid rock that underlies looser surface mater ...
", featuring Lloyd
Lloyd, Lloyd's, or Lloyds may refer to:
People
* Lloyd (name), a variation of the Welsh word ' or ', which means "grey" or "brown"
** List of people with given name Lloyd
** List of people with surname Lloyd
* Lloyd (singer) (born 1986), American ...
, with the third being " Roger That". On May 24, 2010, the album was certified gold by the RIAA with over 500,000 copies sold. Carter is featured on the song, "Revolver
A revolver (also called a wheel gun) is a repeating handgun that has at least one barrel and uses a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold up to six roun ...
", with Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
for her greatest hits album, ''Celebration
Celebration or Celebrations may refer to:
Film, television and theatre
* ''Celebration'' (musical), by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, 1969
* ''Celebration'' (play), by Harold Pinter, 2000
* ''Celebration'' (TV series), a Canadian music TV serie ...
'' (2009). He was also featured on a Weezer
Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Scott Shriner (bass guitar, keyboards, backing v ...
song, "Can't Stop Partying", on ''Raditude
''Raditude'' is the seventh studio album by American rock band Weezer, released on October 30, 2009 and is their final album on DGC Records, Geffen Records and Interscope Records. The title of the album was suggested to Weezer vocalist Rivers Cuo ...
'' (2009). In late 2008, Carter announced plans to reissue ''Tha Carter III'' with leftover recordings, and was to be titled ''Rebirth'', originally scheduled to be released on April 7, 2009, before being delayed several times. ''Rebirth
Rebirth may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Film
* ''Rebirth'' (2011 film), a 2011 Japanese drama film
* ''Rebirth'' (2016 film), a 2016 American thriller film
* ''Rebirth'', a documentary film produced by Project Rebirth
* ''The Re ...
'' instead became his sixth solo album, released on February 2, 2010.
To support its release and that of ''We Are Young Money'', Carter was featured on the cover of ''Rolling Stone'' and headlined the 'Young Money Presents: America's Most Wanted Music Festival', a United States and Canada–only concert tour which began on July 29, 2009. "Prom Queen
A promenade dance, commonly called a prom, is a dance party for high school students. It may be offered in semi-formal black tie or informal suit for boys, and evening gowns for girls. This event is typically held near the end of the school year ...
", the first official single, debuted on January 27, 2009, immediately after a live Internet broadcast on Ustream
IBM Watson Media (formerly Ustream and IBM Cloud Video) is an American virtual events platform company which is a division of IBM. Prior to IBM acquisition, it had more than 180 employees across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Budapest offices. ...
of his concert in San Diego. It peaked at number 15 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 charts. On December 3, 2009, the second single, " On Fire", produced by Cool & Dre
Cool & Dre are a record production and songwriting duo from North Miami, Florida, consisting of Marcello "Cool" Antonio Valenzano and Andre "Dre" Christopher Lyon. The duo are best known for their work with Terror Squad founder Fat Joe, first ...
"On Fire" peaked at number 33 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 charts. "Drop the World
"Drop the World" is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne, featuring fellow American rapper Eminem. It was the third single released from Lil Wayne's seventh studio album, ''Rebirth'' (2010). The song was released on iTunes on December 28, 2009. Lil ...
", which features Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
, was the third single from the ''Rebirth''.
2010–2013: ''I Am Not a Human Being'' series and ''Tha Carter IV''
In an interview on MTV's Mixtape Monday, Carter asserted the possibility of ''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. Recording sessions for the album began in late 2008, short ...
''. He later announced that it would be released in late 2009 before the holiday season.Lil Wayne to Release Two Albums This Year.''Rap-Up''. Retrieved February 12, 2009. Birdman had previously stated that ''Tha Carter IV'' would be packaged with ''Rebirth'' as a double disc album. However, Carter denied this idea saying that "''Tha Carter IV'' deserves ''Tha Carter IV''", adding that ''
We Are Young Money
''We Are Young Money'' is the first compilation album by American hip hop record label Young Money Entertainment, and released on December 21, 2009 by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Motown Records. The album garnered ...
'' may be packaged with ''Rebirth''. However, both albums were released separately.
Originally thought to be an EP, Carter released his tenth album, ''I Am Not a Human Being
''I Am Not a Human Being'' is the eighth studio album by the American rapper Lil Wayne. It had a digital release on September 27, 2010, and on compact disc on October 12, 2010, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Motown. ...
'', on his 28th birthday, September 27, 2010. The album has sold over 953,000 copies in the U.S. and spawned successful single "Right Above It
"Right Above It" is a hip hop song by American rapper Lil Wayne, released as the first single off his eighth studio album, ''I Am Not a Human Being'' (2010). The song features vocals from Canadian and Young Money rapper Drake, and is produced by A ...
", which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. ''Tha Carter IV'' was later delayed into 2011, after Lil Wayne began recording from scratch after his release from prison. He described his first song since his release as "a 2010 version of ''A Milli
"A Milli", abbreviated occasionally as "Milli", is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne. The song was released February 13, 2008, as the second official single from his sixth album ''Tha Carter III''.
Background
The original version leaked earl ...
'' on steroids". The album's lead single, "6 Foot 7 Foot
"6 Foot 7 Foot" (also styled as "6'7") is a song by rapper Lil Wayne featuring label mate Cory Gunz. It is taken from Wayne's ninth album, ''Tha Carter IV'' (2011). It was officially released on iTunes on December 16, 2010. It was produced by "A ...
" featuring Cory Gunz, was released on December 15, 2010, and made available for digital download on iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
on December 16, 2010. The song is produced by Bangladesh, who also produced "A Milli".
On March 8, 2011, Carter released another song, "We Back Soon", produced by StreetRunner, though it was not included on the official track listing of ''Tha Carter IV''. The second single, "John
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second ...
", was released on March 24, 2011, which features Rick Ross
William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper.
Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
and is produced by Polow Da Don
Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977, or 1978), professionally known as Polow da Don, is an American record producer and rapper.
Jones has produced a variety of singles for a multitude of artists including "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj (2014) ...
. The album's artwork was unveiled on April 20, 2011. The album was originally scheduled to be released on May 16, 2011, but Mack Maine
Jermaine Anthony Preyan (born July 28, 1982), better known by his stage name Mack Maine, is an American record executive, songwriter, and rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. Mack Maine has been the president of Young Money Entertainment since 2 ...
had confirmed its delay until June 21. On May 26, 2011, the third single, "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 Drum Up (LaMar Seymour, LaNelle Seymour) for Drum Up Digital with Noel "Detail" F ...
", was released. A song called "Dear Anne ''(Stan Part 2)''" was released in June. Carter said the song was a throwaway track from ''Tha Carter III'' and was originally supposed to be on ''Tha Carter IV'', but decided not to put it on there because of its age. Carter said that he liked the beat, but not the lyrics, and was thinking about revamping the song.
