How does arguably the greatest rapper on Earth follow up a blockbuster like 2008’s Tha Carter III, an album that moved more than 1 million copies its debut week and solidified Lil Wayne’s place in hip-hop history? By shifting gears and attempting to conquer rock & roll. Rap’s alien genius opens up to Mark Binelli about his upcoming rock album Rebirth in a series of revealing interviews for the cover of the new issue of Rolling Stone, on newsstands this week.“The rock shit just comes from what my life is now,” Wayne, 26, says. “I’ve grown into this person.” He released his first album, 1999’s Tha Block Is Hot, when he was only 17, and built his name on being the busiest rapper in the game, dropping a relentless stream of mixtapes and cameos.
But aside from plucking at electric guitars onstage and in videos, Weezy never let on that his rap career could take such a significant detour. Describing a wild night when he woke up in bed with three or four women he couldn’t name, Wayne reveals he had an epiphany. “I just got — I’m not going to say ’so good’ at what I was doing, but it became such a regularity for me that I got tired of it. And then I said, ‘You know what? I’m not going to rap on this one.’
Binelli follows Wayne from his posh Atlanta apartment to a club showcase where the MC checks out talent for his Young Money imprint to the studio — Wayne’s home away from home — where the superstar puffs his ever-present blunts and plays some Rebirth songs that recall vintage Beastie Boys and current emo, topped by Weezy’s Auto Tuned warbling. Wayne tells Binelli he knew he didn’t have raw vocal talent, but he dedicated himself to learning how to make his singing voice sound good on record. “I don’t want to be the best rapper in the world. Not now,” he says. “I want to be the best. Period. Now. My favorite rapper hasn’t done what I’m doing.”
So check out a visit to the isolated, luxurious and perpetually stoned world of "the greatest rapper alive" as he embarks on his next quest: to be a rock star. Check it out!
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ewww he looks so gross on that cover. what was keri thinking?
ReplyDeleteLil' Wayne is rock? wtf
ReplyDeleteLOL, “Rap’s Genius”
ReplyDeleteWho is this guy and why’s he on the cover of Rolling Stone? My head is going to explode.
cool
ReplyDeletethanks for the post it looks like a great read.
ReplyDeleteThis guy is sub-retarded | 4/1/2009, 11:57 am EST
ReplyDeleteI love the way he claims to embrace rock music, when I’m sure he’s never listened to more than 30 seconds of it. It’s telling that when he’s asked who his favorite rock band is, he says Nirvana. This is easily the most predictable answer from anyone who has never listened to much rock music. Not that Nirvana weren’t a good band. Critics put them on a pedestal–way too high for that matter–so this guy goes and runs with it cause it’s the first one that pops into his pea-sized brain. I’m all for artists trying new and different things, but this is asinine. He has no idea what goes into solid rock music, and people are going to spend their money on this–that’s the sad part.
Today in the music industry people or artists dont take risks,is important for somebody bet in a record out of what you been doing for the latest years.I hope the good for weezy in his rock album.
ReplyDeleteIt just saddens me that real rock music will not make it onto playlists of radio stations because Lil’ Wayne’s “rock” attempt will fill the rock quotas of top 40 stations. Worse, there’s a garage or bar somewhere with some really talented rockers who are waiting for a deal and starving, while Lil’ Wayne gets his rock “fix” before he moves on. Sad.
ReplyDeleteLike people have previously said, I’m all for people trying out new genres and stuff…but when Lil Wayne claims to be the best rap artist ever…it’s just pathetic. Even more pathetic is that RS advocates it. When talking about selling, Lil Wayne, like Britney or N’sync, has banked. But when we’re talking about true musical/lyrical talent, Lil Wayne is for the birds….just like Britney and N’sync.
ReplyDeleteI just don’t see why people like him and call him such a great rapper it’s common at best to hear real rap listen to some thymesayers entertainment with Brother Ali, Atmosphere, P.O.S or any mpls based rap for that matter it blows Little Wayne out of the water
ReplyDeletewhat are you talking about? lil' wayne is a rap god soon to be a rock god tooo
ReplyDeleteCool cover. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHE'S NOT THE GREATEST RAPPER. HIS “ROCK” MUSIC IS BORING. HE`S NOT A GEIOUS. HE`S NOT A ROCK STAR. HE`S NOT THE GREATEST RAPPER. AUTO-TUNE SELLS RECORDS? WHAT?!? SURE, KANYE DID IT, BUT THE SONGS WERE SO POP AND SELF-CONSCIOUS [LIKE EVERYTHING ABOUT KANYE] THAT IT WOKED. LIL`WAYNE IS JUST ANNOYING.
ReplyDeleteEverybody sounds the same. That is why he so popular because he is different than everybody else and that is why he will keep selling records. And that is why he is on the cover of Rolling Stone. He will hit “A Milli” records sold again. Don’t knock the man for trying something different, Rock, an art form created by African Americans.
ReplyDeletehe is a rapper, so he can’t sing, and can’t rock! omg, he is so ugly…never put him on the cover again,please!
ReplyDeletehis face tattoos make me barf yuck.
ReplyDeletecool pic in my opinion
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Thanks.
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