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Lil Wayne
bape January 6, 2021
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Before Lil Wayne goes to jail, here are 13 photos reminding us of his legacy

When it comes to iconic moments rapper Lil Wayne has many and the photos to prove it…

For Lil Wayne, 2020 was a year that landed him in more media headlines than he may have intended.

From his record-breaking mixtape No Ceilings 3 and his political interests to new gun charges and possible prison time, the legendary rapper has had a memorable year.

Why is Lil Wayne facing a decade+ in prison?

Lil Wayne was federally convicted on possession of drugs and a firearm while flying from Los Angeles to Miami in December of 2019.

On December 11, 2020, Weezy pleaded guilty to the possession of the firearm where his trial was projected to take place in early January of the new year.

Given the fact that the rap legend has pled guilty to the charges as a convicted felon, the offense has the potential to land Lil Wayne in prison anywhere from 10-15 years in prison.

With thoughts and prayers that Lil Wayne will be able to beat this case and continue exercising his passion as one of the greatest rappers ever, it is important to acknowledge the iconic moments that he created throughout 2020 and before.

With the latest information being that Lil Wayne could face 10 to 15 years in prison for drugs and a firearm charge, we decided to review 13 iconic moments of the rap GOAT, to honor him before what could be a devastating curtain call on his time in the spotlight.

1. We’ve been here before

Lil Wayne photographed by Carlo Allegri after leaving a court hearing in a firearms possession case in Manhattan, NY – February 09, 2010

In 2009, rapper Lil Wayne pleaded guilty to a felony charge of attempted gun possession. He was sentenced to one year behind bars. According to CNN, Tuneci was arrested in New York City in 2007 after police found a .40-caliber pistol on his tour bus.

After serving 8 months of his sentence, Lil Wayne was released early for good behavior.

In a statement to the New York Times, Lil Wayne’s defense attorney argued the law barring convicted felons from ever owning a gun again may not be constitutional:

Carter is charged with possessing a gold-plated handgun in his luggage on a private plane. There is no allegation that he ever fired it, brandished it, used it, or threatened to use it. There is no allegation that he is a dangerous person. The charge is that because he was convicted of a felony in the past, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Although the Supreme Court has not yet decided the constitutional question, Justice Amy Coney Barrett recently wrote an appellate dissenting opinion in which she stated that ‘Absent evidence that he either belongs to a dangerous category or bears individual markers of risk, permanently disqualifying [a felon] from possessing a gun violates the Second Amendment.

2. The photo of GOATS Lil Wayne and Kobe Bryant

The 2020 BET awards, which took place in June, was an important moment for not only Lil Wayne but for Black culture in light of Weezy’s highly spirited tribute performance for the late great NBA legend Kobe Bryant.

Weezy performed an updated version of his classic song ‘Kobe Bryant’ that he released after the LA Lakers victory over the Orlando Magic in 2009.

BET Awards 2020

Considering the fact that the song was a loose single that had not been featured on any Lil Wayne projects initially, the inspired performance showed his respect and gratitude for Kobe.

Photo by Kenneth Cappello via

Furthermore, the two have expressed their respect for one another on many occasions for the similarities they have regarding each other’s work ethic and desire for the mastery of their respective crafts.

This Lil Wayne photo with the late great Kobe Bryant shows game recognizes game.

3. Lil Wayne and Birdman photographed at Lil Wayne’s Funeral listening party

MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 01: Birdman and Lil Waune attend Lil Wayne’s “Funeral” album release party on February 01, 2020 in Miami, Florida (Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Young Money/Republic Records)

By the end of summer 20’, Lil Wayne took a trip back into his vault of classic albums and mixtapes to re-release No Ceilings. It is perhaps one of his most iconic mixtapes to date making it available on all streaming platforms.

But it also makes us think about Lil Wayne’s career through the years, from starting with Hot Boys, to signing with Cash Money Records, and all of his agreements and disagreements with Birdman over the years.

