While female allyship and solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community have been prominent, there is a growing recognition of straight male rappers who have become allies and advocates. Over the years, several unexpected male artists have shown their support, embracing and championing the rights and visibility of LGBTQ+ individuals. From Jay-Z’s connection to A$AP Rocky’s endorsement […]
Rap legend Lil Wayne is set to be honored with the BMI Icon Award at the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards on September 6th. Lil Wayne’s influential career and his contributions to the hip-hop genre will be celebrated at the event, which also aims to recognize the achievements of music publishers, songwriters, and producers. With numerous accolades […]
Birdman, also known as Baby, has been a driving force in the hip-hop industry for several decades. His unique style, characterized by the Southern hip-hop tradition, propels his music into its own category. Yet, several other rappers’ music echoes the style and spirit of Birdman, sharing his affinity for gritty lyrics and heady beats. These artists represent a remarkable fusion of talent, creativity, and individuality within the same genre.
Birdman’s most famous protégé, Lil Wayne, often mirrors his mentor’s style. As a crucial member of the Cash Money Records family, Lil Wayne developed under his leader’s tutelage. His lyrics often interweave personal experiences with the harsh realities of life, a characteristic signature of Birdman’s music.
Rick Ross, another giant in the Southern hip-hop scene, also shares similarities with Birdman. With his smooth flow and charismatic presence, Ross echoes the Louisiana icon’s artistry, though he injects his brand of Miami-infused flavor. His lyrics encompass themes of hustling and success, paralleling Birdman’s career trajectory.
Young Thug, a relatively newer name than others on this list, brings his own twist to the Southern hip-hop tradition. His genre-bending approach often mirrors Birdman’s innovative spirit. Not confined by traditional hip-hop boundaries, Young Thug’s music is a testament to the evolving landscape of the genre.
Juvenile: The Cash Money Veteran
A fellow Cash Money Records veteran, Juvenile, shares a similar background with Birdman. Their music, deeply rooted in the streets of New Orleans, often carries the same raw energy and authenticity. Juvenile’s music, like Birdman’s, is a reflection of the struggles and triumphs inherent in their shared experiences.
Future, an Atlanta-based rapper, also echoes Birdman’s style, although he infuses it with his unique, melodic spin. His music, characterized by his innovative use of auto-tune and emotive storytelling, resonates with Birdman’s ability to balance classic hip-hop elements and modern musical trends.
The artists mentioned above have carved their path in hip-hop, though their music often resonates with Birdman’s unique style. Their connection to Birdman isn’t solely in their similar styles but also in their shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of Southern hip-hop. This commitment has allowed them to create a distinctive musical identity and contributed to the genre’s evolution.
The influence of Birdman’s style on these artists is a testament to his legacy. His impact on Southern hip-hop is undeniable, and these artists’ music clearly indicates his pervasive influence. While each artist possesses their unique style, their music often resonates with the style and spirit of Birdman. They serve as a testament to the power and influence of Southern hip-hop and its ability to produce artists that push the genre’s boundaries while remaining true to its roots.
BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) has announced that Lil Wayne, the 5-time GRAMMY® award-winning rapper, executive, and philanthropist, will receive the BMI Icon Award at the 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Awards on September 6. This prestigious honor recognizes Lil Wayne’s remarkable career spanning over two decades and his unmatched influence on the genre and beyond. The event will also commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, paying tribute to its legacy and ongoing impact on music creators and fans across generations. The exclusive ceremony will be hosted by BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI Vice President, Creative, Atlanta, Catherine Brewton, at LIV Nightclub in Miami Beach.
“As a legend and superstar of Hip-Hop, Lil Wayne is synonymous with the genre. He’s been part of the BMI family since 2002, and we’re proud to name him a BMI Icon in keeping with his reputation as one of the most influential artists of all time,” said Brewton. “We’re also excited to pay tribute to the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop with a celebration that reflects the genre’s legacy, which has infiltrated entertainment, fashion, sports and much more.” Brewton continued, “We’re thrilled to be back in Miami for this history-making milestone and to recognize BMI’s songwriters and producers who will usher R&B/Hip-Hop into the next 50 years. It’s going to be a night to remember.”
During the evening, BMI will also acknowledge the songwriters, producers, and music publishers behind the 35 most-performed R&B/Hip-Hop songs in the United States from BMI’s vast repertoire of over 20.6 million musical works. The ceremony will unveil the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Songwriter, Producer, and Publisher of the Year. To mark this momentous occasion of 50 years of Hip-Hop, there will be a special tribute performance featuring renowned hip-hop superstars whose contributions have significantly impacted the genre over the past half-century.
