Lil’ Wayne
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

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 ...
as the youngest member of the label. From then on, Wayne was the flagship 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, Memp ...
group
Hot Boys The Hot Boys (often styled as Hot Boy$) are an American hip hop group formed in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1997. The group is made up of B.G., Lil Wayne, Juvenile and Turk. The group was originally formed in 1997, and released their debut rec ...
, with Cash Money label-mates Juvenile and Turk in 1997; they released their debut album ''
Get It How U Live! ''Get It How U Live!!'' is the debut album by New Orleans hip-hop group the Hot Boys, released on October 28, 1997, on Ca$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'' (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 ...
'' (1999) was his solo breakthrough, and he reached higher popularity with his fourth album '' Tha Carter'' (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 mixtapes 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 ...
'' (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 pr ...
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", "
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 ava ...
" (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 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, sh ...
'' 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' ...
'' 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 pr ...
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 categor ...
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 especial ...
(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 Republ ...
.


Early life

Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. was born on September 27, 1982, and spent his first few years in the impoverished Hollygrove neighborhood of
Uptown 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 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 with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls (and others) and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's children's novel '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' ...
''. 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
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 ...
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 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., Lil Wayne, Juvenile and Turk. The group was originally formed in 1997, and released their debut rec ...
along with rappers Juvenile, B.G., and Turk. 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'', which reached No. 1 on the '' Billboard''
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 ...
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 ...
'', 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., Lil Wayne, Juvenile and Turk. The group was originally formed in 1997, and released their debut rec ...
. It debuted at number 3 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was later certified platinum by the RIAA 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 ...
". 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" 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 Baby and former Cash Money in-house producer Mannie Fresh.B ...
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 stati ...
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''. 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 (Teddy Pendergrass song), Close the Door". The song is a trio but the video w ...
" 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 Reco ...
.


2004–2006: ''Tha Carter'', ''Tha Carter II'', and ''Like Father, Like Son''

In the summer of 2004, Carter's fourth studio album, '' Tha Carter'', 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'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 ...
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 ...
" 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 Mone ...
, " Hustler Musik", and "
Shooter Shooting is the act or process of discharging a projectile from a ranged weapon (such as a gun, bow, crossbow, slingshot, or blowpipe). Even the acts of launching flame, artillery, darts, harpoons, grenades, rockets, and guided missiles can ...
" 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", 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 Republ ...
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", 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 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 producti ...
'' 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, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' 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)'' "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 ...
" by Chris Brown, " Make It Rain" by Fat Joe, "
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, 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 99 Jamz, a ...
(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, 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 (lat ...
, "
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 o ...
" 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 99 Jamz, a ...
(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,
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 300 ...
, Fat Joe, Birdman, and Rick Ross). All these singles charted within the top 20 spots on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, Hot Rap Tracks, and
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 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" 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, and '' Graduation'' 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'' by Enrique Iglesias. "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 Ph ...
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 discontinu ...
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 ...
'' 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 ...
'' was released on June 10, 2008, with first-week sales of over 1 million copies, the first to do so since 50 Cent'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 ...
'' (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 ava ...
", 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 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, " 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 (Akon album), Freedom''. The song features additional vocals from rappers Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy, and was released as a digital download worldwide and ...
" 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. Ba ...
, " Swagga Like Us" 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 Rudo ...
. 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 ...
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 i ...
's " I Will Always Love You". 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 wer ...
with Kid Rock (" 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 (streaming service), Peacock. ...
''. 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 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 ...
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, 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 a ...
for " A Milli",
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 discontin ...
for his appearance in T.I.'s single " Swagga Like Us", 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 c ...
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 North American Eastern Time Zone, ET until noon, with reruns from noon to 2pm ET on ESPN2 and from ...
''. On February 10, 2009, he appeared on ESPN's
Around the Horn ''Around the Horn'' (''ATH'') is an American sports 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 Chris Connelly'', and has ...
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''. 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'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 Universal Amphitheatre, Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. Andy Samberg served as host for the 18th annual ceremony. Performers * Eminem — "We Made You" ...
. 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 doc ...
'', was released at the Sundance Film Festival. 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", featuring Lloyd, 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", with Madonna for her greatest hits album, '' Celebration'' (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 ...
song, "Can't Stop Partying", on '' Raditude'' (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 ye ...
", 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, 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, sh ...
''. 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'' on steroids". The album's lead single, " 6 Foot 7 Foot" featuring Cory Gunz, was released on December 15, 2010, and made available for digital download on iTunes 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 * Secon ...
", was released on March 24, 2011, which features Rick Ross 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 ...
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 Ceiling ...
'', 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 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 an ...
" 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, a ...
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 wa ...
dropped Carter, who was a spokesperson for Mountain Dew, 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 o ...
icon Emmett Till. 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, and ...
, Chance The Rapper, 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' ...
'' 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 ...
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 ...
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'', 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's
TIDAL Tidal is the adjectival form of tide. Tidal may also refer to: * ''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 * Tidal (servic ...
, 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 App ...
'', 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, a ...
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''. 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", 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 20 ...
and Imagine Dragons, 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" 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 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 ...
. Carter is a frequent guest on the program. On Christmas 2017, Carter released the mixtape '' Dedication 6'', 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' ...
'' 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 traditio ...
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 en ...
'' 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''. 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 traditio ...
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 axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In tempera ...
of ''The Masked Singer (American TV series), The Masked Singer'' after the Super Bowl LIV as "Robot". He was the first to be eliminated. Carter featured on Lil Baby's track "Forever", a track from Baby's second studio album, My Turn (Lil Baby 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, launched his own radio show, Young Money Radio, on Apple Music. 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 App ...
'' (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 on the song "No Ceilings". Wayne was featured on YoungBoy Never Broke Again's album ''Top (album), Top'' on the track "My Window (YoungBoy Never Broke Again song), My Window", 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' ...
'', 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 released a collaborative mixtape titled ''Trust Fund Babies'', along with a music video for the single "Feelin' Like Tunechi". 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, that has been in production for several years. In late 2011, it was announced by Mack Maine that Carter and Juelz Santana 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 (album), T-Wayne'' 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 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'' (2011). In April 2012, on the premiere of MTV's Hip Hop POV, Carter sat down with Amanda Seales 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. 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 with WQHT, Hot 97's Angie Martinez, 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 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 sweetheart Toya Johnson. 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 in Cincinnati to radio broadcaster Sarah Vivan. His third child, Cameron, was born to actress Lauren London on September 9, 2009. His fourth child, Neal, was born on November 30, 2009, to singer Nivea (singer), Nivea. Trina 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 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 (singer), Nivea and songwriter The-Dream. 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, another model. In November 2020, they reportedly broke up over Wayne's List of Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign non-political endorsements, endorsement of Donald Trump. Shortly after, it was reported that the couple had reconciled.