In July 2011, Carter confirmed in an interview with MTV that ''Tha Carter IV'' was finished, and was released on August 29, 2011. For preparation for ''Tha Carter IV'', Carter released a mixtape, ''Sorry 4 the Wait
''Sorry 4 the Wait'' is a mixtape by American rapper Lil Wayne, named as an attempt to apologize for the continued delay of his ninth album, ''Tha Carter IV'' (4). Wayne said the mixtape would have about ten songs and be similar to ''No Ceilings ...
'', with all the beats coming from other artist's songs, similar to his mixtape ''No Ceilings
''No Ceilings'' is a mixtape by American rapper 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, 2009, with 4 additional tracks. The mi ...
''. ''Tha Carter IV'' debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200, with first-week sales of 964,000 copies, making it Carter's third chart-topping album of his career. On January 8, 2012, according to Nielsen SoundScan
Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...
was elected the seventh artist (second male artist) all-time best-selling tracks digital with 36,788,000 million to the end of 2011.
In October 2011, it was reported that Carter was working on sequels to both ''I Am Not a Human Being
''I Am Not a Human Being'' is the eighth studio album by the American rapper Lil Wayne. It had a digital release on September 27, 2010, and on compact disc on October 12, 2010, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Motown. ...
'' and ''Rebirth
Rebirth may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Film
* ''Rebirth'' (2011 film), a 2011 Japanese drama film
* ''Rebirth'' (2016 film), a 2016 American thriller film
* ''Rebirth'', a documentary film produced by Project Rebirth
* ''The Re ...
''. In January 2012, Birdman announced that he and Carter had finished recording ''Like Father, Like Son 2''. On November 22, 2012, he announced that ''Tha Carter V'' would be his final album.
After numerous delays, ''I Am Not a Human Being II
''I Am Not a Human Being II'' is the tenth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on March 26, 2013, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Republic Records.Recording sessions took place during 2006 to 2012, wi ...
'' was released on March 26, 2013, debuting at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200 selling 217,000 copies in its first week; "My Homies Still
"My Homies Still" is a song by American Hip hop music, hip hop recording artist Lil Wayne featuring fellow American rapper Big Sean, released on June 5, 2012, as a standalone single. It was also included on the deluxe version of his tenth studio ...
", " Love Me", and "No Worries
''No worries'' is an expression seen in English meaning "do not worry about that", "that's all right", "forget about it" or "sure thing". It is similar to the American English "''no problem''". The phrase is widely used in Australian speech and ...
" were released as singles prior to its release. The album was met with generally mixed reviews, with most critics noticing the declining quality of his releases. Carter toured North America with 2 Chainz
Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (or Tity Boi), is an American rapper. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he initially gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Playaz Circle, al ...
and T.I. on the second America's Most Wanted Festival. On May 3, 2013, Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961.
History
Pepsi was ...
dropped Carter, who was a spokesperson for Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew, stylized as Mtn Dew, is a carbonated soft drink brand produced and owned by PepsiCo. The original formula was invented in 1940 by Tennessee beverage bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman. A revised formula was created by Bill Brid ...
, due to offensive lyrics about civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...
icon Emmett Till
Emmett Louis Till (July 25, 1941August 28, 1955) was a 14-year-old African American boy who was abducted, tortured, and lynched in Mississippi in 1955, after being accused of offending a white woman, Carolyn Bryant, in her family's grocery ...
. On September 1, 2013, Carter released the fifth instalment of the "Dedication" mixtape series, with ''Dedication 5
''Dedication 5'' is a mixtape by American rapper Lil Wayne, hosted by DJ Drama. The mixtape was released on September 1, 2013. It is the fifth installment of Lil Wayne's "''Dedication''" series, following its predecessors '' The Dedication'', ''De ...
''. The mixtape featured 29 tracks, with guest appearances from The Weeknd
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, Romance (love), ...
, Chance The Rapper
Chancelor Johnathan Bennett (born April 16, 1993), known professionally as Chance the Rapper, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Chicago, Bennett released his debut mixtape '' 10 Day'' in 2012. He ...
, Jae Millz, Birdman, T.I., Vado, Kidd Kidd
Curtis Stewart (born November 26, 1983), better known by his stage name Kidd Kidd (formerly known as Nutt Da Kidd), is an American rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. He was one of the first members of Lil Wayne's label imprint, Young Money Enter ...
, and 2 Chainz among other members of Young Money.
2014–2019: ''Free Weezy Album'' and ''Tha Carter V''
On February 10, 2014, Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
tweeted "CARTER V". On October 18, 2013, Cash Money Records Vice President of Promotion Mel Smith, tweeted: "Happy Friday!! New YMCMB music coming soon!! Carter 5." Nearly four months later, in an interview with ''The Griffin'', released on February 14, 2014, Smith spoke on the upcoming album: "We're very close to dropping the album. It's going to be a huge surprise to everyone, it's an incredible album ... I can't release the date because he wants to surprise people, he wants his true fan base to get excited, but he's worked extremely hard on it and you won't be disappointed." On February 15, 2014, during the NBA All-Star Weekend festivities at Sprite's NBA All-Star concert at the House of Blues in New Orleans, Carter appeared as a special guest during Drake's set and performed various hits. Carter and Drake then announced that ''Tha Carter V
''Tha Carter V'' is the twelfth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on September 28, 2018, by Young Money Entertainment and Republic Records. The album's features include Swizz Beatz, Kendrick Lamar, Sosamann, Lil Wayne's d ...
'' would be released on May 5, 2014. However, on March 27, 2014, Carter's manager Cortez Bryant announced that the album had been delayed. Carter then serviced ''Tha Carter V''s first single " Believe Me", which features vocals from Drake, to mainstream urban
Mainstream may refer to:
Film
* ''Mainstream'' (film), a 2020 American film
Literature
* ''Mainstream'' (fanzine), a science fiction fanzine
* Mainstream Publishing, a Scottish publisher
* ''Mainstream'', a 1943 book by Hamilton Basso
Mu ...
radio in the United States on May 6, 2014. Three more singles, " Krazy", "Grindin'" (featuring Drake) and "Start a Fire" (featuring Christina Milian), were also released for the album.
On December 4, 2014, just five days before the album was due to be released again, Carter issued a statement saying the album would not be released on its expected release date, due to his displeasure with Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Birdman" Williams. Distributed by Republic, formerly known as Universal Republic, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip h ...
label-boss Birdman, refusing to release the album although it had been completed. Carter also expressed his feelings by stating he felt both he and his creativity were being held "prisoner".
On January 20, 2015, Carter self-released
Self-publishing is the publication of media by its author at their own cost, without the involvement of a publisher. The term usually refers to written media, such as books and magazines, either as an ebook or as a physical copy using POD (pr ...
''Sorry 4 the Wait 2
''Sorry 4 the Wait 2'' is a mixtape by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on January 20, 2015 to compensate for the continued delay of his twelfth studio album ''Tha Carter V''. It is the sequel to Wayne's ''Sorry 4 the Wait'' (2011) mixtape, whic ...