Lil Wayne, an iconic rapper, acclaimed author, professional skater, philanthropist, and record-breaking superstar, has become one of the best-selling artists ever. Lil Wayne’s legacy is undeniable, with over 100 million records sold worldwide, including 25 million albums and 90 million digital tracks in the United States alone. His discography boasts five #1 debuts, including the 8x platinum, 3x GRAMMY® Award-winning album Tha Carter III in 2008, its 6x platinum successor Tha Carter IV in 2011, and the highly successful Tha Carter V in 2018. Lil Wayne’s impact extends further, as he achieved his first Diamond certification from the RIAA in 2022 for the generational hit “Lollipop” featuring Static Major.
Jon Batiste is back with a new single today. Ahead of his newly-announced sixth studio album, World Music Radio, Batiste has shared a groovy new track called “Calling Your Name.” Over a punchy, percussive beat, Batiste recalls a sweet love, as he delivers silky vocals between breezy harmonica drops.
This first taste of World Music Radio encapsulates the mood of the album, which came from a newfound sense of freedom Batiste had discovered within himself.
“I created this album with a feeling of liberation in my life and a renewed sense of exploration of my personhood, my craft and of the world around me unlike anything I had ever felt before,” Batiste said in a statement.
World Music Radio will arrive later this summer and will boast collaborations with Lil Wayne, Lana Del Rey, Kenny G, Fireboy DML, JID, Camilo, NewJeans, and more.
You can see the visualizer for “Calling Your Name” above, and the World Music Radio album art and tracklist below.
Verve/Interscope
1. “Hello, Billy Bob”
2. “Raindance” Feat. Native Soul
3. “Be Who You Are” Feat. JID, NewJeans, Camilo
4. “Worship”
5. “My Heart”
6. “Drink Water” Feat. Jon Bellion & Fireboy DML
7. “Calling Your Name”
8. “Clair De Lune” Feat. Kenny G
9. “Butterfly”
10. “17th Ward Prelude”
11. “Uneasy” Feat. Lil Wayne
12. “CALL NOW (504-305-8269)” Feat. Michael Batiste
13. “Chassol”
14. “BOOM FOR REAL”
15. “MOVEMENT 18′ (Heroes)”
16. “Master Power”
17. “Running Away” Feat. Leigh-Anne
18. “Goodbye, Billy Bob”
19. “White Space”
20. “Wherever You Are”
21. “Life Lesson” Feat. Lana Del Rey
World Music Radio is out 8/18 via Verve/Interscope. Find more information here.
Two New Orleans legends link up to bring the rain with “El Niño,” a new track that sees Louisianans Lil Wayne and Big Freedia collaborating with Memphis multidisciplinarian Boyfriend for a triumphant celebration of survival. This is pretty much right up Big Freedia’s alley as a self-described gender-nonconforming, fluid, nonbinary drag queen from the home of Hurricane Katrina in the midst of the American Right’s collective campaign of attempted genocide of the queer community.
It also marks the first official collaboration between Freedia and Wayne, despite their shared roots. Wayne sampled Freedia on a 2003 mixtape and booked her for his Weezyana Festival in 2015, but this is the first time they’ve actually teamed up on a record. And while it would have been cool if it was a bounce track (both rappers have used the regional sound as a basis for some of their biggest hits), the throwback trap style actually makes it a cool departure for Freedia and a return to form for Wayne that underscores the import of the collaboration.
Meanwhile, Boyfriend is a frequent collaborator of Freedia’s who adds another perspective. In a press release, Freedia said, “El Niño’ is about going hard in any storms that come in your life and conquering them! It’s one of my favorite songs on this record, it features my longtime collaborator Boyfriend, and it’s also my first collab with Lil Wayne, who I’ve wanted to work with for a long time. We put it down for our city, and this song is gonna have everyone blowin down!”
The track will appear on Freedia’s new album Central City, which is due this Friday, June 23. Listen to “El Niño” above.
The Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame has announced its 2023 class of inductees, which includes Queen Latifah, Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes, and Jermaine Dupri. These influential hip-hop figures in the music industry will be honored with Crown Jewel of Excellence emblems on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, in front of the Mercedes Benz […]
In a recent episode of his podcast, Fox Sports personality Skip Bayless claimed that Lil Wayne, with whom he has a long-standing friendship, asked if Bayless could set up a meeting between himself and Memphis Grizzlies standout Ja Morant. As Bayless says, while he made an effort, he has yet to hear back from Morant about the opportunity.
I tried, unsuccessfully, to connect Lil Wayne with Ja Morant. I know Wayne would fly to Memphis in a heartbeat.pic.twitter.com/4H4Z4V0I8t
“Lil Wayne, I said this on a previous podcast,” Bayless said. “Texted me, he said, ‘Hey, can you connect me with Ja? Because I could help him. I’ve been there. I’ve done all this. I wound up in prison, Rikers Island. I know what happens. I know where you can go wrong, and I know what right.
