WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.549 Welcome back to the Deep Dive. Okay, so you sent 00:00:03.549 --> 00:00:05.450 us just an enormous amount of source material 00:00:05.450 --> 00:00:08.289 on, well, one of the most creative, but also 00:00:08.289 --> 00:00:10.410 maybe one of the most corporately complicated 00:00:10.410 --> 00:00:13.750 careers in recent music history. Just putting 00:00:13.750 --> 00:00:15.410 it mildly, yeah. Today we're not just looking 00:00:15.410 --> 00:00:20.609 at a rapper. We are trying to unpack Dwayne Michael 00:00:20.609 --> 00:00:23.449 Carter Jr., who you know as Lil Wayne. He's really 00:00:23.449 --> 00:00:25.789 a force of nature, isn't he? A cultural phenomenon, 00:00:26.010 --> 00:00:30.010 a business figure, just this blueprint for modern 00:00:30.010 --> 00:00:32.350 hip -hop influence. That's exactly right. Exactly 00:00:32.350 --> 00:00:34.250 the mission here. We've got, what, three decades 00:00:34.250 --> 00:00:36.869 of career to synthesize. It's a huge task going 00:00:36.869 --> 00:00:40.009 from like the child prodigy Baby D all the way 00:00:40.009 --> 00:00:42.630 to Wheezy F Baby, the guy who, you know, has 00:00:42.630 --> 00:00:44.950 charted more songs than Elvis Presley. It's wild. 00:00:45.090 --> 00:00:46.929 More than Elvis, yeah. Our sources cover everything. 00:00:47.049 --> 00:00:49.450 His early start, the trauma, his artistic shifts, 00:00:49.590 --> 00:00:52.369 that crazy commercial peak, the legal nightmares, 00:00:52.509 --> 00:00:55.170 and importantly, his deep influence on music 00:00:55.170 --> 00:00:58.280 today. It really is a life lived at warp speed. 00:00:58.520 --> 00:01:00.320 And so much of it played out in public, even 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:02.140 the really vulnerable moments. So we're going 00:01:02.140 --> 00:01:05.299 to trace it all. From his New Orleans roots, 00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:08.480 that childhood genius mixed with tragedy, through 00:01:08.480 --> 00:01:11.340 the whole cash money rise, founding Young Money, 00:01:11.540 --> 00:01:14.540 the mixtape era, which was just revolutionary. 00:01:14.939 --> 00:01:16.980 Groundbreaking, really. The Ty Carter albums, 00:01:17.200 --> 00:01:19.400 and then those huge public battles, the legal 00:01:19.400 --> 00:01:21.879 stuff, the health scares. It's a lot. It is. 00:01:21.900 --> 00:01:24.280 It's complex, full of contradictions. So yeah, 00:01:24.319 --> 00:01:25.980 let's start at the beginning, those early foundations. 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:30.480 Okay. New Orleans, Hollygrove, Uptown, September 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:33.739 27, 1982. That's where Dwayne Michael Carter 00:01:33.739 --> 00:01:36.280 Jr. is born. Right. And the context there is 00:01:36.280 --> 00:01:39.680 so important. His mother was only 19 and his 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:41.959 biological father. He left when Wayne was just 00:01:41.959 --> 00:01:45.859 two. abandon the family. That absence is critical. 00:01:46.120 --> 00:01:48.019 You really see it reflected in his name change, 00:01:48.099 --> 00:01:50.420 right? Dropping the D. Exactly. It's intentional. 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:52.299 The sources are clear. He said he didn't want 00:01:52.299 --> 00:01:54.099 the name Dwayne because his father was never 00:01:54.099 --> 00:01:56.780 there. A total rejection. So Wayne isn't just 00:01:56.780 --> 00:01:59.120 a stage name. It's like reclaiming his identity. 00:01:59.420 --> 00:02:02.079 It really is. It's symbolic. And he often talked 00:02:02.079 --> 00:02:05.000 about his stepfather, Reginald Rabbit McDonald, 00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:08.740 who passed away as his real father. He even has 00:02:08.740 --> 00:02:11.800 a tattoo dedicated to Rabbit. That focus on chosen 00:02:11.800 --> 00:02:15.159 family, loyalty. You see that theme running through 00:02:15.159 --> 00:02:17.759 cash money, young money later on. It starts right 00:02:17.759 --> 00:02:20.400 there, yeah. But what's also striking from the 00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:23.259 sources is this duality in his childhood. Before 00:02:23.259 --> 00:02:26.259 the street element took over, he was genuinely 00:02:26.259 --> 00:02:28.620 gifted academically. Yeah, I saw that. Gifted 00:02:28.620 --> 00:02:31.479 program in elementary school, honor student, 00:02:31.659 --> 00:02:35.419 drama club in secondary school. He played the 00:02:35.419 --> 00:02:37.180 Tin Man in The Wiz. Right. That's the detail 00:02:37.180 --> 00:02:39.759 people forget. He had this other path, this other 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:41.939 potential. Wrote his first rap at age eight. 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:45.580 But the environment, Hollygrove, it was tough. 00:02:45.780 --> 00:02:47.360 And that environment led to him leaving high 00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:49.240 school, right? Not because of grades. No, not 00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:51.240 at all. He left Marianne Abramson Senior High 00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:53.840 in 10th grade because his mother found a gun 00:02:53.840 --> 00:02:56.039 he was carrying for protection. She pulled about, 00:02:56.199 --> 00:02:59.139 basically, to get his GED instead. Survival first. 00:02:59.319 --> 00:03:01.340 That's intense. And it leads directly to that 00:03:01.340 --> 00:03:04.909 near -fatal incident in 1994. Yeah. The shooting. 