Lil Wayne turns 42 today, and after over twenty years in the game, this New Orleans star is still going strong.
Born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. on September 27th, 1982, Weezy kicked off his career as a child with the group Hot Boys. The quartet consisted of Wayne, Juvenile, BG, and Turk, who released wildly popular cuts, such as “I Need a Hot Girl.” Each member went on to release their solo projects, including Wayne, who unveiled his debut, “Tha Block Is Hot,” in 1999. The project peaked at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200 and was certified platinum just weeks after its release. This established Wayne as a solid solo act, propelling him to superstar status.
“Lights Out,” Wayne’s second studio album, arrived the following year, achieving gold status. “500 Degreez” seemed to be the final installment of this trilogy before Wayne introduced “Tha Carter,” his fourth studio album, in 2004. This project is widely regarded as one of Wayne’s best albums. “Tha Carter II” and “Tha Carter III” followed, with the latter taking home four Grammy’s, including Best Rap Album. In addition to commercial releases, the Cash Money star has one of the most successful mixtape runs in history, from his “Dedication” series to the famous “No Ceilings” tapes, where Wayne would frequently rap over the beats of his peers.
In addition to his music, Wayne played a pivotal role in launching the careers of Drake and Nicki Minaj through his label Young Money Entertainment. His contribution to hip-hop was recognized in 2018 when he received the “I Am Hip-Hop” award at the BET Hip-Hop Awards.
As Wayne celebrates another year, his impact on the music industry remains undeniable, solidifying his place as one of the greatest rappers of all time. Here are a few Lil Wayne must-haves for your playlist.
“Tha Block Is Hot”
“Hustler Musik”
“John”
“A Milli”
“Shine”
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