Rapper Lil Wayne is one of the most experienced musicians in the industry right now. The 33-year-old has had a number of hits, and while he has been lying lower under the radar than he has in the early aughts, it’s time that he get recognized the way he deserves. Here, PPcorn presents 15 things you didn’t know about Lil Wayne.
Number Fifteen: He Wasn’t Always Lil Wayne
Before he was Lil Wayne, he went by Shrimp Daddy and Baby D. His birth name is Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr.
Number Fourteen: He’s a Fan of Jay-Z
Well, according to his tattoos, anyway. Lil Wayne has a tattoo on his neck that says “Lucky Me.” This is an homage to a song by Jay-Z. He also has a tattoo on his leg that features an entire verse of the song.
Number Thirteen: He Was a Band Geek
Lil Wayne actually met his manager, Cortez Bryant, in high school! They met in the band, which is even better. Bryant led the school’s cymbal section, and Lil Wayne joined the cymbal section.
Number Twelve: He Has a History With Cocaine – But It’s Not That Bad
The way Lil Wayne raps about cocaine might make you think that he’s using it and selling it all the time, but according to him, he hasn’t sold a single brick. He said, “I haven’t had to see one unless I wanted to snort it.” He also has said that he stopped using cocaine due to the bad effects it has on his skin. He said it causes acne, and he stopped because he’s a “pretty boy.’
Number Eleven: He Has Had Some Internal Conflicts Regarding Loyalty
Lil Wayne’s contract with Cash Money expired in 2006, which prompted him to have to decide whether to stay with Cash Money or move to Jay-Z’s Rocafella. Though he could have easily moved over to Rocafella for a rumored $5 million, he didn’t. He insisted that he was a “loyal dude.”
Number Ten: He Likes Destiny Child
According to Lil Wayne, his favorite guest verse that he’s performed is on Destiny Child’s “Soldier.” Not even Wayne can deny Beyonce’s power!
Number Nine: He Never Completed School
In fact, he dropped out when he was just 14 years old! Looks like an education isn’t completely necessary to achieve success (but don’t tell your kids).
Number Eight: There Is A Reason He Dropped Out of School
Though Lil Wayne dropped out when he was only 14 years old, it wasn’t because he was too immature to handle it. According to him, his mom made him drop out because he put a gun in his backpack, and she saw it.
Number Seven: His Grill Is Much More Than Just a Grill
According to an interview Lil Wayne did with the women on The View, his grill is more than a flashy accessory. It apparently doubles as braces!
Number Six: His Favorite Band Is…
Nirvana! Clearly, Lil Wayne has tastes that span all sorts of genres.
Number Five: He Shares a Name With His Father
But you might not ever know that! Wayne was born with the name Dwayne, but he changed it to Wayne. He did this in an effort to dissociate himself from his father. His father is also named Dwayne.
Number Four: He Was Engaged
Lil Wayne has been engaged several times. He was engaged to both Lauren London and Nivea. However, he ended up marrying Toya. They later divorced. Even crazier – Trina was pregnant with Lil Wayne’s child, but she miscarried.
Number Three: His First Album Contains Very Few Expletives
You might be aware of the fact that Lil Wayne’s first album contains very few expletives, but do you know why? Apparently, this album is relatively clean because his mother didn’t want his first album to contain too many curses.
Number Two: His Mom Encouraged Him
Though Lil Wayne’s mom has encouraged him in many ways, there is one way in particular that is a little more interesting than the others. His mom actually wanted him to have a daughter when he was 15 because she got lonely while he was on tour with Cash Money.
Number One: He Had an STD
Lil Wayne once had crabs! Unsurprisingly, he said it was “the worst.”