'', a sequel to his 2011 mixtape, to compensate for the continued delay of ''Tha Carter V''. Upon ''Sorry for the Wait 2''s release, it was said Wayne disses Birdman and Cash Money Records, several times throughout the mixtape. Birdman was reported to be upset with this. In late January 2015, Carter sued Birdman and Cash Money Records for $51 million. In February 2015, due to ''Tha Carter V''s delay, Carter announced that a free album would be released prior to the fifth installment in his popular series. In June 2015, Carter joined Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
's TIDAL
Tidal is the adjectival form of tide.
Tidal may also refer to:
* Tidal (album), ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple
* Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim
* TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music
* ...
, as an artist owner, kicking off the partnership by exclusively releasing a single on the service titled "Glory". He's also announced plans on his own TIDAL X concert series. On July 4, 2015, Carter released ''Free Weezy Album
''Free Weezy Album'' (abbreviated as ''FWA'') is the eleventh studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on July 4, 2015, by Young Money Entertainment and Republic Records, exclusively on TIDAL. It was released on Spotify and Appl ...
'', exclusively through TIDAL, under Young Money and Republic Records.
Carter and Birdman supposedly reconciled after being seen at Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
's NYE Party, at Miami's Club Liv, and in studio. On January 27, 2016, when rapper 2 Chainz
Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (or Tity Boi), is an American rapper. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he initially gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Playaz Circle, al ...
released his "Felt Like Cappin" EP, Carter is featured on the lead single titled "Back On That Bullshit". On March 4, 2016, 2 Chainz released his third studio album, ''ColleGrove
''ColleGrove'' is the third studio album by American hip hop recording artist 2 Chainz. It was released on March 4, 2016, by Def Jam Recordings. The album was originally a collaborative effort between him and fellow American rapper Lil Wayne, b ...
''. The album was initially a collaborative effort between 2 Chainz and Carter, but due to his record label issues, only 2 Chainz was credited as the primary artist. In 2017, Carter announced that he signed with Roc Nation
Roc Nation is an entertainment agency founded by Jay-Z in 2008. The company is headquartered in Manhattan and has additional offices in Los Angeles and London. Roc Nation comprises a comprehensive talent agency, sports agency, record label, mana ...
. Later, Carter revealed that there was no official paperwork that he signed to the label. On June 28, 2016, Carter was one of the main singers in the song "Sucker for Pain
"Sucker for Pain" is a song by American rappers Lil Wayne and Wiz Khalifa and American band Imagine Dragons, with fellow American rapper Logic and American singer Ty Dolla $ign featuring fellow American band X Ambassadors. The song was released ...
", along with Wiz Khalifa
Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He released his debut album, ''Show and Prove'', in 2006 and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 200 ...
and Imagine Dragons
Imagine Dragons is an American pop rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, consisting of lead singer Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne Sermon, bassist Ben McKee and drummer Daniel Platzman. The band first gained exposure with the release of their sing ...
, for the DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
film ''Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...
''. X Ambassadors
X Ambassadors (also stylized XA) are an American pop rock band from Ithaca, New York. Its members currently include lead vocalist Sam Harris, keyboardist Casey Harris, and drummer Adam Levin. Russ Flynn is a touring member that plays guitar and ...
and Ty Dolla Sign
Tyrone William Griffin Jr. (born April 13, 1982), known professionally as Ty Dolla Sign (stylized as Ty Dolla $ign or Ty$), is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He first gained major recognition in 2010 for his feature on Ameri ...
were also featured in the song. On August 8, 2017, he released the song "Like a Man Like a Man may refer to:
* "Like a Man" (Onhel song), 2017
* "Like a Man" (Dallas Smith song), 2020
* ''Like a Man'' (film), a Russian film from 2022
{{disambiguation ...
" with sound engineer Onhel.
On June 7, 2018, it was announced that Carter had been released from Cash Money Records and will be releasing ''Tha Carter V'' via Universal Records
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
.
In September 2016, Carter's song "No Mercy" debuted as the theme song for '' Skip and Shannon: Undisputed'' sports talk on FS1
Fox Sports 1 (FS1) is an American pay television television channel, channel owned by the Fox Sports (United States), Fox Sports Media Group, a unit of Fox Corporation. FS1 replaced the motorsports network Speed (TV network), Speed on August 1 ...
. Carter is a frequent guest on the program. On Christmas 2017, Carter released the mixtape ''Dedication 6
''Dedication 6'' is a two part mixtape by American rapper Lil Wayne, hosted by DJ Drama. The first part of the mixtape was released on December 25, 2017. A second part of the mixtape titled ''Dedication 6: Reloaded'' was released on January 26, 20 ...
'', the sixth instalment of the "Gangsta Grillz" chronology. The second part was released on January 26, 2018.
''Tha Carter V
''Tha Carter V'' is the twelfth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on September 28, 2018, by Young Money Entertainment and Republic Records. The album's features include Swizz Beatz, Kendrick Lamar, Sosamann, Lil Wayne's d ...
'' was finally released on September 27, 2018, debuting at number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200 with 480,000 album-equivalent unit
The album-equivalent unit, or album equivalent, is a measurement unit in music industry to define the consumption of music that equals the purchase of one album copy. This consumption includes streaming and song downloads in addition to traditi ...
s, including 140,000 pure album sales. It is the second-largest streaming week for an album behind Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
's ''Scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always end ...
'' with 433 million streams. It is also Carter's fourth US number-one album. Every song on the album charted on the ''Billboard'' 100, while simultaneously charting 4 songs in the top 10, also becoming the first artist to debut two songs in the top 5.
2020–present: ''Funeral'', Young Money Radio, re-releases, ''I Am Not a Human Being III'', ''Trust Fund Babies'' and ''Tha Carter VI''
While Carter was working on ''Tha Carter V'', it was announced that his next album would be titled ''Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...
''. On January 23, 2020, he revealed the album's release date and album artwork. ''Funeral'' was released on January 31, and debuted at number-one on the US ''Billboard'' 200, with 139,000 album-equivalent unit
The album-equivalent unit, or album equivalent, is a measurement unit in music industry to define the consumption of music that equals the purchase of one album copy. This consumption includes streaming and song downloads in addition to traditi ...
s, becoming his fifth US number-one album. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics. On February 2, 2020, Lil Wayne competed in Season 3
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pola ...
of ''The Masked Singer
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' after the Super Bowl LIV
Super Bowl LIV was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2019 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Kansas City Chiefs defeated the National Football Conferenc ...
as "Robot". He was the first to be eliminated. Carter featured on Lil Baby
Dominique Armani Jones (born December 3, 1994), known professionally as Lil Baby, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to mainstream fame in 2017 following the release of his mixtape ''Perfect Timing''. *Alt URL* * His deb ...
's track "Forever", a track from Baby's second studio album, ''My Turn'', which was released on February 28, 2020. Carter also participates in the music video for the song, which was released on March 3, 2020. This marked the second collaboration for the two artists in 2020, with the first being on Carter's single "I Do It".
On April 24, 2020, Lil Wayne along with Dash Radio
Dash Radio is a digital radio broadcasting platform with over 80 radio stations. These stations are curated by DJs, radio personalities, musicians, etc. The platform includes partner stations curated by Snoop Dogg, Kylie Jenner, Lil Wayne, Tech N9 ...