00:03:05.189 --> 00:03:08.509 He was only 12 years old. Self -inflicted gunshot 00:03:08.509 --> 00:03:11.210 wound to the chest. And the story around that 00:03:11.210 --> 00:03:14.150 has changed over time, hasn't it? It has. Initially, 00:03:14.150 --> 00:03:16.629 it was reported as an accident. But years later, 00:03:16.750 --> 00:03:19.870 in 2018, Wayne himself said it was actually a 00:03:19.870 --> 00:03:22.789 suicide attempt. Apparently, his mother had told 00:03:22.789 --> 00:03:25.069 him he had to stop rapping and those associations. 00:03:25.270 --> 00:03:27.849 That conflict almost killed him. Just devastating. 00:03:27.849 --> 00:03:30.770 But then there's this moment of almost grace. 00:03:30.849 --> 00:03:34.069 The off -duty officer, Robert Hubler. Uncle Bob. 00:03:34.090 --> 00:03:36.590 Uncle Bob, yeah. Wayne credits him with saving 00:03:36.590 --> 00:03:39.150 his life. Hubler apparently insisted they rush 00:03:39.150 --> 00:03:40.770 him to the hospital in the police car immediately, 00:03:40.889 --> 00:03:43.590 didn't wait for an ambulance. That decision probably 00:03:43.590 --> 00:03:46.050 made all the difference. Wow. So this mix of 00:03:46.050 --> 00:03:49.930 raw talent and deep trauma, it seems to push 00:03:49.930 --> 00:03:51.689 him straight towards music, towards Cash Money. 00:03:51.689 --> 00:03:54.110 Absolutely. He's discovered by Brian Baby Williams 00:03:54.110 --> 00:03:57.030 Birdman in 1991. Signs with Cash Money Records. 00:03:57.150 --> 00:04:00.189 He's 11 years old. 11? Just a kid. A kid. He 00:04:00.189 --> 00:04:02.770 starts off in a duo, the BGs, with BG. That's 00:04:02.770 --> 00:04:04.530 when Wayne was Baby D. They put out an album, 00:04:04.710 --> 00:04:07.229 True Story, in 95. But the real launching pad 00:04:07.229 --> 00:04:11.849 was the Hot Boys, right? Definitely. 1997. Juvenile, 00:04:11.870 --> 00:04:14.750 Turk, BG, and Wayne, the youngest member, only 00:04:14.750 --> 00:04:17.370 14. They really established the cash money sound 00:04:17.370 --> 00:04:20.129 and brand. Get it how you live. Then Guerrilla 00:04:20.129 --> 00:04:22.350 Warfare in 99. That one hit the Billboard charts, 00:04:22.490 --> 00:04:24.329 number five. Yeah, Guerrilla Warfare was their 00:04:24.329 --> 00:04:27.769 major label debut. Had hits like, We on Fire, 00:04:27.910 --> 00:04:30.920 I Need a Hot Girl. He basically grew up inside 00:04:30.920 --> 00:04:33.079 the music industry machine, learned it all as 00:04:33.079 --> 00:04:35.220 a teenager. Okay, so that sets him up for his 00:04:35.220 --> 00:04:37.220 solo career, which, as you mentioned, started 00:04:37.220 --> 00:04:39.600 strong commercially, but maybe critics weren't 00:04:39.600 --> 00:04:41.319 fully on board yet. That's a good way to put 00:04:41.319 --> 00:04:44.220 it. Fablock is hot. His debut in 99 when he was 00:04:44.220 --> 00:04:47.019 17, platinum, hit number three on Billboard. 00:04:47.399 --> 00:04:50.240 Huge start. But the next couple, Lights Out in 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:53.680 2000, 500 Degrees in 2002, they didn't quite 00:04:53.680 --> 00:04:56.339 hit the same mark. Right. Both went gold, which 00:04:56.339 --> 00:04:58.000 is still successful, obviously, but critically, 00:04:58.180 --> 00:05:00.660 yeah, got a more lukewarm reception. Some critics 00:05:00.660 --> 00:05:03.420 pointed out a, quote, lack of coherent narratives 00:05:03.420 --> 00:05:05.620 in his verses. Like he hadn't quite found his 00:05:05.620 --> 00:05:07.660 voice yet. Still kind of working within that 00:05:07.660 --> 00:05:09.939 established hot boys cash money sound. Pretty 00:05:09.939 --> 00:05:13.100 much. And 500 Degrees, that title alone tells 00:05:13.100 --> 00:05:16.220 a story. It was a direct shot at Juvenile. who 00:05:16.220 --> 00:05:18.540 had left Cash Money and had that massive hit 00:05:18.540 --> 00:05:21.980 album 400 Degrees. Ah, so internal label beef 00:05:21.980 --> 00:05:24.920 spilling onto the album titles. Classic. Yeah, 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:27.980 the tensions were already there. But even while 00:05:27.980 --> 00:05:30.660 figuring out his solo identity, he stayed visible 00:05:30.660 --> 00:05:33.279 with features. He was on that 3LW track, Neva 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:34.980 Get Enough, and of course he was on Juvedal's 00:05:34.980 --> 00:05:37.680 huge hit, Back That Ass Up. Kept his name out 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:39.879 there. Kept him relevant while he was honing 00:05:39.879 --> 00:05:43.819 his craft. And boy, did it pay off in 2004. Thug 00:05:43.819 --> 00:05:46.519 Harder. Okay, this was the turning point. Absolutely 00:05:46.519 --> 00:05:49.800 seismic. This wasn't just another record. Critics 00:05:49.800 --> 00:05:52.259 immediately recognized it. A major advancement 00:05:52.259 --> 00:05:54.319 in his rapping style and lyrical themes, they 00:05:54.319 --> 00:05:56.959 said. This was the arrival. And visually, too, 00:05:57.060 --> 00:05:58.779 right? This is when the dreadlocks appear on 00:05:58.779 --> 00:06:01.160 the cover, signaling a whole new persona. Totally. 00:06:01.240 --> 00:06:03.699 The look matched the sound. It sold nearly 900 00:06:03.699 --> 00:06:06.620 ,000 copies in the U .S. And Go Gijay was a big 00:06:06.620 --> 00:06:09.639 hit, top five on the R &B hip -hop chart. Confirmed 00:06:09.639 --> 00:06:11.160 the evolution was working commercially, too. 00:06:11.529 --> 00:06:13.750 And he started getting these huge mainstream 00:06:13.750 --> 00:06:17.689 features. Destiny's Child, Soldier with T .I. 00:06:17.750 --> 00:06:20.949 That was massive. Huge. Peaked at number three 00:06:20.949 --> 00:06:23.689 on the Hot 100. Put him right in the pop conversation. 00:06:23.970 --> 00:06:27.149 Way beyond just hip -hop circles. So the creative 00:06:27.149 --> 00:06:29.129 side is exploding, but he was also making moves 00:06:29.129 --> 00:06:31.329 on the business side around this time. Yeah, 00:06:31.370 --> 00:06:33.230 which is pretty remarkable for someone his age. 00:06:33.430 --> 00:06:36.149 In 2005, he's actually named president of Cash 00:06:36.149 --> 00:06:39.660 Money Records. President? Wow. 22. I'm three 00:06:39.660 --> 00:06:43.339 years old. And he immediately uses that position. 