This Lil Wayne photo was taken in 2020, during a less contentious time in the relationship of these two rap moguls. And it serves as a staunch reminder of the prowess of the two of them as a pair.

4. His run with the Hot Boys

Juvenile & Lil Wayne photographed by Erin Patrice O’Brien during a portrait session – 2000

Let’s throw it back real quick. This photo of Lil Wayne and Hot Boys OG, Juvenile, reminds us of the humble beginnings of Lil Tunechi.

He looks young and naive to the undercurrents of the rap world. Before he could fly, Wayne had to run with this group.

And run they did. Running so fast it helped propel Wayne to the heights he now achieved.

5. Mama Wayne knows best

Lil Wayne & his mother photographed by Sarah A. Friedman during a portrait session for Blaze Magazine – February 2000

There are countless bars where Lil Wayne thanks his mama. This photo of the great rapper and his mother reminds of why he’s dedicated so many songs to her.

“It’s just me and my Momma how it’s supposed to be/And I make sure she paid like she wrote for me…”

– Lil Wayne “Cry Out (Amen)“

5. Lil Wayne with Nicki Minaj and Drake

(Left to Right) Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, and Drake at the BBMAS 2017. Photo by Kevin Mazur via Getty Images.

Ah, everyone’s favorite love triangle.

Drake, Nicki, and Lil Wayne have given us some inspired music over the years. And this photo is a reminder of the star power this trio presents.

Young Money, from when many of us remember them all cooking it up in the studio together. Though they may have grown apart, this photo will live on as iconic forever.

6. “We Are the World” recording sessions

Lil Wayne performs at the “We Are The World 25 Years for Haiti” recording session held at Jim Henson Studios on February 1, 2010 in Hollywood, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur via WireImage.

Lionel Richie, Wyclef Jean, and Lil Wayne stand here in this iconic image during recording sessions for “We Are the World 25 for Haiti.”

Lionel Ritchie, of course the songwriter for the original 1985 hit “We Are the World” is an icon himself. Wyclef Jean’s Haitian ties are well-founded. And Lil Tunechi’s recording acumen solidifies this photo as evergreen and iconic.

7. A reminder of Wayne keeps it Bape’d up

@liltunechi

Let’s not forget who the king of this drip sh** is. Here, Wayne models the Bape x Ugg collab.

Everything Bape. Lil Wayne also stands as the GOAT in these throwback jawns of him in the og Bape.

Lil Wayne photographed by Lester Cohen at the 2005 BET Awards in Hollywood, CA – June 28, 2005

Lil Wayne, no matter what one thinks about him or his music, has swag in abundance.

8. Lil Wayne and Curren$y

Per Currensy himself, him and Wayne are tight af.

They don’t look the slightest bit sober, nor in Wayne’s case, like they give af about that. Rap and culture legends.

This photo is iconic because of the duo’s relationship and how authentically it captures Wayne in his natural habitat.

(Courtesy of Randall Slavin)

Blink-182 and Lil Wayne’s collab-tour should stand as a model for any group looking to collab with another.

Their sounds are starkly different, yet they were able to collaborate on an entire tour. And while they may have had their problems along the way, this image sticks in your head the moment you see it.

10. He was a skater boy…

LAS VEGAS, NV – AUGUST 20: Lil Wayne performs at the 1 OAK Nightclub at The Mirage Hotel & Casino on August 20, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bryan Steffy/WireImage)

An acronym for “The Reason U Kill For IT,“ TRUKFIT hit the mainstream in 2012. At first it was little weird to see a rapper other than Lupe fiasco step into the skateboarding space, but now it’s just a part of the culture.

Lil Wayne even pulled up to his deposition rocking his the brand. Talk about LEGENDARY.

Now one of the most recognizable skate boarding brands out there, TRUKFIT is definitely one thing to remember about the icon.