, launched his own radio show, Young Money Radio, on Apple Music
Apple Music is a music, audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Apple M ...
. Wayne described the show as having "heavyweights calling in discussing sports, music, comedy, everything!". On July 3, Lil Wayne released his eleventh studio album, ''Free Weezy Album
''Free Weezy Album'' (abbreviated as ''FWA'') is the eleventh studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on July 4, 2015, by Young Money Entertainment and Republic Records, exclusively on TIDAL. It was released on Spotify and Appl ...
'' (2015) on streaming services to commemorate its five-year anniversary. The album charted at number 77 on the ''Billboard'' 200 the following week. On May 29, Wayne released the deluxe edition of ''Funeral'' featuring artists such as Doja Cat, Tory Lanez, Lil Uzi Vert, Benny The Butcher, Conway the Machine and Jessie Reyez. On August 28, Wayne released another old project, his 2009 mixtape ''No Ceilings
''No Ceilings'' is a mixtape by American rapper 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, 2009, with 4 additional tracks. The mi ...
'', for commercial release. He also celebrated the release by collaborating with ASAP Ferg
Darold Durard Brown Ferguson Jr. (born October 20, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Ferg (stylized as A$AP Ferg), is an American rapper from New York City's Harlem neighborhood. Aside from his solo career, he is a member of the hip hop collec ...
on the song "No Ceilings". Wayne was featured on YoungBoy Never Broke Again
Kentrell DeSean Gaulden (born October 20, 1999), known professionally as YoungBoy Never Broke Again (also known as NBA YoungBoy or simply YoungBoy), is an American rapper. Between 2015 and 2017, he released eight independent mixtapes and steadi ...
's album ''Top
A spinning top, or simply a top, is a toy with a squat body and a sharp point at the bottom, designed to be spun on its vertical axis, balancing on the tip due to the gyroscopic effect.
Once set in motion, a top will usually wobble for a few ...
'' on the track "My Window
"My Window" is a song by American rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again featuring Lil Wayne, released on July 3, 2020, as the seventh track from YoungBoy's second studio album, ''Top''. Critics were particularly fond of Lil Wayne's verse.
Composit ...
", released on September 11. His verse received praise from critics. On September 25, he released the deluxe edition of his twelfth album ''Tha Carter V
''Tha Carter V'' is the twelfth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on September 28, 2018, by Young Money Entertainment and Republic Records. The album's features include Swizz Beatz, Kendrick Lamar, Sosamann, Lil Wayne's d ...
'', to celebrate the album's two-year anniversary; it consists of songs that did not make the cut on the original album.
On November 27, 2020, Lil Wayne released the mixtape '' No Ceilings 3'', while announcing the album ''I Am Not a Human Being III'' for 2021, although it would not be released that year due to delays. On October 1, 2021, Wayne and Rich the Kid
Dimitri Leslie Roger (born July 13, 1992), professionally known as Rich the Kid, is an American rapper. He released his debut studio album, '' The World Is Yours'', on March 30, 2018. His second studio album, '' The World Is Yours 2'', was relea ...
released a collaborative mixtape titled ''Trust Fund Babies
''Trust Fund Babies'' is a collaborative mixtape by American rappers Lil Wayne and Rich the Kid. It was released on October 1, 2021, by Young Money Entertainment, Republic Records, and Rostrum Records. It contains a sole guest appearance by Americ ...
'', along with a music video for the single "Feelin' Like Tunechi
"Feelin' Like Tunechi" is a song by American rappers Lil Wayne and Rich the Kid from their collaborative mixtape ''Trust Fund Babies'', released on October 1, 2021. It was produced by The Lab Cook.
Composition
The song features Latin-inspired pro ...
". The mixtape took roughly a month and a half to record. On their working relationship, Wayne said, "For me, it's the chemistry, it's the camaraderie because first of all, Rich like my little bro and me and Rich been rockin' for a minute".
Wayne is currently working on ''Tha Carter VI''.
Future projects
Carter has announced several possible upcoming projects, including a collaborative album entitled ''I Can't Feel My Face'' with Harlem-based rapper Juelz Santana
LaRon Louis James (born February 18, 1982), better known by his stage name Juelz Santana, is an American rapper and member of East Coast hip hop group The Diplomats, also known as Dipset. He is best known for his appearances on Cam'ron's 2002 si ...
, that has been in production for several years. In late 2011, it was announced by Mack Maine that Carter and Juelz Santana
LaRon Louis James (born February 18, 1982), better known by his stage name Juelz Santana, is an American rapper and member of East Coast hip hop group The Diplomats, also known as Dipset. He is best known for his appearances on Cam'ron's 2002 si ...
had gone back to work on their collaborative album ''I Can't Feel My Face'', which had been delayed for a few years due to "label politics".
On June 19, 2008, Carter and T-Pain formed a duo called T-Wayne with plans to release an album, titled ''He Raps, He Sings''; however, those plans have died down due to much of the material recorded for the album being leaked. T-Pain ultimately released ''T-Wayne
Tyshon Dwayne Nobles (born October 27, 1990), better known by his stage name T-Wayne, is an American rapper from Houston, Texas. His rap name is a combination of his first name and his middle name. He has also occasionally taken the pseudonym Ri ...
'' in 2017.
According to an interview with Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
, in the December 2011 issue of '' XXL'', plans for an upcoming album with Carter had been scrapped for the time being because of the Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
and Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
collaboration album ''Watch the Throne
''Watch the Throne'' is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, collectively known as The Throne. It was released on August 8, 2011, through Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Prior to the re ...
'' (2011).
In April 2012, on the premiere of MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
's Hip Hop POV, Carter sat down with Amanda Seales
Amanda Ingrid Seales (born July 1, 1981), formerly known by the stage name Amanda Diva, is an American comedian and actress. Since 2017, she has starred in the HBO comedy series '' Insecure''. In 2019, HBO released her first stand-up comedy spe ...
and spoke briefly about an album he put together titled ''Devol'' (loved, backwards), an album full of "love songs" that he wrote during his imprisonment at Rikers Island
Rikers Island is a island in the East River between Queens and the Bronx that contains New York City's main jail complex. Named after Abraham Rycken, who took possession of the island in 1664, the island was originally under in size, but has ...
. In May 2013 he confirmed the album will still be released.
Carter's once ongoing litigation with Cash Money prevented numerous completed projects from being released. In January 2017, Young Money revealed the title of a planned Carter album called ''Velvet''. The album ended up leaking online in November 2018.
Retirement plans
On March 29, 2011, in an interview withHot 97
WQHT (97.1 FM, ''Hot 97'') is a commercial radio station, licensed to New York, New York, which broadcasts an urban contemporary music format. The station is owned by Mediaco Holding and operated by Emmis Communications under a shared service ...
's Angie Martinez
Angela Martinez (born January 9, 1971) is an American radio personality, rapper, singer, and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice of New York" during her two-decade tenure at New York City station HOT 97 (WQHT), she left that position in 2014 to join ...