Beliefs and interests

In an interview with ''Blender (magazine), Blender'', Carter revealed one of his favorite bands from childhood to be rock group Nirvana (band), Nirvana, 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 verse on his leg, "I Am Music" on his forehead and teardrop tattoo, teardrops on his cheeks among many others. His most recent one is "Baked" on his forehead stylized as the Baker Skateboards logo. While playing in Newark Symphony Hall, Carter professed his belief "in God and His son, Jesus". During his 2011 tour in Australia with Eminem, 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, Carter enrolled at the University of Houston in January 2005. He dropped out in the same year due to his conflicting schedule. He also revealed on '' The View'' that he switched to the University of Phoenix and majored in psychology taking online courses. An article in ''Urb'' magazine in March 2007 asserted that Carter had been earning high grades at Houston. On September 24, 2008, Carter published his first blog for ESPN in their issue, ''ESPN The Magazine''. Carter revealed he was a fan of tennis, the Green Bay Packers, the Boston Bruins, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Red Sox. To commemorate the Green Bay Packers, Packers' making it to Super Bowl XLV, 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 20 ...
's hit song "Black and Yellow" (which were the colors of the Packers' opponents, the Pittsburgh Steelers) 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 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 sports debate show Skip and Shannon: Undisputed, Undisputed. 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 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 (American football), Seth Roberts, Corey Nelson, Cory Nelson, Jordan Evans (American football), Jordan Evans, Malik Jefferson, Erik Harris, Eric Harris, Quinnen Williams, 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 U.S. presidential election, 2020, presidential election, Carter posted an image of him and President Donald Trump 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 for Los Angeles, made an emergency landing in Texas due to an in-flight medical episode. Lil Wayne was transferred to a local hospital upon arrival. TMZ (website), TMZ and other media sources said that Carter had suffered a seizure 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, 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 in Los Angeles on the evening of March 12, after having seizures while on a music video set with Young Money rapper Nicki Minaj. 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 in critical condition. The article alleged the latest seizures were found to be linked to high amounts of codeine in Carter's system, possibly due to binging on purple drank 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 (entertainer), 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 Republ ...
, 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 ...
, 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 wikt: deathbed, deathbed (such as by saying that he was in a medically induced coma), triggering what the ''Washington Post'' 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, on March 21 saying he was more than good. Carter had two seizures in June 2016, during a cross-country flight from Wisconsin to California, and landed in Omaha, Nebraska. 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 (New York City), Beacon Theatre; the New York City Police Department 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 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 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 ...
'' 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. Ba ...
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 ...
, 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 former
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., Lil Wayne, Juvenile and Turk. The group was originally formed in 1997, and released their debut rec ...
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 ...
labelmate Juvenile 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''. 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. 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 (entertainer), 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 signee
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 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 voted Jay-Z "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 ...
'' (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'' (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 ...
'' (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, sh ...
'' (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 App ...
'' (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' ...
'' (2018) *'' Funeral'' (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 Chart


References


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