11. I can’t feel my face…

Lil Wayne and Juelz Santana circa unknown

The I Can’t Feel My Face era was a good one. An unmatched duo, Juelz Santana and Lil Wayne changed the course of hip hop with this legendary mixtape.

It’d be really nice to get a part two. But we know how that goes…

12. Good ‘ol Uncle Snoop

Snoop Dogg & Lil Wayne photographed by Kevin Mazur while attending the Direct TV 7th Annual Beach Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana – February 02, 2013

Homies, rivals, family are all words that identify these two. Snoop has always had a high respect for the New Orleans rapper. In June, Snoop actually pressed Wayne about going on a VERZUZ battle.

“That Verzuz battle, when they gon’ get you in there?” asked Snoop. “You the young GOAT! You birthed the second generation of rappers. Dem is yo babies out there. You deserve to be in the race.”

“If they start me, they ain’t gon’ stop me,” Weezy replied. “They gon’ have to ring the bell, ‘Tune stop!’ I can’t stop.”

Snoop even compared Tunechi’s rap career to the basketball career of the late Kobe Bryant. “Kobe played half his life in basketball,” he told Wayne.

“Half your life has been in rapping. I just wanna see you in there because I love what you do and I know what you bring to the table. You the young GOAT, you understand me? A lot of people say that they GOATs, but they not GOATs.”

Hopefully, this is still something we’ll see before Lil Wayne goes to his prison sentence hearing.

13. Where it all began

Lil Wayne photographed by Marcus Hänschen during a portrait session for Murder Dog Magazine at age 15 in Hollywood, CA – 1997

At this point in his career, it is clear that Lil Wayne is at the point in his career where he is releasing bodies of work with the sole purpose of fulfilling his love for rapping.

Regardless of how one feels about the Young Money CEO, there is no denying the fact that Lil Wayne is one of the most talented and enigmatic artists to ever grace a microphone in music.

Looking at the severity of Lil Wayne’s gun possession case and possible jail time there is a great deal of uncertainty regarding the future release of music and most importantly his freedom.

How do you think 2020 contributed to Lil Wayne’s rap career? Where do you think he will land in the GOAT conversation when it’s all said and done?

Additional edits by Claude J. Easy and Conrad Hoyt.


lil wayne February 19, 2018
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Lil Wayne drops a surprising, but very fly, collab with Neiman Marcus

Rapper Lil Wayne has personally pulled up at the Beverly Hills Neiman Marcus to promote the drop of his exclusive apparel collection, which launched February 16.

Lil Wayne announced the collaboration on his Twitter and has continued to promote the line. Neiman Marcus also plugged the apparel launch through their social media.

Available for sale at the Beverly Hills Neiman Marcus and online, The Young Money line consists of T-shirts, jackets, a hoodie, a pair of pants, and a hat.

“Young Money” is emblazoned on each article of clothing in clear, bold type, repping the record label which Lil Wayne founded in 2005 with artists include Drake, Tyga, and Nicki Minaj.

The brand takes center stage in the design, as the apparel is otherwise clean, crisp, and plain, aligning with Wayne’s modern streetwear style.

The new launch departs from the style of Lil Wayne’s previous forays into fashion. Trukfit, a brand he launched about 6 years ago, centered more on a skater aesthetic.

Trukfit appealed to a younger crowd and featured BAPE-like graphics.

In addition, Lil Wayne has previously collaborated with California footwear brand Supra to create the Chimera shoes, which featured (among other color options) neon, cheetah print, and giraffe print.

The new collection’s stark simplicity contrasts with the rapper’s past style. Lil Wayne is the man who popularized the phrase “bling bling” back in the day.

And considering that he wore leopard print jeggings to the 2011 VMAs and a pink camo hoodie on the cover of Vibe, this Young Money collection is noticeably more subdued and wearable.

The minimalistic approach may appeal more to Neiman Marcus consumers, but the line is reasonably affordable considering the usual pricing at the luxury department store.