, Carter 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." He said in November 2012 that ''Tha Carter V'' will be his last album as he wanted to go into other interests.
In March 2014, Carter reconfirmed at SXSW
South by Southwest, abbreviated as SXSW and colloquially referred to as South By, is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Te ...
that ''Tha Carter V'' will be his last album during his keynote with interviewer Elliot Wilson.
In September 2016, in regards to his contract dispute with Cash Money, he indicated a possible retirement on Twitter saying "I AM NOW DEFENSELESS and mentally DEFEATED" and then said, "I leave gracefully and thankful I luh my fanz but I'm done." Many rappers responded with respect and encouragement.
Personal life
Relationships and children
Carter has four children. His first child, daughter Reginae, was born November 29, 1998, when he was 16, to his high school sweetheartToya Johnson
Antonia "Toya" Rushing ( Johnson; born October 26, 1983) is an American reality television personality.
Early life
Johnson was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is the second child of Anita Johnson and Walter Andrews.
Career
In 2009, Johns ...
. They later married on Valentine's Day 2004 and divorced in 2006. Internet rumors started circulating in August 2008 that Carter'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 cares and loves 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 born on October 22, 2008, at The Christ Hospital
The Christ Hospital is a 555-bed, not-for-profit acute care facility in Cincinnati, Ohio, offering services in cardiovascular care, spine treatment, women's health, major surgery, cancer, behavioral medicine, orthopaedics, emergency care, kidney t ...
in Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
to radio broadcaster Sarah Vivan. His third child, Cameron, was born to actress Lauren London
Lauren Nicole London is an American actress. London is known for her roles in films and televisions shows including '' ATL'' (2006), ''This Christmas'' (2007), '' Madea’s Big Happy Family'' (2011), ''Baggage Claim'' (2013), '' The Game'' (20 ...
on September 9, 2009. His fourth child, Neal, was born on November 30, 2009, to singer Nivea
Nivea (, stylized as NIVEA) is a German personal care brand that specializes in skin and body care. It is owned by the Hamburg-based company Beiersdorf Global AG. The company was founded on 28 March 1882, by Paul Carl Beiersdorf. In 1890, it w ...
. Trina
Katrina Laverne Taylor (born December 3, 1978), known professionally as Trina, is an American rapper. She rose to prominence in 1998 with her appearance on the Trick Daddy single "Nann Nigga".
Trina has been described by '' XXL'' as "the most ...
also became pregnant with Carter's child, but later suffered a miscarriage.
In July 2014, it was rumored that Carter was dating singer Christina Milian
Christine Marie Flores (born September 26, 1981), better known as Christina Milian (), is an American actress and singer. Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, but raised in Maryland, she signed a contract with Murder Inc. Records at the age of 19. ...
whom he attended the ESPY Awards with. They later confirmed their relationship in mid-2015 after which they received criticism from their interconnected exes, singer Nivea
Nivea (, stylized as NIVEA) is a German personal care brand that specializes in skin and body care. It is owned by the Hamburg-based company Beiersdorf Global AG. The company was founded on 28 March 1882, by Paul Carl Beiersdorf. In 1890, it w ...
and songwriter The-Dream
Terius Youngdell Nash (born September 20, 1977), better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. His co-writing credits include songs with "Me Against the Music" (2003) for Britney Spears, "Ride ...
. They split at the end of 2015 after collaborating on various singles, videos, and concert dates.
Wayne was engaged to model La'Tecia Thomas, but called off the engagement in May 2020.
In June 2020, it was announced that Wayne had started dating Denise Bidot
Denise Marie Bidot (born June 13, 1986) is an American plus-size fashion model.
Early life
Bidot was born in Miami, Florida. Her mother is of Puerto Rican descent while her father is of Kuwaiti descent. Bidot’s mother was a beauty pageant ...
, another model. In November 2020, they reportedly broke up over Wayne's endorsement Endorsement (alternatively spelled "indorsement") may refer to a:
* testimonial, a written or spoken statement promoting or advertising a product
* political endorsement, publicly declaring support for a candidate
* form added to an insurance po ...
of Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
. Shortly after, it was reported that the couple had reconciled.
Beliefs and interests
In an interview with ''Blender
A blender (sometimes called a mixer or liquidiser in British English) is a kitchen appliance, kitchen and laboratory appliance used to mix, crush, purée or emulsion, emulsify food and other substances. A stationary blender consists of a blender ...
'', Carter revealed one of his favorite bands from childhood to be rock group Nirvana
( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
, and cites them as a major influence in his music.
Carter got his first tattoo at age 14 of his dad's name and his second was "Cash Money" across his stomach. His tattoos have grown to include a Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
verse on his leg, "I Am Music" on his forehead and teardrops on his cheeks among many others. His most recent one is "Baked" on his forehead stylized as the Baker Skateboards
Baker Skateboards is an American skateboarding company founded in 2000 by professional skateboarder Andrew Reynolds. The company's main products are skateboard decks, soft goods, accessories, and wheels.
History
In 1999 Reynolds went to a sec ...
logo. While playing in Newark Symphony Hall
Newark Symphony Hall is a performing arts center located at 1020 Broad Street in Newark, New Jersey, Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, New Jersey. Built in 1925, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. It ...
, Carter professed his belief "in God
In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...
and His son, Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
". During his 2011 tour in Australia with Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
, before beginning his bracket he proclaimed his belief in God. One Christian minister says Carter's stated religiosity and the un-religious lyrical content of his music are incongruous.
After earning his GED
The General Educational Development (GED) tests are a group of four subject tests which, when passed, provide certification that the test taker has United States or Canadian high school-level academic skills. It is an alternative to the US high ...
, Carter enrolled at the University of Houston
The University of Houston (UH) is a Public university, public research university in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1927, UH is a member of the University of Houston System and the List of universities in Texas by enrollment, university in Texas ...
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 (UoPX) is a private for-profit university headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Founded in 1976, the university confers certificates and degrees at the certificate, associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree lev ...
and majored in psychology taking online courses
Educational technology (commonly abbreviated as edutech, or edtech) is the combined use of computer hardware, software, and Education sciences, educational theory and practice to facilitate learning. When referred to with its abbreviation, edt ...
. An article in ''Urb'' magazine in March 2007 asserted that Carter had been earning high grades at Houston.
On September 24, 2008, Carter published his first blog for ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
in their issue, ''ESPN The Magazine
''ESPN The Magazine'' was an American monthly sports magazine published by the ESPN sports network in Bristol, Connecticut. The first issue was published on March 11, 1998. Initially published every other week, it scaled back to 24 issues a year i ...
''. Carter revealed he was a fan of tennis, the Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
, the Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
, the Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
and the Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
. To commemorate the Packers' making it to Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champi ...
, he spoofed Wiz Khalifa
Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He released his debut album, ''Show and Prove'', in 2006 and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 200 ...
's hit song "Black and Yellow
"Black and Yellow" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa from his third studio album, '' Rolling Papers''. It was released on September 14, 2010, as the lead single from the album. The song was written by Khalifa, along with Stargate, who pr ...