00:06:43.699 --> 00:06:46.319 Same year, he founds Young Money Entertainment 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:49.839 as an imprint of Cash Money and Universal. Smart 00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:52.199 move. Building his own platform under the bigger 00:06:52.199 --> 00:06:54.480 umbrella. That obviously pays off later with 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:56.740 Drake and Nicki. Hugely instrumental. Though 00:06:56.740 --> 00:06:58.579 interestingly, he didn't stay in that president 00:06:58.579 --> 00:07:01.620 role for too long. By 2007, he hands the day 00:07:01.620 --> 00:07:03.699 -to -day management of Young Money over to Cortez 00:07:03.699 --> 00:07:06.220 Bryant. Seems like he wanted to focus purely 00:07:06.220 --> 00:07:08.720 on the music again. And that focus led to Ty 00:07:08.720 --> 00:07:11.579 Carter II in 2005. Which debuted at number two. 00:07:11.720 --> 00:07:14.339 Sold two million worldwide eventually. Big success. 00:07:14.699 --> 00:07:16.860 But there's a really important behind -the -scenes 00:07:16.860 --> 00:07:19.220 detail here. Manny Fresh wasn't involved. Oh, 00:07:19.220 --> 00:07:21.980 wow. The main cash money producer. Why not? The 00:07:21.980 --> 00:07:25.300 sources point to money issues. Financial disputes 00:07:25.300 --> 00:07:29.459 with the label. Manny Fresh basically co -created 00:07:29.459 --> 00:07:32.300 the whole cash money sound. And him leaving over 00:07:32.300 --> 00:07:35.850 royalty problems. That was a major red flag about 00:07:35.850 --> 00:07:39.389 how cash money operated financially. Problems 00:07:39.389 --> 00:07:41.170 that, you know, would eventually catch up to 00:07:41.170 --> 00:07:43.269 Wayne himself. It's like you can hear the foundation 00:07:43.269 --> 00:07:45.750 starting to crack, even as the empire is growing. 00:07:45.850 --> 00:07:49.589 Still, Ty Carter II had hits like Fireman, Hustler 00:07:49.589 --> 00:07:52.670 Music. Yeah, strong singles. And then in 2006, 00:07:52.810 --> 00:07:54.550 you get the collaboration album with Birdman. 00:07:54.939 --> 00:07:57.899 like father, like son. And that gave us Stuntin' 00:07:57.899 --> 00:08:00.699 Like My Daddy. Which became like an instant catchphrase, 00:08:00.699 --> 00:08:02.660 cemented that whole mentor -protege narrative 00:08:02.660 --> 00:08:04.920 they were pushing. Exactly. So that whole mid 00:08:04.920 --> 00:08:07.459 -2000s period, it really set the stage for his 00:08:07.459 --> 00:08:10.420 absolute peak. But the way he got there, it wasn't 00:08:10.420 --> 00:08:12.339 the usual album cycle. He did something different. 00:08:12.519 --> 00:08:15.000 The mixtapes. The mixtape revolution. This is 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:16.560 where things get really interesting because people 00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:18.920 credit Wayne with basically changing the whole 00:08:18.920 --> 00:08:21.740 game here. How artists stayed relevant, how hype 00:08:21.740 --> 00:08:23.879 was built. Instead of just waiting for the next 00:08:23.879 --> 00:08:27.180 album, he just unleashed this flood of material. 00:08:27.500 --> 00:08:30.259 A plethora of mixtapes and guest appearances, 00:08:30.579 --> 00:08:33.679 as one source put it. It was saturation, deliberate, 00:08:33.940 --> 00:08:35.980 keep his voice everywhere. And some of those 00:08:35.980 --> 00:08:38.059 mixtapes became legendary in their own right. 00:08:38.200 --> 00:08:41.759 Dedication 2, Daryl Drought 3. Absolutely critical 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:44.340 works. They got massive media attention, critical 00:08:44.340 --> 00:08:46.580 acclaim, because they showed just how hungry 00:08:46.580 --> 00:08:48.919 he was. He'd take anyone's beat, any hit instrumental, 00:08:49.139 --> 00:08:51.750 and just attack it, make it his own. Dedication 00:08:51.750 --> 00:08:54.570 2 had that track Georgia Bush, right? Critiquing 00:08:54.570 --> 00:08:57.110 the Hurricane Katrina response. Yeah, that was 00:08:57.110 --> 00:08:59.429 a powerful moment. Showed he could use that lyrical 00:08:59.429 --> 00:09:01.909 skill for serious commentary too, not just punchlines 00:09:01.909 --> 00:09:05.110 about money and cars. It was raw, personal. And 00:09:05.110 --> 00:09:08.090 Dale Drought 3, that was free. And he was rapping 00:09:08.090 --> 00:09:10.450 over other people's hits. Yep. Released for free, 00:09:10.509 --> 00:09:12.769 legal download. And the concept was audacious. 00:09:12.970 --> 00:09:14.710 He's basically saying to the entire industry, 00:09:14.990 --> 00:09:16.870 give me your biggest song right now, I'll rap 00:09:16.870 --> 00:09:19.169 over it, release it for free, and probably do 00:09:19.169 --> 00:09:21.730 it better. It was pure competitive fire. That 00:09:21.730 --> 00:09:25.070 seems legally risky, even if it was free. How 00:09:25.070 --> 00:09:27.389 did that strategy work so well? Because it created 00:09:27.389 --> 00:09:30.389 insane buzz. Oh. It bypassed all the official 00:09:30.389 --> 00:09:33.450 channels, radio, label promotion. It was pure 00:09:33.450 --> 00:09:36.159 street -level demand. He was everywhere. All 00:09:36.159 --> 00:09:38.600 the time, even without an official album. Rolling 00:09:38.600 --> 00:09:40.620 Stone even called the Drought 3 one of the best 00:09:40.620 --> 00:09:42.840 albums of 2007, even though it was technically, 00:09:42.919 --> 00:09:45.480 you know, an unauthorized mixtape. Wow. So the 00:09:45.480 --> 00:09:48.799 free content built massive anticipation for whatever 00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:51.340 he charged for next. Exactly. It proved the model 00:09:51.340 --> 00:09:54.419 could work. And it cemented his status as the 00:09:54.419 --> 00:09:56.659 feature king. Right. He was popping up everywhere. 