Biography
Lil Wayne grew up in a
bad New Orleans neighborhood. Like many who dreamed of leaving their negative
environment, Wayne found an outlet in hop-hop.
His rise to fame began with
the Hot Boys, a short-lived group he formed with Juvenile, B.G., and Turk. The
all-star group went on to establish Cash Money Records as a staple in hip-hop
in the south. The groupÕs 1997 debut, Get It How You Live, got a standing ovation. Their major label debut, Guerilla
Warfare, was released a year
later. Let Em Burn followed
in 2002.
Lil Wayne went on to
become a standalone MC. In 1999, he came out with Tha Block is Hot, which featured his former group members. The disc was
produced by Cash MoneyÕs, Mannie Fresh. It was a complete commercial flop. He
redeemed himself with Lights Out, his second disc in 2000. It was
certified gold, but Wayne still had to prove a lot to all the critics.
As Lil Wayne matured, he
has gained knowledge from the rap game to make a big impression. His later
albums, 500 Degreez and
The Carter II, are placed in the upper echelons of rap. Today, Wayne is
widely known as one of the leading rappers around. Since releasing his best
album in 2005, he has lent his weight to other artists in more than 100
collaborations.
The Carter III is one of the most successful album ever. Despite
early leaks, the album docked at the top of BillboardÕs 200 Albums Chart,
having moved over one million units in its first week.
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