" (which were the colors of the Packers' opponents, the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
) in a song titled "Green and Yellow". He released a second version of the song in 2021, which was requested by the Packers, and updated with the current roster. Carter has continued writing for ESPN, notably reporting at the ESPN Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
party. Carter made his debut on ESPN's daily sports round table show ''Around The Horn'' on February 10, 2009. Carter now currently sings the intro song "No Mercy" for the Fox Sports 1
Fox Sports 1 (FS1) is an American pay television channel owned by the Fox Sports Media Group, a unit of Fox Corporation. FS1 replaced the motorsports network Speed on August 17, 2013, at the same time that its companion channel Fox Sports 2 ...
sports debate show Undisputed
Undisputed may refer to:
Film
* ''Undisputed'' (film), a 2002 action-thriller-drama film
** ''Undisputed'' (soundtrack), the soundtrack to the film
* Undisputed II: Last Man Standing, a 2006 American martial arts film
* Undisputed III: Redempt ...
.
Carter received criticism after a video released by TMZ showed him apparently stepping on the U.S. flag. Carter later explained that "It was never my intention to desecrate the flag of the United States", and that he was shooting a video for a song on his upcoming album, "God Bless Amerika". He says the purpose of the flag was to show that "behind the American Flag was the Hoods of America".
In late 2016, Carter made statements critical of the Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police bruta ...
movement, saying, "I don't feel connected to a damn thing that ain't got nothin' to do with me. If you do, you crazy as shit," adding that his status as a wealthy black man who has white fans is evidence that black people are valued in the United States.
In 2016, Carter purchased Player's Rep. Sports Agency, and became Young Money APAA sports, which hired NFL's first female sports agent, Nicole Lynn. She currently represents Seth Roberts
Seth Roberts (August 17 1953 - April 26 2014) was a professor of psychology at Tsinghua University in Beijing and emeritus professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. He was the author of the bestselling book ''The Shangri- ...
, Cory Nelson, Jordan Evans, Malik Jefferson
Malik Terrell Jefferson (born November 15, 1996) is an American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas. As a senior at Poteet High School in Mesquite, Texas, Jeffer ...
, Eric Harris
Eric David Harris (April 9, 1981 – April 20, 1999) and Dylan Bennet Klebold (; September 11, 1981 – April 20, 1999) were an American mass murder duo who perpetrated the Columbine High School massacre on April 20, 1999. Harris and Klebold ...
, Quennen Williams, as well as NCAA coaches, and two former #1 Pro Softball draft picks.
On October 29, 2020, less than a week before the presidential election
A presidential election is the election of any head of state whose official title is President.
Elections by country
Albania
The president of Albania is elected by the Assembly of Albania who are elected by the Albanian public.
Chile
The pre ...
, Carter posted an image of him and President Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
to Twitter. In the caption for the photo, Carter revealed that he and Trump had recently met to discuss criminal justice reform and Trump's Platinum Plan, an initiative which aims to raise access to capital in Black communities by almost $500 billion. Carter claimed Trump "listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done".
Health problems
On October 25, 2012, Carter's private jet, bound forLos Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, made an emergency landing
An emergency landing is a premature landing made by an aircraft in response to an emergency involving an imminent or ongoing threat to the safety and operation of the aircraft, or involving a sudden need for a passenger or crew on board to term ...
in Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
due to an in-flight medical episode. Lil Wayne was transferred to a local hospital upon arrival. TMZ
TMZ is a tabloid news website owned by Fox Corporation. It made its debut on November 8, 2005, originally as a collaboration between AOL and Telepictures, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. On September 13, 202 ...
and other media sources said that Carter had suffered a seizure
An epileptic seizure, informally known as a seizure, is a period of symptoms due to abnormally excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. Outward effects vary from uncontrolled shaking movements involving much of the body with los ...
aboard the plane. His publicist denied this, saying that he was in fact treated for "a severe migraine and dehydration".
The following day, while flying from Texas to Los Angeles, Carter's private jet was reportedly again forced to make an emergency landing, this time in Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
, after he suffered a second seizure and required further hospitalization. His representative said that the reports of Carter's condition had been exaggerated, and that he was resting at his Louisiana home. In a November 2012 interview with MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
, Carter revealed that he was taking seizure medication, on doctors' orders, due to the aforementioned incidents.
On March 14, 2013, TMZ reported that Carter had been treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a nonprofit, tertiary, 886-bed teaching hospital and multi-specialty academic health science center located in Los Angeles, California. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over 2 ...
in Los Angeles on the evening of March 12, after having seizures while on a music video set with Young Money rapper Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accent ...
. He was reportedly released in the early hours of March 13. On March 15, TMZ published a second story, claiming that hours after his release on March 13, Carter was found unconscious after experiencing further seizures, and was brought back to Cedars-Sinai, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit
220px, Intensive care unit
An intensive care unit (ICU), also known as an intensive therapy unit or intensive treatment unit (ITU) or critical care unit (CCU), is a special department of a hospital or health care facility that provides intensiv ...
in critical condition
Medical state is a term used to describe a hospital patient's health status, or condition. The term is most commonly used in information given to the news media, and is rarely used as a clinical description by physicians.
Two aspects of the pati ...
. The article alleged the latest seizures were found to be linked to high amounts of codeine
Codeine is an opiate and prodrug of morphine mainly used to treat pain, coughing, and diarrhea. It is also commonly used as a recreational drug. It is found naturally in the sap of the opium poppy, ''Papaver somniferum''. It is typically use ...
in Carter's system, possibly due to binging on purple drank
Lean, also known as purple drank, purp, sizzurp, syrup, wock, oil, joy juice, and several other names, is a recreational drug beverage, prepared by mixing prescription strength cough or cold syrup containing codeine and promethazine with a s ...
after his initial hospital release. Multiple celebrities, including Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
and Birdman, were photographed on March 15 and 16 visiting Carter at Cedars-Sinai.
Several members of 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 and fellow rapper Mack Maine. The label was an imprint of Cash Money Records and is distributed by Republi ...
, including president Mack Maine
Jermaine Anthony Preyan (born July 28, 1982), better known by his stage name Mack Maine, is an American record executive, songwriter, and rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. Mack Maine has been the president of Young Money Entertainment since 2 ...
, criticized media reports on Carter's hospitalization, particularly those of TMZ, alleging that they exaggerated the severity of his condition and falsely implied that he was on his deathbed (such as by saying that he was in a medically induced coma
An induced comaalso known as a medically induced coma (MIC), barbiturate-induced coma, or drug-induced comais a temporary coma (a deep state of unconsciousness) brought on by a controlled dose of an anesthetic drug, often a barbiturate such as ...
), triggering what the ''Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' called "the most overheated celebrity deathwatch in recent years". In separate interviews on March 18, Mack Maine and Birdman disputed TMZ's reports, and stated that in fact there were not multiple seizures or multiple hospital visits. They explained that after Carter began seizing on the way to the music video shoot on March 12, an ambulance was called and he was transported to the hospital, where he was admitted and remained continuously thereafter. They also refuted the claims that Carter's seizures are drug-induced, saying that they are an ongoing problem for which doctors have been unable to identify a cause.