00:09:57.080 --> 00:09:59.080 Fat Joe's Make It Rain got a Grammy nomination 00:09:59.080 --> 00:10:01.919 for that. DJ Keld's We Takin' Over, Lloyd's You. 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:06.129 Big hits. His output was just. By the end of 00:10:06.129 --> 00:10:09.070 2007, everyone recognized it. MTV called him 00:10:09.070 --> 00:10:11.250 the hottest MC in the game. The New Yorker said 00:10:11.250 --> 00:10:13.710 he was rapper of the year, GQ, workaholic of 00:10:13.710 --> 00:10:15.570 the year. All that momentum built towards the 00:10:15.570 --> 00:10:18.610 monster. That Carter III, 2008. But that album 00:10:18.610 --> 00:10:20.529 had its own drama before it even came out, right? 00:10:20.610 --> 00:10:22.850 Leaks. Oh, yeah. It was heavily leaked, delayed 00:10:22.850 --> 00:10:25.190 multiple times. He actually had put out an EP 00:10:25.190 --> 00:10:29.029 called The Leak in 2007, basically using some 00:10:29.029 --> 00:10:30.529 of the leaked tracks just to get ahead of it. 00:10:30.610 --> 00:10:34.299 But when it finally dropped in June 2008. The 00:10:34.299 --> 00:10:36.879 numbers were staggering. Over a million copies. 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:41.240 Yeah. In the first week. Yeah. In the U .S. That 00:10:41.240 --> 00:10:43.419 hadn't happened since 50 Cent's The Massacre 00:10:43.419 --> 00:10:45.899 three years earlier. It wasn't just a rap album. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:48.320 It was a full -blown cultural event. And the 00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:51.440 singles were unavoidable. Lollipop, his first 00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:54.360 solo number one on the Hot 100. Featuring Static 00:10:54.360 --> 00:10:57.700 Major, yeah. Huge hit. And Got Money with T -Pain 00:10:57.700 --> 00:11:00.100 was top ten too. The album just dominated. Led 00:11:00.100 --> 00:11:02.340 to that big Grammy night too. Four awards. Yep. 00:11:02.600 --> 00:11:04.759 including best rap album, best rap song for a 00:11:04.759 --> 00:11:08.059 lollipop. His visibility was just total. headlining 00:11:08.059 --> 00:11:10.559 festivals the vmas and didn't he perform at the 00:11:10.559 --> 00:11:12.899 country music awards he did with kid rock yeah 00:11:12.899 --> 00:11:15.200 first hip -hop act ever to perform at the cmas 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:18.159 showed how far his reach had extended just genre 00:11:18.159 --> 00:11:20.159 -breaking influence okay so this is the absolute 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:22.659 peak but then things start to shift a bit he 00:11:22.659 --> 00:11:25.000 puts out the young money compilation right we're 00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:27.860 young money in 2009 certified gold gave us massive 00:11:27.860 --> 00:11:30.539 hits like every girl and bedrock really launched 00:11:30.539 --> 00:11:32.500 drake and nikki into the stratosphere and then 00:11:32.500 --> 00:11:37.620 rebirth the rock album ah yes rebirth 2010. his 00:11:37.620 --> 00:11:40.259 big experimental swing, released just before 00:11:40.259 --> 00:11:43.679 he went to jail. And, well... It didn't go over 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:46.100 well. Generally negative reviews, yeah. Critics 00:11:46.100 --> 00:11:48.460 mostly panned it. Some called it his worst album 00:11:48.460 --> 00:11:51.340 since maybe 500 Degrees. It proved that even 00:11:51.340 --> 00:11:53.480 Wayne's Midas touch didn't automatically work 00:11:53.480 --> 00:11:55.980 across any genre he tried. But even going to 00:11:55.980 --> 00:11:58.679 jail didn't stop him commercially. He released 00:11:58.679 --> 00:12:01.500 an album while incarcerated. He did. I am not 00:12:01.500 --> 00:12:04.059 a human being. Dropped on his 28th birthday in 00:12:04.059 --> 00:12:06.980 2010 while he was serving eight months at Rikers 00:12:06.980 --> 00:12:09.879 Island for that 2007 weapons charge. And it went 00:12:09.879 --> 00:12:12.659 number one. His fifth number one album. Made 00:12:12.659 --> 00:12:15.320 him the first rapper since Tupac in 95 to have 00:12:15.320 --> 00:12:17.879 a number one album while locked up. It just shows 00:12:17.879 --> 00:12:20.179 the insane loyalty of his fan base. They were 00:12:20.179 --> 00:12:22.580 waiting no matter what. So he gets out and immediately 00:12:22.580 --> 00:12:24.799 pivots back to the main franchise, that Carter 00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:28.419 IV. Yep. Carter IV era begins. Which also, sadly, 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:30.259 kind of marks the beginning of the end of his 00:12:30.259 --> 00:12:32.519 relationship with cash money. But Carter IV itself 00:12:32.519 --> 00:12:35.259 was huge, right? Debuted at number one in 2011. 00:12:35.779 --> 00:12:40.509 Huge. Sold 964 ,000 copies first week. which 00:12:40.509 --> 00:12:42.649 is interesting because it actually outsold Jay 00:12:42.649 --> 00:12:45.110 -Z and Kanye West's big collab album, Watch the 00:12:45.110 --> 00:12:46.730 Throne, which had dropped earlier that summer. 00:12:47.289 --> 00:12:49.409 Wayne still had the commercial edge. And this 00:12:49.409 --> 00:12:51.230 is when he breaks that Elvis record. That's right. 00:12:51.330 --> 00:12:55.049 September 27, 2012. He officially surpasses Elvis 00:12:55.049 --> 00:12:57.460 Presley for the most songs ever. On the Billboard 00:12:57.460 --> 00:13:01.240 Hot 100. 