Lil Wayne Reveals What He Admired Most About Kobe Bryant And His Legacy

Lil Wayne sat down for a new interview with MTV and opened up about the loss of his friend, NBA Legend Kobe Bryant.

According to Complex, Wayne talked about how much he admired Kobe’s work ethic, legacy and mentality.

“As a kid, being a fan, watching him on TV, and going to a game and just not knowing him at all—and just being a super fan and knowing, ‘Wow he’s really that person off the court in every situation in life,'” Wayne told host Jamila Mustafa.” He really has that mentality, just relentless in everything, and he strives to be the best in everything. It’s impossible to have a conversation with him and walk away from that conversation, not trying to be better at something.”

Wayne also talked about Kobe’s profound legacy of becoming a champion many times over.

“The admiration comes from after all that… You listen to Vanessa talk at the [memorial] in Staples Center the other night, and now you get the full rounding of it, she said.” You hear how he was a perfect dad, he was a great dad, and you hear how he was this and that, but you gotta hear that from his children and his wife. Vanessa spoke, and you hear that from her. And you see, OK, that’s when you’re not hearing it no more; you’re listening. And then, when you listen to Vanessa speak about it, and that’s when it just comes full circle, and that’s what his legacy was to me.”

Wayne’s latest album Funeral has 24 tracks, and track 8 “Bing James” contains 24 seconds of silence- all as a tribute to his love for Kobe.