lil wayne
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Prince Williams / Getty
In a recent appearance on Nick Cannon’s podcast, Birdman revealed that Lil Wayne, Drake, and Nicki Minaj, often referred to as his “Big 3,” have collectively generated over $2 billion for Cash Money Records.
Birdman emphasized the massive cultural and financial impact these artists have had on the label and the music industry as a whole. He credited Wayne as the catalyst, not only for his own groundbreaking success, but for discovering and mentoring both Drake and Nicki Minaj, who each went on to become global superstars in their own right.
Baby also highlighted his broader influence in the rap game, naming artists like Future, Young Thug, and NBA YoungBoy as talents he supported early in their careers. He sees his role not just as a label executive, but as a builder of legacies, someone who has helped shape the sound and direction of Hip-Hop over the last two decades.
Cash Money Records, founded in 1991 by brothers Bryan “Birdman” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams in New Orleans, quickly rose to prominence in the late ’90s with acts like Juvenile, B.G., and the Hot Boys, which included a young Lil Wayne.
The label became known for its Southern bounce sound and aggressive business strategy. After partnering with Universal Music Group, Cash Money solidified itself as a powerhouse. With Wayne, Drake, and Nicki leading the charge in the 2000s and 2010s, Cash Money transformed from a regional label into a global brand with a lasting legacy in Hip-Hop.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: handout / Republic Records
On Tuesday (April 22), Lil Wayne gave his fans some great news as he revealed the cover for The Carter VI, along with the news that he will be headlining a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City for the first time ever. The rapper shared the artwork in a post on X, formerly Twitter, which features him as a smiling toddler with his signature tattoos.
The caption to the post read, “June 6. We C6. Tha Carter Six. Captain Carter C6,” ending with a link to his website. He followed that up with another post announcing his concert at Madison Square Garden, which will occur the same day as the album’s release. Fans can obtain tickets through a special pre-order sale happening on Wednesday (April 23), with a general sale taking place on Friday (April 25).
The Louisiana native has been hinting at releasing the album for the last seven years, even releasing another project in 2023, which was the follow-up to The Carter V, Tha Fix Before Tha VI. It’s a definite change from his recent mentions at the beginning of the year when his name was mentioned concerning the Super Bowl held in the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. He declared that he was no longer interested in being considered to perform at a future halftime show after Birdman and others objected to Kendrick Lamar being the halftime performer in February.
As far as what fans can expect on The Carter VI, the “A Milli” rapper shared his process in making the album during a Rolling Stone interview released earlier this month. “If there’s one thing about this album that’s different, it’s me approaching it like, ‘Man, what would I sound like on something with such and such?’” he said. Artists confirmed on the album include Miley Cyrus, U2 frontman Bono, and Wyclef Jean along with Lil Wayne’s son, Kameron.
Source: handout / Live Nation
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Ethan Miller / Getty
Lil Wayne has given a much needed update on him and Kendrick Lamar. He recently said there are no issues between them.
As spotted on Hip Hop N More, Lil Wayne is preparing the release of his forthcoming album Tha Carter VI. As part of his promotional tour he spoke to Rolling Stone about the upcoming project. During the interview, which took several months to happen due to the Los Angeles wildfires and schedule changes, writer Andre Gee got an advance sneak peak of VI. Here Lil Wayne revealed that an all-star line up of collaborators will be featured on the LP including Miley Cyrus, Wyclef Jean, Bono, Machine Gun Kelly, Andrea Bocelli, Elephant Man and his son Kameron Carter. While the cover feature also puts a spotlight on his approach to parenting, how he creates his music and more, it was his response to where he stands with Kendrick Lamar that soon went viral.
When asked about their relationship he said things are “fine” after Kendrick Lamar referenced him on “wacced out murals.” He also explained that he was not following the Drake and Kendrick beef thus it didn’t dawn on him what he was doing when he was spotted singing the lyrics to “Not Like Us” at one of his shows.
“I went onstage and I was singing this song, and they thought I was dissing,” he said. “I ain’t want my dude to be mad at me. I didn’t even know it was Kendrick!” He added, “If it don’t happen on [ESPN] or FS1, I wouldn’t know that happened.”
