Lil Wayne
Lil' Wayne on the cover of his 2005 album,
Tha Carter II Lil' Wayne born Dwayne Michael Carter on (September 27, 1982) New Orleans, Louisiana) is an African American rapper and president of the Cash Money Records label and Young Money Entertainment. Lil' Wayne has recently gained much respect and critical acclaim for his lyrical rap flow maturation and unique rhyme scheme. Lil' Wayne claims to
Career
Dwayne Carter credits Cash Money recording artists such as Pimp Daddy and U.N.L.V. as some of his early rap influences. At the age of 11, Wayne would drop out of school to fully pursue a rap career after meeting the Cash Money owners and CEOs Ronald "Slim" Williams, Brian "Baby aka Birdman" Williams who would sign him to their recording label. In 1995 at the age of 12, Wayne made his debut with then fellow label mate B.G. on the album titled True Story.
It should be noted that Wayne didn't rap about adolescent issues, unlike most child rappers who perform bubblegum rap until their late teens. He did, however, refrain from swearing in his rhymes at the behest of his mother.
In 1997, Wayne formed the Hot Boys along with Juvenile, Turk, and B.G., and they dropped their seminal debut CD Get It How You Live. The record's success earned the young teenagers fans throughout the south and midwest. He further distinguished himself on the Hot Boys' platinum selling Universal debut Guerilla Warfare released in 1998, followed by their 2003 release Let Em Burn.
At age 16, Wayne launched his solo career with the release of Tha Block Is Hot 1999. This were followed by Lights Out in 2000 and 500 Degreez an allusion to Juvenile's 400 Degreez in 2002.
In 2004, Wayne Carter released Tha Carter. This album is marked as a personal milestone as he claimed to have finally perfected his trade. It was also Tha Carter that finally earned Wayne mass notability outside the south as a lyricist because at that time (and even still today), southern rappers are stereotyped with little to no lyrical ability. He however proves the stereotype a dud as his lyrics are never written, contrary to the way most lyricists produce their rhymes. He is self-proclaimed to be second to non other than Sean Carter as one of the best free style artists in the world.
On December 6, 2005 Wayne released Tha Carter II which further solidified his spot as a contemporary rapper, noticingly producing the album without the prominent beats of DJ Manny Fresh. Tha Carter II sold more than 238,000 copies debuting at no. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart and has been certified platinum. The lead single off the album, "Fireman", became a hit in the US, peaking at 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The second single, "Grown Man", was solicited to urban radios in January of 2006 in hopes of spreading to Top 40 Mainstream and then to the Hot 100, but failed to do so and failed to receive any attention due to lack of promotion and no video.[citation needed] The third single "Hustler Muzik" received a video and gained minor attention also. "Hustler Muzik" recently debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #88.
Recently Wayne was recruited by the Boyz N Da Hood as their fourth member after Young Jeezy left the group to engage in his solo career. Due to scheduling conflicts involving the promotion of Tha Carter II, he would never be formally named an active member of Boyz N Da Hood but maintains a very good relationship with the group recording new tracks with them often. Florida rapper Rick Ross was rumored to then replace Wayne and in essence, Young Jeezy but he also has denied that he will be an official member of the group.
In 2006 he released his critically acclaimed sequel to his Dedication mixtape with DJ Drama called Dedication 2. On it, he included an outro track entitled "Georgia....Bush" which he addresses the problems surrounding the government's response to Hurricane Katrina in his native New Orleans, Lousiana and also places a large amount of blame on President George W. Bush. Throughout the track, he implicates that theories of the government sabotoging the levees of New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward were indeed true. The track was recorded on the beat to Ludacris' single "Georgia" which sampled the Ray Charles track "Georgia On My Mind." At the end of the track, and in silence, DJ Drama says "oh yea, u thought we was done?.....nah..." followed by the instrumental to the 2Pac track "Ambitionz Az A Ridah" plays with Wayne flowing over it for at least the next three minutes.
Discography
Albums
be the best rapper alive in his song titled Best Rapper Alive #7 on his album Tha Carter II, beginning the chorus of this song by saying: "Who am I...the best rapper alive." Lil Wayne is also known as Birdman Jr., Raw Tune, Weezy F. Baby, or Dwayne Carter (using the last name of his step father).