109 entries at that point. How did he 00:13:01.240 --> 00:13:03.399 manage that? Was it just the features? It was 00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:05.440 largely the features, yeah. And the mixtape tracks 00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:07.659 that charted, it reflected the digital era, how 00:13:07.659 --> 00:13:09.700 song consumption was tracked. Every guest spot 00:13:09.700 --> 00:13:13.019 counted. His high volume strategy basically hacked 00:13:13.019 --> 00:13:15.179 the chart rules of the time. He mastered that 00:13:15.179 --> 00:13:16.899 system. And he was still everywhere on features. 00:13:17.659 --> 00:13:21.080 Drake's Miss Me, the motto. Eminem's No Love, 00:13:21.299 --> 00:13:23.980 Chris Brown, Kelly Rowland. Domination. But it 00:13:23.980 --> 00:13:26.639 was around this time, 2012, 2014, that he started 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:28.879 talking about retirement, saying Thigh Carter 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:31.200 V would be his last album. Wanted to focus on 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:34.240 his kids, other interests. That promise. Didn't 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:37.379 exactly pan out smoothly. Not even close. First, 00:13:37.460 --> 00:13:40.279 we got I Am Not a Human Being Tipped in 2013. 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:43.700 Mixed reviews again. Some critics felt the quality 00:13:43.700 --> 00:13:45.879 was maybe slipping a bit, maybe fatigue setting 00:13:45.879 --> 00:13:47.980 in. And then the wheels just came off with I, 00:13:48.059 --> 00:13:50.759 Carter V. Late 2014, everything just stopped. 00:13:50.980 --> 00:13:53.940 Ground to a halt. Wayne went public. Said the 00:13:53.940 --> 00:13:56.779 album was done, but Cash Money and Birdman wouldn't 00:13:56.779 --> 00:13:58.940 release it. Claimed they were holding him and 00:13:58.940 --> 00:14:01.440 his music prisoner over money. This wasn't just 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:04.279 a delay. This was war. Full -blown legal and 00:14:04.279 --> 00:14:06.960 financial war. The sources say he sued them for 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:10.879 $51 million in early 2015. Alleged they owed 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:13.500 him an $8 million advance for Carter V, plus 00:14:13.500 --> 00:14:15.820 tons of unpaid royalties for him and Young Money 00:14:15.820 --> 00:14:18.279 artists. His masterpiece was finished but locked 00:14:18.279 --> 00:14:20.309 away. Just imagine that creative frustration. 00:14:20.610 --> 00:14:22.909 But he fought back creatively too, right? With 00:14:22.909 --> 00:14:24.909 mixtapes? Yeah, brilliantly. He dropped, sorry, 00:14:25.009 --> 00:14:27.549 For the Way Too in 2015. And the whole mixtape 00:14:27.549 --> 00:14:30.149 is basically just him dissing Birdman and Cash 00:14:30.149 --> 00:14:32.450 Money over other people's beats, using the music 00:14:32.450 --> 00:14:34.429 as his weapon. And he found a way around them 00:14:34.429 --> 00:14:37.360 for distribution too, with Tidal. Exactly. He 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:39.960 became an artist donor at Jay -Z's Tidal platform. 00:14:40.379 --> 00:14:43.059 And then he exclusively released the Free Wheezy 00:14:43.059 --> 00:14:46.059 album there in 2015 under Young Money and Republic 00:14:46.059 --> 00:14:50.419 Records. Completely bypassing cash money. A clear 00:14:50.419 --> 00:14:52.759 act of rebellion. You could see the toll it was 00:14:52.759 --> 00:14:55.940 taking, though, that tweet in 2016. Defenseless 00:14:55.940 --> 00:14:58.899 and mentally defeated. Hinting at retirement 00:14:58.899 --> 00:15:01.139 again. That was a low point. But the support 00:15:01.139 --> 00:15:04.269 he got from other artists, from fans. It showed 00:15:04.269 --> 00:15:06.090 how much people wanted him to pull through. And 00:15:06.090 --> 00:15:08.409 eventually he did. Settlement reached in June 00:15:08.409 --> 00:15:10.990 2018. Yeah, announced he was finally free from 00:15:10.990 --> 00:15:14.070 cash money. And then finally, the iCarter V, 00:15:14.250 --> 00:15:16.750 released on his 36th birthday, September 27, 00:15:17.070 --> 00:15:19.950 2018. And the reception was huge, like a collective 00:15:19.950 --> 00:15:22.490 sigh of relief. Absolutely. Deviated number one, 00:15:22.509 --> 00:15:25.169 obviously. Massive streaming numbers. Second 00:15:25.169 --> 00:15:27.269 biggest streaming week ever for an album at that 00:15:27.269 --> 00:15:29.950 time, only behind Drake. The demand was just 00:15:29.950 --> 00:15:31.769 incredible after all those years. It proved he 00:15:31.769 --> 00:15:34.090 was still relevant. Every song charted. Every 00:15:34.090 --> 00:15:36.590 single song on the album hit the Billboard Hot 00:15:36.590 --> 00:15:39.789 100, and he debuted two songs in the top five 00:15:39.789 --> 00:15:42.669 simultaneously. First artist ever to do that, 00:15:42.730 --> 00:15:45.470 comeback complete. He showed that even nine years 00:15:45.470 --> 00:15:47.870 of delays and legal battles couldn't erase his 00:15:47.870 --> 00:15:50.269 star power. Okay, so post -settlement Wayne, 00:15:50.450 --> 00:15:52.549 he hasn't exactly been taking it easy, has he? 00:15:52.629 --> 00:15:55.269 Not at all. The work ethic seems hardwired. 2020, 00:15:55.490 --> 00:15:58.730 he drops Funeral. Another number one album quickly 00:15:58.730 --> 00:16:01.330 follows with a deluxe version featuring current 00:16:01.330 --> 00:16:04.600 stars like Doja Cat, Lil Uzi Vert. Still connected. 00:16:04.740 --> 00:16:07.059 And doing collaborations too, that mixtape with 00:16:07.059 --> 00:16:09.139 Rich the Kid. Trust Fund Babies, yeah, 2021. 