Tha Carter VI is set to be released June 6. You can read the Rolling Stone interview here.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Thaddaeus McAdams / Getty
At a recent concert, Lil Wayne straight-up cut Birdman off mid-speech, and it went viral. Birdman, doing what he does best—talking big about the Cash Money legacy—was in the middle of his usual talk-heavy moment when Wayne wasn’t having it.
Out of nowhere, Wayne hit the DJ with a quick “Alright, let’s go, let’s go,” and just like that, the DJ dropped the next song, completely cutting Birdman off.
You could see it all over Baby’s face—he was definitely caught off guard and a little embarrassed. For years, Birdman has been the one with the mic, dropping knowledge and flexing his influence, but in that moment, Wayne took control. It was almost like he was saying, “Alright, enough talk, let’s get to business.” The two have had their fair share of drama over the years, from the whole Cash Money situation to public disputes, but seeing them on stage together was still a powerful moment.
Yeah, it might’ve been a little awkward for Birdman, but it was a sign of where their relationship stands now. Even with all the past issues, Weezy isn’t letting anyone run the show when he’s in the building—whether it’s his father/mentor or not. It was a reminder that despite their history, there’s still respect, but Wayne’s running the show.
Lil Wayne just dropped the bomb that Tha Carter VI is finally coming on June 6th, and the internet’s going wild. Fans have been waiting for this moment ever since Tha Carter V dropped back in 2018. The Carter series has been a game-changer in hip-hop, and this next chapter is looking like it’s about to be fire. Wayne is back in full swing, we can expect nothing but heat—new flows, crazy bars, and that classic Weezy vibe. After years of waiting, the hype for Tha Carter VI is real, and June 6th can’t come soon enough.
Lil Wayne has joined the eclectic roster of musical guests to share a career-spanning singles medley on Sunday night’s (Feb. 16) SNL50: The Anniversary Special. Wayne was joined by The Roots and DJ T. Lewis for his performance, which opened with 2018 single Uproar, and saw Weezy run through other tunes from his Tha Carter […]
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Lil Wayne became a trending topic on social media in the wake of Kendrick Lamar’s grand Super Bowl LIX halftime show performance in New Orleans. Lil Wayne saw his name trending on X just mere moments after Kendrick Lamar concluded his set, with fans wondering how he would’ve fared in his hometown.
Much has been made of Lil Wayne’s public expressions of disappointment for not being selected as the chief act for the Super Bowl LIX halftime set considering its location. Naturally, the expectation that a hometown act should grace the world’s biggest stage makes sense and, to the planning committee’s credit, the inclusion of Grammy Award-winning native son Jon Batiste and his rendition of the National Anthem satisfied some of those concerns.
Still, Weezy F. Baby believed that the halftime show should have been his moment, expressing hurt for being passed over. That said, Kendrick Lamar’s Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show set was full of dazzling imagery, choreography, and surprises such as Samuel L. Jackson playing a very tongue-in-cheek version of Uncle Sam with some veiled messages as the state of the nation. Also, Serena Williams showed up and hit her steps during Lamar’s “Not Like Us” performance, and SZA provided some support by way of “Luther” and the crowd-pleasing “All The Stars.”
In an alarming bit of backlash, some fans are criticizing Lamar’s performance, with one X user calling the performance “Black Panther Raps” and other digs. Some other fans thought that Wayne’s big hits would’ve played well at the Caesars Superdome while plenty of others didn’t believe he would’ve had what it took to deliver.
On X, folks are taking shots at Lil Wayne and dressing down the Young Money honcho by speculating that he may not have measured up to what Lamar delivered. Weezy’s homeboy Skip Bayless, however, defended his friend on X. With the show in the rearview, there is no way to know how well Wayne would’ve done but fans on X have their strong opinions out front and center.
Check out the reactions below.
—
Photo: Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Julia Beverly / Getty
Lil Wayne just flipped the script with his new Cetaphil lotion ad, and it’s got the internet buzzing. In a wild twist, the commercial doubles as a sneaky drop for his Carter VI album, and it’s straight up hilarious. Weezy’s playing hero in a bunch of awkward situations—like when a woman tries to kiss a dude on the Jumbotron at a game, and he curves her hard. Just when things look messy, Lil Wayne slides in outta nowhere with some Cetaphil, saving the moment and giving it that smooth touch, literally.
