Jump to content

Lil Wayne

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by MC Dupree (talk | contribs) at 04:55, 2 February 2008 (Removed vandalism yet again). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Lil Wayne

Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. (born September 27, 1982 in New Orleans, Louisiana), better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper.

Biography

Early Years

Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. was born to Jacida "Cita" Carter and Dwayne Michael Turner. Jacida Carter was 19 at the time, in the process of graduating from high school, and involved in an abusive relationship with Turner. Turner abandoned the family soon after Dwayne's birth. Jacida later became involved with Reginald "Rabbit" McDonald, who moved the family from Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans' 17th Ward to East New Orleans. It was around the time of the move that Dwayne Carter began to get involved more deeply in rap music, signing with Cash Money at the age of 11. A year after his move to East New Orleans, Carter accidentally shot himself in the chest with McDonald's .44 Taurus Magnum, he would subsequently be on life support for two weeks. A year later, Jacida would demand Carter stay away from Brian "Baby" Williams, having gone to school with his older brother Ronald "Slim" Williams, both founders of Cash Money. The separation would only last a year, as Carter returned to Cash Money after the death of Reginald McDonald on March 7, 1997.

Personal Relationships

At the age of 16, Wayne had a daughter named Reginae Carter with Antonia "Toya", his high school sweetheart. The two later divorced.[1]

It is confirmed that Lil Wayne was at one time engaged to Kim Kardashian[2], but the wedding was cancelled. Wayne is now rumored to be engaged to Lauren London[3].

Education

Lil Wayne later enrolled at and is currently attending the University of Houston in Houston, Texas since early 2005, where he is majoring in political science. [4] According to the Cash Money Records website, Wayne later switched his major to psychology. [5][1]

Criminal history

On July 22, 2007, Lil Wayne was arrested in New York City following a performance at the Beacon Theater. NYPD discovered Wayne and another man smoking marijuana near a tour bus on 61st and Columbus. After taking Wayne into custody, police discovered a pistol on his person, and he was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and marijuana.[6]

On October 5, 2007, Lil Wayne was arrested in Boise, Idaho, following a permformance at Qwest Arena. Wayne was arrested on felony fugitive charges after Georgia authorities accused the rapper of possessing a controlled substance.[7] Wayne was freed on $20,000 bond.[8] The incident was later described as a "mix-up" and the fugitive charges were dropped.[9]

On January 23, 2008, Lil Wayne was arrested alongside two others. His tour bus was stopped by Border Patrol agents near Yuma, Arizona. Lil Wayne had a .44 caliber pistol. A K-9 Unit recovered 105 grams of marijuana (3.7 ounces), almost 29 grams of cocaine (1.02 ounces), 41 grams of Ecstasy (1.05 ounces) and $22,000 dollars in cash[10]. He has since been released on bail of $10,185[11].

Career

Wayne's first contact with hip-hop was listening to local Cash Money Records artists like Pimp Daddy and U.N.L.V., whom he would later credit as his earliest influences. Wayne began rapping at block parties as a child. His performance at one of the parties caught the ear of Lil Slim, a Cash Money rapper from the neighborhood, who gave Lil Wayne his phone number. He went to an autograph-signing session with Lil Slim, and there met Cash Money Records owners, "Baby" and "Slim" Williams. His freestyling abilities impressed the Williams brothers, but they were initially reluctant to sign him. Eleven-year-old Wayne started to record freestyles on Baby's answering machine and would frequently visit Cash Money offices. When Baby saw so much enthusiasm in the young rapper, he signed him. Wayne was later hooked up with another newcomer, Lil' Doogie (who would later become as famous as B.G.), to form The B.G.'z. The group released their first and only album, True Story, in 1995.

In 1997, Wayne formed the Hot Boys along with Juvenile, Turk, and B.G., and they released their seminal debut CD Get It How You Live. The record's success earned fans throughout the South and Midwest. He further distinguished himself on the Hot Boys' multi platinum-selling Universal debut, Guerrilla Warfare, which was released in 1998 and was followed by their 2003 release, Let Em Burn.