“I said I’ll try, and I reached out to Ja,” he continued. “‘Would you sit with Lil Wayne? Would you talk with Lil Wayne?’ Wayne would fly to him. He’d fly to Memphis in a heartbeat, tonight. Wayne would private plane it and go right to Memphis if he thought he could save a career and a soul. I got nothing back from Ja, didn’t expect anything back.”
It’s unclear how Bayless was able to get in contact with Morant, who is currently waiting to hear from the NBA about the fallout from its investigation into a recent incident where he waved a gun in a car on Instagram Live. Adam Silver said before the NBA Finals that the league was able to find additional information in its investigation, but explained that it would wait until after the series ended between the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat to announce the results.
Lil Wayne might be the greatest rapper of all time, but he has no problem paying it forward. Recently, the “Lollipop” rapper was a guest on the All the Smoke podcast, hosted by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson.
When asked where Nicki Minaj ranks for all-time female rappers, he unsurprisingly listed her as #1. Lil Wayne answers, “Oof, I don’t want to hurt nobody’s feelings, but boy ain’t nobody fucking with Nicki. They come after.”
Nicki Minaj took to her 221 million followers on Instagram to respond to the recognition, posting the video clip with a heartfelt caption that also gave Lil Wayne his flavors.
She writes, “I’ll give u a dollar if you can find a lie …When the greatest rapper of all time believed & still believes in you. 🥹 I sure did lean on your confidence & u sure were ALWAYS there. Til this day- when I send you smthng you send a verse bakk. @liltunechi we love you so much. We thank you so much. Long live the BAR!
Bar for Bar. No pun intended 🫡 #MulaBaaabay!!! @mackmaine4president”
Furthermore, on the podcast, Lil Wayne reminisces on discovering Drake and Nicki Minaj early on and signing them to Young Money back in 2009. He states, “Shit, I was more excited to see. Also, I didn’t know they’d be [Drake and Nicki]. I’m more excited, I want them to see what they could be. They always leaned on that, they always leaned on my confidence I instilled. Almost like when you see the veterans on the team, they’ve instilled this confidence. They’ve leaned on that and I made sure I was always there.”
Lil Wayne actually explains how they were looking for artists at the time, specifically a New York female rapper.
He states, “We were looking for artists at the time and we set out to look for artists I wanted to meet. I wanted a New York female [artist]. I always tell ’em, I wanted to make sure she had two things, she was missing, lacking two things: do not sound like Foxy [Brown], do not sound like [Lil’] Kim.”
Wayne continued: “And when I heard, Nicki was sounding like me. She was changing her voice up, I was like, ‘Okay.’ I ain’t never seen this. This rare. New York female artists, I had to keep telling ’em, ‘Yo, don’t do that, don’t say that.’Nah? Alright, cool. And you ready to talk this weird shit, this crazy shit like me too? Let’s go. You perfect.”
Shout out to Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj for always supporting each other!
From the outside looking in, the vision for Kanye West’s future is unclear. The father of four has been pulled in various directions lately, from his tumultuous presidential campaign, which was previously halted, to negotiating with brands like Adidas after seriously tarnishing their working relationship last year. It’s been some time since he’s given us new music, but over the weekend, footage of Ye filming what appears to be a visual for a track from 2021’s DONDA began circulating online.
In the brief clip, we see West aggressively gesturing toward the camera while listening to “Off The Grid.” He appears to be working on the project without collaborators Fivio Foreign and Playboi Carti, though that doesn’t mean we won’t see them participate in the finished product. It remains unclear when the “Waves” artist plans to drop the long-awaited visual, but we do know he’s using it to continue forward with his latest fashion agenda – repopularizing the shoulder pad.
We’ve seen plenty of bold looks from West in recent weeks, some of them seemingly referencing Nazi symbolism and others simply leaving the world confused. Regardless of what the masses have to say, Lil Wayne made it clear during a recent interview that he still thinks his “Forever” collaborator is a genius. The Louisana native dropped by the All the Smoke podcast on Friday (June 9) to chat, at which time he didn’t hesitate to give Ye his flowers.
“He’s a genius… What I mean by that is he can stop being Kanye West at any time and start being Kanye East and be the best at that as well,” the 40-year-old explained to the show’s hosts. “He’s a genius when it comes to music. Whatever route he wanna go, he’s gonna be packing arenas.”
Check out a clip of Lil Wayne’s thoughts on Kanye West in the IG post below, or scroll further to catch his full appearance on the All the Smoke podcast. Who do you prefer between Weezy and Yeezy? Let us know in the comments, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
I sure did lean on your confidence & u sure were ALWAYS there. Til this day- when I send you smthng you send a verse bakk. @liltunechi 
No pun intended 🫡 #MulaBaaabay!!! @mackmaine4president”