Despite the fact it’s being sold at the same high-end retailer that offers items like a $19,500 fur and cashmere blanket, The Young Money capsule collection is relatively accessible, ranging from $55 to $140.

Through working with Lil Wayne, a powerful force in hip-hop, Neiman Marcus expands its market, appealing to old and new customers.

Despite the subtle design, the line intends to be memorable. “Young Money is in every youthful person,” creative director Mike Morris told the Los Angeles Times.

“It really is about believing in yourself, and it’s about having a drive, having a passion, self-motivated, tying up the shoelaces and getting out there and making your way from nothing. That’s pretty true to who Wayne is and his character.”

Similarly, on the Neiman Marcus website, the product description expresses that “Young Money Merch is for individuals who want to stand out and whole-heartedly express themselves.

The brand supports those who are unrestricted by their originality and live to collaborate and create.”

It’s undeniable that Lil Wayne is an icon with a completely unique fashion style. In a 2012 interview for Vibe, he stated “I’m really fond of Marc Jacobs as a designer.

Everybody knows I love Polo. But as far as me being fixated on some person’s style, that just ain’t…nah. That just ain’t me.” He also shared that he “love[s] the opportunity” to create apparel which lets kids of any background “dress fly.”

Lil Wayne has been an influential figure to fans, but also top people in the music industry. Both Drake and Kendrick Lamar cite him as one of their leading inspirations. On Wayne’s 35th birthday, Drake posted about his reverence for Wayne’s mentorship and determination.

In an interview in Manchester for Coveteur, Kendrick also professed, “Yeah, man, we was heavy. That’s a real story like, we was just huge, still to this day, huge Lil Wayne fans. Lil Wayne is the greatest. Not only because of his music but also because of the culture he put behind it.”

A father of four and New Orleans native, Lil Wayne has been in the rap game since the early ‘90s and continues to stay relevant. His apparel launch comes at a busy time.

The second part of his mixtape Dedication 6: Reloaded recently dropped on January 26, he has a scheduled appearance at San Diego’s Parq Nightclub on February 18, and he is set to perform in Australia’s Jumanji Festival in March.

Meanwhile, on February 16, Apple Music released its documentary Before Anythang: The Cash Money Story.

The documentary explores the life of Cash Money Records founder Birdman, who Lil Wayne sued for $51 million in 2016 because of withheld money.

Now, with the release of the Young Money Merch capsule collection, we can all be “So Young Money.”

In the words of Chris Brown, “Look at me now.”

50 cent January 26, 2018
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How Lil Wayne and Nas’ beef low key shaped the rap game today

Let’s rewind it back to a simpler time. It’s 2006. You’re probably in middle school or high school trying to bring “Sexy Back” like Justin Timberlake or obsessed with Borat.

Jay-Z’s retirement has left a void in New York, and N.Y. MCs found themselves fighting for the crown.

50 Cent is beefing with every rapper in the Big Apple (with good reason). T.I. is claiming “King of The South,” and Lil Wayne just declared himself the “BEST RAPPER ALIVE” while Nas is leading the “hip-hop is dead” crusade.

His reasoning is because New York is the Mecca of hip-hop culture, and with NY artists beefing with each other, ‘hip-hop’ is killing itself. Think of it as your childhood home. It groomed you to be the person you are today.

Your childhood memories would be lost if your house was ever sold or washed away. Put it this way, if a rapper from the South was claiming king in an era where Southern hip-hop wasn’t as mainstream, hip-hop is dead. Due to the lack of media outlets and exposure, rappers from the South were viewed as simple, lacking substance and slow.

We are still in 2006. Lil Wayne is out to prove he is the best rapper alive. Remember, Nas is saying hip-hop is dead; even after the release of Weezy’s now critically acclaimed album, Tha Carter II. This ignites a fire in Wayne.

The disrespect that Wayne is getting from Nas is asinine. The lyrical assault displayed on C2 was flawless. Inspired, Wayne went back to the lab and dropped another classic, Dedication 2, within a 5 month span.