Cash Money and Young Money

In 2005, Wayne was named president of Cash Money, and in the same year he founded Young Money Entertainment as an imprint of Cash Money.[12] However, as of late 2007, Wayne reports that he has stepped down from the management of both labels and has handed management of Young Money over to Cortez Bryant.[13]


Music history

Tha Block Is Hot (1999)

Main article: Tha Block Is Hot

Wayne's debut solo album featured significant contributions from the Hot Boys and went double platinum, climbing to #3 on the Billboard album charts. The album earned Wayne a 1999 Source award nomination for "Best New Artist".[14] The title track became a Top Ten hit.[15] Other notable tracks included "Fuck tha World"--a rare instance of Wayne using profanity in his early career--in which he describes the pressures that accompany having a daughter at age 16.

Lights Out (2000)

Main article: Lights Out (Lil Wayne album)

Wayne's follow-up album failed to attain the level of success achieved by his debut, although is was certified Gold. At this point in his development as an emcee, Wayne was criticized for coasting on his fame and the collective success of the Hots Boys. Critics pointed to the lack of coherent narratives in his verses as evidence that he had yet to mature to the level of his fellow Hot Boys.[16] Notable tracks included "Everything," which Wayne dedicated to his late stepfather Reginald "Rabbit" McDonald, and "Grown Man," in which Wayne raps about the responsibilities that come with adulthood.

500 Degreez (2002)

Main article: 500 Degreez

Wayne's third album followed the format of his previous two, with significant contributions from the Hot Boys and the distinctive beat-making of producer Mannie Fresh. While certified Gold like its predecessor, it too failed to match the success of Wayne's debut. The title was a reference to the recently estranged Hot Boys member Juvenile's recording, 400 Degreez.

Tha Carter (2004)

Main article: Tha Carter

In the summer of 2004, Wayne released Tha Carter. Often cited as a highlight of his career, Tha Carter marked a significant development in Wayne's flow and delivery, as the young rapper began to employ more original diction and syntax, while occasionally experimenting with his voice and inflection. In addition, the album's cover art featured the debut of Wayne's now-signature dreadlocks.[17] Tha Carter gained Wayne significant recognition, selling 878,000 copies in the United States, while the single "Go DJ" became a Top 5 Hit.[18] The album was loosely organized around the theme of Wayne's mansion, which he refers to as Tha Carter. The tracks "Walk In," "Tha Carter," and "Walk Out" employ this concept, as Wayne takes the listener through his house, rapping about the activity therein. Before the release of the album, Wayne garnered attention by releasing a mixtape called The Prefix, which included him rapping over a handful of beats from Jay-Z's The Black Album. Wayne's connection to Jay-Z continued on Tha Carter, when he referred to himself as, "The best rapper alive, since the best rapper retired" on the track "Bring It Back," referencing Jay-Z's subsequent retirement after releasing The Black Album. This statement by Wayne marked the first time he called himself "The Best Rapper Alive" on a recording. Wayne's continued use of the boast from this point on in his career has essentially transformed the phrase into yet another nickname for the rapper.

Tha Carter II (2005)

Main article: Tha Carter II

December 6, 2005 brought the second installment of "Tha Carter" series. The album marked yet another shift in Wayne's career, as it was his first major release to lack the beats of longtime Cash Money Records producer Mannie Fresh, who had since left the label. As a result, Tha Carter II contained a more diverse range of production style than had previously been present on Wayne's recordings. Tha Carter II sold more than 238,000 copies in its first week of release, debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart. The lead single, "Fireman," became a hit in the US, peaking at 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The second single, "Grown Man", received little attention, while the third single "Hustler Musik" received a video and gained moderate airplay. Other notable tracks include "Fly In," "Carter II," and "Fly Out" which mirror the series of "walk" tracks that appeared on Tha Carter. Wayne also furthered his claim of being the "Best Rapper Alive" by including a track of the same name on the album.

The Mixtape Years (2006-2007)

File:Lilwayne.jpg
Lil Wayne performing in 2007.