The ad isn’t just funny, though—it’s a clever way for Wayne to let us know Carter VI is on the way. At the end of the spot, you get hit with a “Do Not Disturb ‘Til 06-06-25” sign on a door, and boom, the album’s dropping June 6th, 2025.
While we won’t get Wayne performing at the Super Bowl this year, we do get something way more exciting: new music. Fans have been waiting for Carter VI for a minute, and this ad is a dope, unexpected way to build the hype. Wayne’s out here turning a simple lotion commercial into a whole event, making sure we’re all counting down the days ‘til the album drops.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Julia Beverly / Getty
Lil Wayne recently made an announcement confirming that he will not be attending the upcoming Super Bowl, adding, “Yall know I’m not gonna be there this week, which means there will be a seat to fill. Shoutout to New Orleans, but I been working on something very special.” He teased a major surprise for Thursday, February 6th, saying, “I got something exciting coming for you. Until then, I’m just chillin.” While he didn’t elaborate on what exactly this “special” surprise is, fans are already buzzing with anticipation.
Given that a few weeks ago, Wayne confirmed there would be a new album in 2025, many are speculating that Thursday’s announcement could be tied to the release date of his highly anticipated project. Fans were disappointed when Lil Wayne wasn’t chosen as the Super Bowl halftime performer, especially with the event being held in his hometown of New Orleans. This new tease is a silver lining for many, who are hoping that the release of new music will make up for that oversight.
With Wayne’s status as one of rap’s all-time greats, any announcement from him is sure to create a buzz, and fans are already eagerly counting down the days until February 6th to see what’s next. Could this be the moment we finally get a release date for his upcoming album? We can’t wait to find out, let Weezy cook.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Allen Berezovsky / Getty
Lil Wayne recently made a special cameo in his son Lil Novi’s upcoming music video, showing love and support in the best way he knows how. Although Weezy wasn’t rapping in the clip, he appeared as a proud father and hypeman, backing up his son in the background. It’s clear Wayne’s role was to be there for Novi, providing that encouragement and presence that only a father can.
Lil Novi, who’s been building his own path in the music industry, recently went viral when he named his dad’s Carter V as his favorite album. It’s a nod to the impact Wayne’s music has had not just on his fans, but on his own son as well. Despite growing up in the spotlight, Lil Novi keeps his feet grounded and embraces the normal side of life. He addressed the curious reactions he gets from others about being Wayne’s son, saying, “Some kids, they be like, ‘Oh that’s crazy. How does it feel to wake up every day?’ I be like, bro, it’s regular. I’m a human. I’m just like y’all.”
For Novi, having Wayne as a father might come with its unique challenges, but he clearly sees himself as just another person in the world, doing what he loves. It’s also evident that Lil Wayne is all in on his son’s journey, supporting him every step of the way—whether it’s in the studio or in the video, showing that father-son bond is strong.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: iOne / iOne
Domiio, one of the newer artists on Lil Wayne’s Young Money label, is starting to turn heads in the rap game. He’s from Broomall, PA, just outside of Philly, and he’s been making noise ever since he linked up with Weezy. It was the President and CEO of Young Money Records Mack Maine, and Lil Wayne who immediately took a liking to the young star. Mack Maine and Lil Wayne wasted no time in deciding to sign Domiio to his idol Weezy.
Growing up, Lil Wayne was one of Domiio’s biggest inspirations, and now he’s signed to the same label. It’s crazy how life comes full circle.
Recently, Domiio hit up Hip-Hop Wired for an exclusive freestyle, and he didn’t disappoint. In 2022 Domiio, formally known as Drizzy P, went viral after his Hot 107.9 ATL freestyle. Getting co-signs from huge stars like Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, & many more. All while showing off the skills that got him noticed in the first place.
Domiio’s journey is all about staying hungry and grinding no matter where you come from. Growing up in Philly’s shadow, he soaked up the city’s rap culture, but now he’s got his own lane. Signing with Young Money is just the beginning, and you can expect more heat from him as he builds his name. If you haven’t heard of Domiio yet, it’s time to start paying attention—he’s on his way up.