Carter was released from the hospital late on March 18, following a six-day stay. Lil Wayne addressed his condition via a vlog
A video blog or video log, sometimes shortened to vlog (), is a form of blog for which the medium is video. Vlog entries often combine embedded video (or a video link) with supporting text, images, and other metadata. Entries can be recorded in ...
, on March 21 saying he was more than good.
Carter had two seizures in June 2016, during a cross-country flight from Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
to California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, and landed in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...
. His plane was only two minutes in the air when the second seizure occurred, forcing the plane to land in Omaha once again. Less than a month later, he had another seizure, supposedly due to not taking his epilepsy medication.
Carter canceled a Las Vegas show on September 3, 2017, having had a seizure in a Chicago hospital earlier that day, where he was brought after being found unconscious in a hotel room.
Philanthropy
On February 19, 2008, Carter and Cortez Bryant revisited their alma mater McMain Secondary School to get students to design an invitation to the gala introducing Carter's nonprofit One Family Foundation.Other ventures
Young Money Entertainment
Books
Carter wrote a memoir of his experience in Rikers Island called '' Gone Til' November: A Journal of Rikers Island'' that was released October 11, 2016.Cannabis industry
In December 2019, Carter announced his own cannabis brand under the name of GKUA Ultra Premium.Legal issues
Arrests and incarceration
On July 22, 2007, Carter was arrested in New York City following a performance at the Beacon Theatre; theNew York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...
discovered Carter and another man smoking marijuana near a tour bus. After taking Carter into custody, police discovered a .40 caliber pistol near 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.
Following a performance at Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho, Boise, Idaho, Carter was arrested October 5, 2007 on felony fugitive charges after Georgia (U.S. state), 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, Carter was arrested alongside two others. His tour bus was stopped by United States Border Patrol, Border Patrol agents near Yuma, Arizona, Yuma, Arizona. A K-9 Unit recovered of marijuana, almost of cocaine, of MDMA, ecstasy, and $22,000 in cash. Carter 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, Carter returned to court in Arizona to plead not guilty to the charges. A bench warrant was issued on March 17, 2010, when Carter did not show for a final trial management conference. However, he was already incarcerated, serving a one-year sentence in Rikers Island
Rikers Island is a island in the East River between Queens and the Bronx that contains New York City's main jail complex. Named after Abraham Rycken, who took possession of the island in 1664, the island was originally under in size, but has ...
on weapons charges. On June 22, 2010, Carter pleaded guilty to the charges. As part of the plea deal he was able to serve 36 months of probation, which he was sentenced to on June 30, 2010.
On December 18, 2009, Carter 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.
On October 22, 2009, Carter 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, Carter'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, Carter was given a one-year sentence, 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, Carter was found by Rikers Island correctional staff to be in possession of contraband (an MP3 player, charger, and headphones). In April 2010, Carter's friends created a website called Weezy Thanx You, which publishes letters written by Carter while incarcerated. In the first letter, titled "Gone 'til November", Carter said he was staying in good spirits thinking about his children and spending his time working out regularly and reading the Bible every day. Carter was released from Rikers Island Jail on November 4, 2010, after serving eight months of his year-long sentence.
On December 12, 2020, Carter pleaded guilty to a federal firearms charge brought against him by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. This plea stemmed from an incident during December of the previous year, when Carter was arrested in Florida after transporting a loaded handgun on his private jet from California. As a convicted felon, he is barred from possessing such weapons. He was pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
on January 19, 2021, his last full day in office.
Lawsuits
On July 24, 2008, ABKCO Records, Abkco Music Inc filed a lawsuit against Carter for copyright infringement and Trademark infringement, unfair competition, specifically referring to ''Tha Carter III
''Tha Carter III'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on June 10, 2008, by Cash Money, Universal Motown & Young Money Entertainment. It follows a long string of mixtape releases and guest appearances on other hip h ...
'' track "Playing with Fire". In the lawsuit, Abkco says that the song was obviously derived from The Rolling Stones' "Play with Fire (The Rolling Stones song), Play with Fire", to which Abkco owns the rights. Subsequently, "Playing with Fire" was removed from the track list of ''Tha Carter III'' on all online music stores and replaced with the David Banner
Lavell William Crump (born April 11, 1974), better known by his stage name David Banner, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor.
Born in Brookhaven, Mississippi, Banner's family moved to Jackson, Mississippi, where he was raised. Ban ...
produced track, "Pussy Monster".
In February 2009, production company RMF Productions filed a $1.3 million lawsuit against Carter following a $100,000 advance payment for three shows, all of which were cancelled by the artist.
In October 2009, Carter, Birdman, Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Birdman" Williams. Distributed by Republic, formerly known as Universal Republic, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip h ...
, and various music distribution outlets were sued for copyright infringement by Thomas Marasciullo, who says 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 Carter 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, saying Carter owes them at least $1 million in unpaid royalties for "Got Money
"Got Money" is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne featuring fellow American rapper and singer T-Pain, released as the third single from the former's sixth studio album ''Tha Carter III'' (2008). Both artists use the Auto-Tune effect in the song ...
" 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 Carter, Universal Music Group, Cash Money Records and Young Money Entertainment, claiming copyright infringement. The lawsuit alleges Carter stole the song "BedRock", featured on the compilation album ''We Are Young Money'', and seeks damages of $15 million.
In November 2012, Wayne was ordered to pay Quincy Jones III $2.2 million based on a lawsuit which stated that the rapper blocked the release of Jones’s film ''The Carter'', therefore infringing on its profits.
Feuds
Juvenile
Carter began feuding with formerHot Boys
The Hot Boys (often styled as Hot Boy$) are an American hip hop group formed in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1997. The group is made up of B.G. (rapper), B.G., Lil Wayne, Juvenile (rapper), Juvenile and Turk (rapper), Turk.
The group was originally ...
member and Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Birdman" Williams. Distributed by Republic, formerly known as Universal Republic, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip h ...
labelmate Juvenile
Juvenile may refer to:
*Juvenile status, or minor (law), prior to adulthood
*Juvenile (organism)
*Juvenile (rapper) (born 1975), American rapper
* ''Juvenile'' (2000 film), Japanese film
* ''Juvenile'' (2017 film)
*Juvenile (greyhounds), a greyho ...
in 2002, after Juvenile took offense to Carter naming his third studio album ''500 Degreez
''500 Degreez'' is the third studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on July 23, 2002, by Cash Money Records and Universal Records. The album's title was inspired by the album '' 400 Degreez'' (1998), by fellow rapper and lab ...
'', a diss aimed towards Juvenile whose last album was named ''400 Degreez
''400 Degreez'' is the third studio album by American rapper Juvenile. The album was released on November 3, 1998, on Universal Records and Baby's Cash Money Records. It remains Juvenile's best-selling album of his solo career. The album was cert ...