Wayne's popularity continued to climb in the years following "Tha Carter" albums, yet no major solo album debuted during this period. Instead, Wayne reached his audience through a plethora of mixtapes and guest appearances on a variety of pop and hip-hop singles.[19] Of Wayne's many mixtapes, Dedication 2 and Da Drought 3 received the most media exposure and critical review. The former, released in 2006, paired Wayne with DJ Drama and contained the acclaimed socially conscious track "Georgia.......Bush," in which Wayne critiqued President George W. Bush's response to the tragic 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 Wayne rapping over a variety of beats from recent hits by other musicians. The impressive flow, varied deliveries, charisma, dexterous freestyling that appeared on these mixtapes vaulted Wayne into the public eye, and won him a number of features in prominent hip-hop magazines, such as XXL and Vibe[20][21]

Tha Carter III (2008)

Main article: Tha Carter III

After numerous delays, Wayne's next solo studio release is finally expected in stores in March of 2008. Initially planned to be released in 2007, Tha Carter III's largest delay came after the majority of the tracks were leaked and distributed on mixtapes, such as "The Drought Is Over Pt. 2" and "The Drought Is Over Pt. 4." Wayne initially decided to use the leaked tracks, plus four new tracks, to make a separate album, titled Tha Carter III: The Leak. The Leak was to be released December 18 2007, with the actual album being delayed until March 18 2008,[22] The release of The Leak in this format never came to fruition, but an official EP titled The Leak and containing five tracks was released digitally on December 25, 2007. Tha Carter III now has a release date of March 18, 2008.[23]

Collaborations

Lil Wayne has made guest appearances on numerous records, including (most notably) Destiny's Child's 2004 hit "Soldier", Avant's 2005 record "You Know What", and Fat Joe's 2006 track "Make It Rain". Recently, Wayne appeared on Playaz Circle's hit song, "Duffle Bag Boy".

Filmography

TV appearances

Lil' Wayne made a guest appearance in the Cartoon Network hit television series The Boondocks in the "Invasion of the Katrinians" episode [24]. Wayne also appeared on Black Entertainment Television's "Access Granted" in 2007.[25]

Discography

Main article: Lil Wayne discography

Solo albums

Collaboration albums

References

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference VIBE was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Rap Basement - Superhead Talks Lil Wayne (September 26, 2007)
  3. ^ BET.com - Lauren London and Lil' Wayne Engaged? (November 30, 2007)
  4. ^ Reid, Shaheem (2005-02-14). "Lil' Wayne Hits the Books in H-Town, Stays With His Cash Money Crew". MTV News. Retrieved 2007-06-08. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ "Lil Wayne (The Artists > Lil Wayne > Biography)". Cash Money Records Website. Retrieved 2007-06-08.
  6. ^ http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2007/07/wayne_ja_rule_arrested/
  7. ^ ABCnews.com - Lil Wayne Arrested After Idaho Concert (October 6, 2007)
  8. ^ Hip Hop Galaxy - Lil Wayne released after drug arrest in Idaho (October 8, 2007)
  9. ^ MTV.com - Lil Wayne Arrest Mostly A Paperwork Mix-Up, Lawyer Says (October 8, 2007)
  10. ^ HHWorlds.com - Exclusive: DEA Speaks On Lil Wayne's Arrest (January 23, 2008)
  11. ^ HHWorlds.com - UPDATE: Lil Wayne Released On Bail (January 23, 2008)
  12. ^ [1]
  13. ^ Vibe.com - Weezy F. Baby: Uncut (October 2, 2007)
  14. ^ [2]
  15. ^ http://wc02.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0nfoxqejldke~T1
  16. ^ http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2001_01_lightsout.html
  17. ^ http://wc02.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0nfoxqejldke~T1
  18. ^ Billboard Music. Lil Wayne Nabs Kurupt, Lil' Mo For New CD. November 03, 2005
  19. ^ http://wc02.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0nfoxqejldke~T1
  20. ^ http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=16889
  21. ^ http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2007/10/weezy_da_fireman/
  22. ^ [3][Universal Release Dates ]
  23. ^ 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. Accessed January 17 2008.
  24. ^ [4] DefSounds.com
  25. ^ [5]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lil_Wayne&oldid=188540508"