00:16:09.340 --> 00:16:11.019 Apparently they knocked that out in like six 00:16:11.019 --> 00:16:13.720 weeks. Just pure chemistry, back to that spontaneous 00:16:13.720 --> 00:16:16.139 mixtape energy. What seems important in this 00:16:16.139 --> 00:16:19.320 recent phase is also him kind of... organizing 00:16:19.320 --> 00:16:21.639 his legacy, getting those classic mixtapes onto 00:16:21.639 --> 00:16:23.860 streaming. That's crucial. Sorry, sorry. The 00:16:23.860 --> 00:16:26.299 wait, no ceilings. Making that revolutionary 00:16:26.299 --> 00:16:29.179 free work available and importantly, monetizable 00:16:29.179 --> 00:16:31.539 now. Cleaning up the back catalog for the streaming 00:16:31.539 --> 00:16:34.200 era. And fixing old credits like with the 2 Chainz 00:16:34.200 --> 00:16:37.519 project. Right. Welcome to Call of Grove in 2023. 00:16:38.100 --> 00:16:40.840 The sequel to their 2016 album, Call of Grove. 00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:43.159 He wasn't credited as a main artist on the first 00:16:43.159 --> 00:16:45.220 one because the cash money situation was so bad 00:16:45.220 --> 00:16:47.710 then. The sequel corrects that. Puts him back 00:16:47.710 --> 00:16:50.190 as an equal partner. We also got his first official 00:16:50.190 --> 00:16:53.250 greatest hits album, I Am Music, last year. Had 00:16:53.250 --> 00:16:56.169 that unreleased track with DMX2. Yeah. Can't 00:16:56.169 --> 00:16:58.629 nobody. Nice touch. Connecting back. So what's 00:16:58.629 --> 00:17:01.610 next? That Carter Sissix is confirmed. Confirmed. 00:17:01.610 --> 00:17:04.829 And announced via a Cetaphil ad. Of course. Only 00:17:04.829 --> 00:17:09.210 Wayne. June 6th, 2025, apparently. But beyond 00:17:09.210 --> 00:17:11.130 that, there are still those legendary Sheld projects 00:17:11.130 --> 00:17:13.900 people talk about. I can't feel my face. The 00:17:13.900 --> 00:17:16.019 collab with Jewel Santana, that's been teased 00:17:16.019 --> 00:17:18.460 forever. And Duvall, the album he wrote in jail. 00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:20.980 Yeah, Duvall. Loved backwards. Supposed to be 00:17:20.980 --> 00:17:22.740 an album of love songs written during his time 00:17:22.740 --> 00:17:25.220 on Rikers Island. He confirmed back in 2013 it 00:17:25.220 --> 00:17:27.319 was coming. Still waiting on that one. Very intriguing 00:17:27.319 --> 00:17:29.140 prospect. And maybe the biggest sign of moving 00:17:29.140 --> 00:17:31.880 forward. He publicly reconciled with Birdman. 00:17:32.180 --> 00:17:34.769 January 2024. Pictures of them in the studio 00:17:34.769 --> 00:17:36.849 together. It seems like that nine -year war is 00:17:36.849 --> 00:17:39.009 officially over, which, you know, hopefully clears 00:17:39.009 --> 00:17:41.089 the path for him to focus fully on this next 00:17:41.089 --> 00:17:42.750 creative chapter. Okay, so the business drama 00:17:42.750 --> 00:17:45.069 seems settled. Let's dig into the artistry itself. 00:17:45.250 --> 00:17:48.009 What defines Lil Wayne's musical style? At its 00:17:48.009 --> 00:17:51.390 core, it's that creative lyrical ability, like 00:17:51.390 --> 00:17:54.029 the sources say, heavy use of punchlines, wordplay, 00:17:54.130 --> 00:17:58.170 homonyms, metaphors, similes, and just relentless 00:17:58.170 --> 00:18:01.049 braggadocio. Confidence bordering on arrogance 00:18:01.049 --> 00:18:03.829 but backed up by skill. And his writing process 00:18:03.829 --> 00:18:06.049 was key to that, right? The whole no pen, no 00:18:06.049 --> 00:18:08.650 pad thing. Crucial. He credits Jay -Z with the 00:18:08.650 --> 00:18:11.569 inspiration. Stop writing lyrics down. Just go 00:18:11.569 --> 00:18:13.990 in the booth, hear the beat, and freestyle the 00:18:13.990 --> 00:18:15.789 verses directly onto the track. What does that 00:18:15.789 --> 00:18:17.809 do for the sound? What's the trade -off for working 00:18:17.809 --> 00:18:20.230 that way? Well, it allows for incredible speed 00:18:20.230 --> 00:18:24.009 and spontaneity. Those amazing, unexpected punchlines 00:18:24.009 --> 00:18:26.289 often come from that immediate, in -the -moment 00:18:26.289 --> 00:18:29.730 creation. It prioritizes flow and instinct. The 00:18:29.730 --> 00:18:32.869 downside... Sometimes it can lead to verses that 00:18:32.869 --> 00:18:35.170 maybe lack a tight structure or a clear narrative 00:18:35.170 --> 00:18:38.049 arc. That's the criticism we saw sometimes, especially 00:18:38.049 --> 00:18:41.730 later on. It's raw genius over meticulous polish. 00:18:42.250 --> 00:18:44.349 His subject matter often courted controversy, 00:18:44.589 --> 00:18:48.069 wealth, drugs, sex. But his influences were surprisingly 00:18:48.069 --> 00:18:51.109 broad. Incredibly diverse. He calls Missy Elliott 00:18:51.109 --> 00:18:53.750 his biggest musical inspiration. Says she influenced 00:18:53.750 --> 00:18:56.009 everything I've ever done, which is fascinating. 00:18:56.230 --> 00:18:58.650 Missy. OK, didn't expect that. Right. But then 00:18:58.650 --> 00:19:00.710 you also have the expected ones. Goody Mob, Tupac, 00:19:00.789 --> 00:19:04.009 Biggie. But also T -Pain, Prince, Lauryn Hill, 00:19:04.190 --> 00:19:07.460 Arisa Badu. That eclectic taste definitely fed 00:19:07.460 --> 00:19:09.619 into his ability to constantly morph his style 00:19:09.619 --> 00:19:11.980 and flow. And that constant change, that innovation, 00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:14.400 is his legacy, really. He's called one of the 00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:16.500 most influential artists of the 21st century. 00:19:16.680 --> 00:19:19.319 Consistently. And the greatest rapper of his 00:19:19.319 --> 00:19:21.819 generation. Because he didn't just make hits, 00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:24.119 he fundamentally altered the sound of hip -hop. 