''. Juvenile responded with a diss track on his 2002 album ''600 Degreez'', titled "A Hoe". In the song, Juvenile questions Carter's sexuality, and says he's a fake gangster. The two squashed their beef for a short period in 2004, with Carter and Birdman appearing in the music video for Juvenile and Soulja Slim's song, Slow Motion (Juvenile song), Slow Motion. Carter later paid tribute to the Hot Boys with a song called "I Miss My Dawgs" on 2004's Tha Carter
''Tha Carter'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on June 29, 2004, by Cash Money Records and Universal Records. The production on the album was mostly handled by Cash Money's former in-house producer Mannie ...
. Juvenile responded by calling the song "fake", and criticized Carter for releasing a tribute song and later promoting the album on BET and having "nothing good to say about them". The two eventually reconciled once again, and Juvenile re-signed with Cash Money Records in 2014.
Young Buck
Young Buck released a song called "Off Parole", featuring Tony Yayo, which insulted Carter. Young Buck said that Carter could not be angry, because Young Buck spoke the truth. Young Buck also said "You think you got a problem with Juve and B.G.; you'll have a true problem with me", referring to the Cash Money-Juvenile/B.G feud. One of the reasons 50 Cent stated he was dismissing Young Buck was what he called "inconsistent behavior" which included appearing on stage with Carter, then seemingly dissing him on records with G-Unit. After he was dismissed, Young Buck appeared in the music video "My Life (Game song), My Life" by The Game, which featured Carter in the vocals.DJ Skee (August 1, 2008) . Accessed July 6, 2009. As of 2009, Young Buck and Carter have squashed their beef and also linked up to record a track "Up's and Down's" for Young Buck's ''Back On My Buck Shit'' mixtape.Pusha T
Tension between Wayne and American rapper, Pusha T, had been going on for years, beginning soon after Clipse and Birdman worked on "What Happened to That Boy", the latter's 2002 single. In 2006, Wayne felt the Clipse song "Mr. Me Too" was directed at him which caused more tension between the two. In 2012 after much speculation that Pusha T was subliminally dissing Canadian rapper and Wayne's Young Money signeeDrake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
in several songs, the speculation heightened after the release of Pusha T's "Exodus 23:1" song. Lil Wayne quickly responded on online social networking service Twitter and later released a diss track titled "Goulish". In the first verse Wayne raps "Fuck Pusha T and anybody that love him / His head up his ass, I'mma have to head-butt him". Pusha T called Wayne's diss track "horrible" and said he felt it did not deserve a response. Both men have downplayed the feud, with Wayne saying he's over it. However, in November 2012, Pusha T dissed Wayne and Birdman on a new Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive.
Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...
song titled "Tell Me What They Mad For". However, once the feud between Lil Wayne and Birdman arose, Pusha T sent out a tweet encouraging Lil Wayne to sign to G.O.O.D. Music, which also insulted Birdman for his hand-rubbing habit.
Jay-Z
In a 2009 interview with ''Tropical TV'', Birdman disputed the MTV poll that votedJay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
"The Hottest MC in the Game", stating that Lil Wayne was a better rapper and made more money. In early 2011, when Jay-Z and Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
's single "H•A•M" was released, Jay-Z took shots at Birdman, saying "Really, you got Baby money" and "[you] ain't got Beyoncé, my lady's money!". On August 24, 2011, a song called "It's Good" by Lil Wayne (featuring Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
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". Jadakiss later absolved himself of involvement in any brewing beef on his official Twitter feed.
Discography
;Studio albums
*''Tha Block Is Hot
''Tha Block Is Hot'' is the debut major label studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on November 2, 1999, by Universal Records and Baby's Cash Money Records. Recording sessions took place from 1997 to 1999, with the executive p ...
'' (1999)
*'' Lights Out'' (2000)
*''500 Degreez
''500 Degreez'' is the third studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on July 23, 2002, by Cash Money Records and Universal Records. The album's title was inspired by the album '' 400 Degreez'' (1998), by fellow rapper and lab ...
'' (2002)
*''Tha Carter
''Tha Carter'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on June 29, 2004, by Cash Money Records and Universal Records. The production on the album was mostly handled by Cash Money's former in-house producer Mannie ...
'' (2004)
*''Tha Carter II
''Tha Carter II'' is the fifth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on December 6, 2005, by Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment and Universal Records. Recording sessions took place from 2004 to 2005, with Birdman ...
'' (2005)
*''Tha Carter III
''Tha Carter III'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on June 10, 2008, by Cash Money, Universal Motown & Young Money Entertainment. It follows a long string of mixtape releases and guest appearances on other hip h ...
'' (2008)
*''Rebirth
Rebirth may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Film
* ''Rebirth'' (2011 film), a 2011 Japanese drama film
* ''Rebirth'' (2016 film), a 2016 American thriller film
* ''Rebirth'', a documentary film produced by Project Rebirth
* ''The Re ...
'' (2010)
*''I Am Not a Human Being
''I Am Not a Human Being'' is the eighth studio album by the American rapper Lil Wayne. It had a digital release on September 27, 2010, and on compact disc on October 12, 2010, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Motown. ...
'' (2010)
*''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. Recording sessions for the album began in late 2008, short ...
'' (2011)
*''I Am Not a Human Being II
''I Am Not a Human Being II'' is the tenth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on March 26, 2013, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Republic Records.Recording sessions took place during 2006 to 2012, wi ...
'' (2013)
*''Free Weezy Album
''Free Weezy Album'' (abbreviated as ''FWA'') is the eleventh studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on July 4, 2015, by Young Money Entertainment and Republic Records, exclusively on TIDAL. It was released on Spotify and Appl ...
'' (2015)
*''Tha Carter V
''Tha Carter V'' is the twelfth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on September 28, 2018, by Young Money Entertainment and Republic Records. The album's features include Swizz Beatz, Kendrick Lamar, Sosamann, Lil Wayne's d ...
'' (2018)
*''Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...
'' (2020)
*''Tha Carter VI'' (TBA)
*''I Am Not a Human Being III'' (TBA)
Filmography
Film
Television
Awards and nominations
See also
* List of artists who reached number one in the United States * List of best-selling music artists in the United States * List of best-selling singles in the United States * List of best-selling singles worldwide * List of best-selling albums by year in the United States * List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles ChartReferences
External links
* * * *Lil Wayne
on Spotify {{DEFAULTSORT:Lil Wayne Lil Wayne, 1982 births Living people 20th-century American rappers 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American rappers African-American business executives African-American businesspeople African-American male actors African-American male rappers African-American record producers American businesspeople convicted of crimes American chief executives American hip hop record producers American hip hop singers American male rappers American male television actors American music industry executives American people convicted of drug offenses American shooting survivors Bloods Businesspeople from New Orleans Cash Money Millionaires members Cash Money Records artists Gangsta rappers Grammy Award winners for rap music Hot Boys members Male actors from New Orleans People with epilepsy Pop rappers Record producers from Louisiana Rappers from New Orleans Recipients of American presidential pardons Republic Records artists Songwriters from Louisiana Southern hip hop musicians Trap musicians Universal Motown Records artists Universal Records artists University of Phoenix alumni World Music Awards winners Young Money Entertainment artists