Nas is still not giving him the credit he deserves. The amount of classic material Lil Wayne is about to release… to this day in 2018, is still unmatched.

Wayne dropped Dedication 2, Like Father Like Son, I Can’t Feel My Face with New York artist Juelz Santana, Lil Weezy Ana, Drought 3, The Carter 3 Files, and countless features all building up to his album, Tha Carter III. 

It’s 2008 and Lil Wayne is gearing up for the release of his biggest album to date. He’s not worried about the sales because Tune knows he will at sell at least a milli (y’all catch that? lol).

Weezy’s still out to prove that he is the BEST RAPPER ALIVE, and at this point, he is putting Southern hip-hop on his back. On “Dr. Carter” he proves it. In the track “Gossip” he says,

“Stop, analyzing, criticizing, you should realize who I am and start epitomizing”

“Dr. Carter” is a lyrical onslaught full of subliminal shots to Nas that would change the landscape of the rap game forever. What “Dr. Carter” is doing is pulling the plug on New York hip-hop and bringing the crown to the South.

In 2007, at the BET Hip-Hop Awards Wayne performed “Gossip”. Responding to Nas telling him that he’s the best rapper in the game and he doesn’t care about his props. In 2008 he would change the rap game forever. Once again to quote the track,

“You don’t have to pick me to win the title fight, but I’m a wear that championship belt so tight.”

It took years for Nas to make “Hip-Hop is Dead” and it took Wayne two years to craft the perfect song to respond. The first verse on “Dr. Carter” addresses concepts and originality.

When Nas dropped “Hip-Hop is Dead” he did it as a concept. It was his campaign to help him sell records.

Wayne sees this as Nas lacking originality and conceptual ideas that actually push the culture forward. Tunechi is mocking Nas because his music isn’t popping and is ridiculing Nas because he only has one style while Wayne has several.

Wayne raps:

“All I need is ONE MIC” (one of Nas’ best songs) All I need is one take, like hey brighter than a sun ray, gotta pistol on the playground watch the gunplay”

This is a direct diss to Nas. In Nas’ song, “I Gave You Power”, he compared himself to a gun.

Lil Wayne is saying that he’s that much smarter than Nas and he’s essentially playing with him like a kid. Nas sees what Wayne is doing, but won’t acknowledge him as one of the best. Wayne understands this and that is why he is dissing him so effortlessly.

Displaying that, when it comes to rap, he’s that much better than Nas, Wayne goes on to explain to the world not to be like Nas, but to be yourself.

Weezy also says “gotta work everyday, gotta not be cliche….gotta have faith,” he understands that’s cliche and that’s why the first verse ends with a flat line because he was telling you what society tells you to get you motivated. It’s an extended double entendre. Be yourself and you’ll always win. On “Dr. Carter” he says,

“So I stopped writing, Now I’m like lighting and you ain’t Vince Young so don’t clash with the Titan.”

In the second verse it’s all about respect. When Nas said hip-hop is dead, it was disrespectful to the rap game and to Wayne personally.

Weezy is not tripping anymore because he knows Nas’ career is dying off. Nas also criticizes rappers for using other rappers rhymes. Most notably, he’s criticized Jay-Z for biting lyrics.

Jay-Z said when he uses a Biggie line, it’s to embrace his legacy. This second verse is used to pay his respects to Kanye, Jeezy, and Swizz Beats. Nas made a career off rapping over samples to criticize the use of others work in your own work is hypocritical.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QieWURWhLFg

That is what Weezy aims to show Nas. He also says Nas can’t battle Wayne bar for bar because he couldn’t keep up and that’s why his career is dying. So Lil Wayne gives Nas a Vicodin, tells him to relax and watch how easy it is for him to run the rap game, killing his career in the process.

In the last verse, Wayne brings it home with his own unique style. His swag and confidence on the track brings his words to life to the point that you can see it vividly. The rap game is alive through him.