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:27.160 Specifically how? The sources mention autotune 00:19:27.160 --> 00:19:29.920 and trap music. Yeah. His use of autotune was 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:32.579 key. It wasn't like T -Pain, who used it as a 00:19:32.579 --> 00:19:35.519 full vocal effect. Wayne often used it more subtly, 00:19:35.519 --> 00:19:38.319 almost as punctuation within his raps, on ad 00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:41.119 -libs, on hooks, creating these melodic undertones. 00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:44.299 And that influenced Trap. Hugely. That melodic 00:19:44.299 --> 00:19:46.599 sensibility, combined with his unique cadences 00:19:46.599 --> 00:19:49.119 and flows, became a foundational element for 00:19:49.119 --> 00:19:50.980 the wave of Trap artists that followed, especially 00:19:50.980 --> 00:19:53.579 out of Atlanta. He provided a sonic blueprint. 00:19:53.980 --> 00:19:55.740 And the list of artists who say he influenced 00:19:55.740 --> 00:19:58.460 them is just... Staggering. It's basically a 00:19:58.460 --> 00:20:00.880 who's who of modern hip -hop. Drake, Nicki Minaj, 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:02.900 obviously he signed them. But also Kendrick Lamar, 00:20:03.059 --> 00:20:06.259 Future, Young Thug, Lil Baby, 2 Chainz, Polo 00:20:06.259 --> 00:20:08.619 G, the list goes on and on. He didn't just mentor, 00:20:08.740 --> 00:20:10.460 he literally shaped the sound of the generation 00:20:10.460 --> 00:20:12.579 after him. His hometown certainly recognizes 00:20:12.579 --> 00:20:14.640 that impact. Key to the city of New Orleans. 00:20:14.859 --> 00:20:17.640 Yep, November 2024 from Mayor Cantrell. And Master 00:20:17.640 --> 00:20:19.819 P is starting a NOLA Walk of Fame, with Wayne 00:20:19.819 --> 00:20:22.200 getting a Fleur de Lis plaque. Plus Lil Wayne 00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:25.400 Day. February 6th and 7th now. Officially, in 00:20:25.400 --> 00:20:28.180 New Orleans. From Holy Grove kid to civic icon, 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:30.900 it's quite the journey. To really grasp the whole 00:20:30.900 --> 00:20:32.799 picture, though, we need to touch on his public 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:35.460 life outside of music. The family, the health 00:20:35.460 --> 00:20:38.119 issues, the legal stuff. Yeah, the complexities 00:20:38.119 --> 00:20:40.079 don't stop with the music. His family life has 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:43.000 always been very public. Four kids, four different 00:20:43.000 --> 00:20:45.059 partners. Daughter, Reginae, with Toria Johnson. 00:20:45.339 --> 00:20:48.059 His high school sweetheart and ex -wife. Right. 00:20:48.380 --> 00:20:51.720 Married 2004 -2006. But sources say they remain 00:20:51.720 --> 00:20:55.910 close. Good co -parents. then his sons, Dwayne 00:20:55.910 --> 00:20:58.930 III with Sarah Vivan, Cameron with actress Lauren 00:20:58.930 --> 00:21:01.910 London, and Neil with the singer Nivea. And the 00:21:01.910 --> 00:21:04.009 timing there was complicated, wasn't it? London 00:21:04.009 --> 00:21:06.029 and Nivea pregnant around the same time. Yeah, 00:21:06.089 --> 00:21:09.069 2009. Highlights that very modern, blended family 00:21:09.069 --> 00:21:10.970 structure he's navigated throughout his fame. 00:21:11.089 --> 00:21:14.029 And now his son Neil, Lil Novi, is making music 00:21:14.029 --> 00:21:16.650 too. The legacy might continue. What about his 00:21:16.650 --> 00:21:18.869 personal beliefs? He identifies as Catholic. 00:21:19.170 --> 00:21:21.829 He does, yeah. often references God or Jesus 00:21:21.829 --> 00:21:24.829 in his music and performances. Educationally, 00:21:24.829 --> 00:21:26.970 he did try college briefly, University of Houston 00:21:26.970 --> 00:21:30.029 in 2005, but his sigil's too crazy. Later took 00:21:30.029 --> 00:21:32.349 online psychology courses with University of 00:21:32.349 --> 00:21:34.890 Phoenix. Psychology. Interesting choice given 00:21:34.890 --> 00:21:36.630 everything he's been through. Maybe trying to 00:21:36.630 --> 00:21:38.769 understand it all. He's also a huge sports guy, 00:21:38.890 --> 00:21:42.230 beyond just being a fan. Packers, Bruins, Lakers. 00:21:43.390 --> 00:21:45.509 But he owns a sports agency. Brought one, yeah. 00:21:46.130 --> 00:21:48.970 Renamed it Young Money APA Sports. And he's involved 00:21:48.970 --> 00:21:51.390 in sports media, too. Did the theme song for 00:21:51.390 --> 00:21:53.630 Skip and Shannon's show, Undisputed. Pops up 00:21:53.630 --> 00:21:55.529 as a guest. He's just woven into the cultural 00:21:55.529 --> 00:21:57.509 fabric. Okay, let's talk about the health scares. 00:21:57.849 --> 00:22:00.750 The seizures. Those started becoming public around 00:22:00.750 --> 00:22:03.549 2012. Yeah, reports of his private jet making 00:22:03.549 --> 00:22:06.329 emergency landing. Then the really serious incident 00:22:06.329 --> 00:22:10.049 in 2013. Hospitalized. Critical condition. And 00:22:10.049 --> 00:22:11.930 that's where the conflicting reports came in. 00:22:12.009 --> 00:22:15.049 TMZ blaming Purple Drink, codeine abuse. Right. 00:22:15.130 --> 00:22:18.549 But his team, Mac Main, Birdman, they pushed 00:22:18.549 --> 00:22:21.349 back hard, slammed TMZ, said the drug angle was 00:22:21.349 --> 00:22:23.869 exaggerated and that these seizures were an ongoing 00:22:23.869 --> 00:22:27.390 issue. Epilepsy. So drug -induced versus a medical 00:22:27.390 --> 00:22:30.130 condition. How do we reconcile those? Well, we 00:22:30.130 --> 00:22:32.710 have to report both claims. But it's significant 00:22:32.710 --> 00:22:35.450 that his management, people close to him, consistently 00:22:35.450 --> 00:22:39.059 denied the primary cause was drug abuse. framing 00:22:39.059 --> 00:22:41.099 it as a pre -existing neurological condition. 