If it wasn’t for Wayne’s hard work and sacrifices, there wouldn’t be Future, 2 Chainz, Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug, Drake or Lil Yachty, Kodak Black and many more of your new favorite artists.

https://giphy.com/gifs/lil-wayne-thumbs-up-tunechi-yjkpjO2IbSSBO

Not only did he diss Nas, but he dissed Nas while birthing a whole new era of hip-hop.

Lil Wayne is the real reason why the South continues to run the rap game today.

Peep the original article on The Speez Channel.

lil wayne August 18, 2017
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MTV to bring back ‘Unplugged’ series, will premier with… Shawn Mendes?

MTV is set to revive one of the network’s most popular and iconic series Unplugged, in which musicians perform a no-frills set without electric instruments or big stage regalia.

The network is bringing back Unplugged with a performance from Shawn Mendes, who apparently sits atop the radio charts with his single “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back,” a song I have never heard before and will not be listening to.

Mendes’ performance will take place at the Theater at Ace Hotel in Los Angeles, according to Variety. The pop star told Variety that he’s intent on recreating the classic Unplugged vibe.

“We’ve been working our asses off just trying to figure out the most beautiful way to play these songs in a smaller, stripped-down way that still feels as impactful. I feel like if I can do this right, then it will be a moment for me — where people can really understand and see me as a musician and a singer, and where I’m coming from.”

Amani Duncan, MTV SVP of Music and Executive In Charge of Music for Unplugged, spoke to Variety about the network’s goals with the new project:

“’Let’s take it to cool locations’ was the thought. Like where the artist played their first major show, or maybe they choose a location to make a pro-social statement, or it’s, ‘I always wanted to play Carnegie Hall.’”

And Duncan isn’t worried that the younger generation may not have the same attachment to Unplugged as older music fans because the MTV brand still holds a lot of weight.

“At MTV, the brand equity is still so strong. It gives us an opportunity to bring back nostalgia and also recruit an entirely new consumer who may not know what Unplugged was because they weren’t born.”

Unplugged was definitely a pretty dope series with some of the most legendary televised life performances in music history.

Nirvana’s 1993 Unplugged set is probably the most well known performance in the series.

The sweater Kurt Cobain wore during Unplugged just sold for a reported $137,500.

Lil Wayne had one of the last Unplugged sets and it will be interesting to see how MTV works hip-hop into the series as there may be a shortage of rock bands to choose from.

We’re all for bringing back Unplugged, we just hope they find some more interesting talent than whoever Shawn Mendes is.

lil wayne May 18, 2017
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Lil Wayne and T-Pain drop ‘T-Wayne’ a surprise album from 2009

In one of the most lit things to happen in music in a minute, Lil Wayne and T-Pain just dropped T-Wayne, the long-lost album from 2009.

The 8-track ready for SoundCloud project has been under wraps for seven years and so far shit is already too fire. The fact that these two dudes decided to drop this throwback shit in a year when music was already too poppin’ makes it even better.

First off, you already know when the album starts off with T-Pain spitting bars, shit is about to get real. As for Wayne’s parts, this was from the era when you wouldn’t even question when he said he was the best rapper in the world.

Mad auto tune, mad tracks about smacking cheeks and just being dumb rich.

Seven years ago doesn’t seem like that long, but realistically, everything has changed. This shit will take you back to whatever the f*ck it was you were doing pre-2010 and it will make you think what other unreleased shit like this is out there.

T-Pain actually teased this album release yesterday with this series of cryptic tweets.

These are great tracks to mix in with all the other wild shit you’re listening to at the moment and who knows, maybe the younger generation will begin to respect these old heads. They shoulda got Yachty on Uzi on some tracks if they wanted to do that though!

This makes us wonder what else is on T-Pain’s hard drive? I’m sure both of their fans are asking this question right now but realistically you still mess with Wayne and T-Pain like that you’re most likely a washed millennial.