00:22:41.579 --> 00:22:44.000 And whatever the trigger for specific episodes, 00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:47.400 the long -term diagnosis seems clear. Wayne himself 00:22:47.400 --> 00:22:49.960 has confirmed he has epilepsy. And acknowledged 00:22:49.960 --> 00:22:51.900 it affects his memory now, trouble remembering 00:22:51.900 --> 00:22:54.259 his own songs. Yeah, he mentioned that in 2023. 00:22:54.619 --> 00:22:57.599 That's a profound impact for a lyricist known 00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:00.299 for such intricate wordplay. a really difficult 00:23:00.299 --> 00:23:02.500 consequence of the condition. Finally, the legal 00:23:02.500 --> 00:23:05.599 and political side. We know about the 2007 -2008 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:08.019 arrests leading to the Riker sentence in 2010. 00:23:08.339 --> 00:23:10.400 And then the more recent federal firearms charge 00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:14.079 in Florida in late 2020. He pleaded guilty. This 00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:15.779 was around the time he met with then -President 00:23:15.779 --> 00:23:17.880 Trump about criminal justice reform. And Trump 00:23:17.880 --> 00:23:21.299 pardoned him. Yep. On January 19, 2021, one of 00:23:21.299 --> 00:23:23.599 Trump's final acts in office wiped that charge 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:25.960 clean. He also caught heat for that flag incident 00:23:25.960 --> 00:23:28.240 in the music video. The God Bless America video 00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:31.160 in 2013. Yeah, the visual of him seemingly stepping 00:23:31.160 --> 00:23:34.339 on the U .S. flag caused a big backlash. What 00:23:34.339 --> 00:23:36.700 was his explanation? He said it wasn't meant 00:23:36.700 --> 00:23:39.559 as disrespect. The idea was the flag drops to 00:23:39.559 --> 00:23:42.319 the ground, revealing the hoods of America behind 00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:46.220 it. A visual metaphor that didn't land well for 00:23:46.220 --> 00:23:49.299 many people got interpreted as desecration. And 00:23:49.299 --> 00:23:51.559 then his comments on Black Lives Matter in 2016, 00:23:51.740 --> 00:23:53.839 those are really controversial. Extremely. He 00:23:53.839 --> 00:23:55.519 basically said he didn't feel connected to it. 00:23:56.279 --> 00:23:58.319 A damn thing that ain't got nothing to do with 00:23:58.319 --> 00:24:00.759 me was the quote, I think. Why did he feel that 00:24:00.759 --> 00:24:03.099 way? His reasoning was personal. He said, look 00:24:03.099 --> 00:24:05.539 at me. I'm a rich black man. I have white fans. 00:24:05.640 --> 00:24:08.259 That proves black people are valued. It was a 00:24:08.259 --> 00:24:10.799 very individualistic, almost libertarian take. 00:24:11.299 --> 00:24:13.319 Success negates the need for collective movements. 00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:15.799 Drew a lot of criticism, but it's consistent 00:24:15.799 --> 00:24:18.839 with his self -made ethos, I suppose. OK, so 00:24:18.839 --> 00:24:21.259 we've traced this incredible arc. Child star, 00:24:21.500 --> 00:24:24.039 mixtape innovator, chart -topping mogul, legal 00:24:24.039 --> 00:24:26.960 warrior, influential icon. What's the big takeaway 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:29.019 here? I think the key takeaway is that Lil Wayne 00:24:29.019 --> 00:24:31.779 really is a blueprint. Over 120 million records 00:24:31.779 --> 00:24:35.019 sold. He pioneered using free content to drive 00:24:35.019 --> 00:24:38.180 mainstream success. He built an empire with young 00:24:38.180 --> 00:24:40.819 money that shaped the next ways. He fundamentally 00:24:40.819 --> 00:24:43.079 changed the sound of modern hip -hop, especially 00:24:43.079 --> 00:24:45.779 trap. And he did all this while navigating... 00:24:46.059 --> 00:24:48.339 Unbelievable internal industry conflict, major 00:24:48.339 --> 00:24:51.680 health issues, legal jeopardy. His creative output 00:24:51.680 --> 00:24:54.180 somehow thrived in the chaos, maybe even because 00:24:54.180 --> 00:24:56.400 of it sometimes. It really makes you wonder about 00:24:56.400 --> 00:24:58.380 creative resilience, doesn't it? How do you keep 00:24:58.380 --> 00:25:01.200 that fire going, keep innovating, keep freestyling 00:25:01.200 --> 00:25:03.640 those verses when the structures around you are 00:25:03.640 --> 00:25:05.599 seemingly trying to hold you back, that sheer 00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:07.759 will to just get the music out, no matter the 00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:10.180 format? That seems to be his defining trait. 00:25:10.380 --> 00:25:13.079 Absolutely. And that story isn't over. We mentioned 00:25:13.079 --> 00:25:15.220 those unreleased projects. Yeah. I can't feel 00:25:15.220 --> 00:25:18.420 my face with jewels and especially devil. Those 00:25:18.420 --> 00:25:21.440 introspective love songs from Rikers. Yeah, considering 00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:24.480 how his last big experiment, Rebirth, was received 00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:26.740 critically, it poses a really interesting final 00:25:26.740 --> 00:25:28.960 thought for you, the listener. What would the 00:25:28.960 --> 00:25:31.400 successful release on a project like The Vole, 00:25:31.519 --> 00:25:33.519 something potentially quieter, more reflective, 00:25:33.859 --> 00:25:36.740 born from incarceration, actually mean for Lil 00:25:36.740 --> 00:25:39.099 Wayne's legacy? Could the love songs from Jail 00:25:39.099 --> 00:25:41.220 finally reveal a critically embraced, perhaps 00:25:41.220 --> 00:25:43.880 more peaceful version of Wheezy? Or does his 00:25:43.880 --> 00:25:45.700 audience, and maybe even his own creative spark, 00:25:45.819 --> 00:25:48.299 ultimately need that chaos that fueled so much 00:25:48.299 --> 00:25:49.220 of his legendary run?