It goes without saying that Lil Wayne’s talent is undeniable. Since the early 2000s, the rapper has been everywhere, cementing himself as a giant with each verse that he dishes out. Truly, he’s an untouchable lyricist. At one point, Lil Wayne was practically on every song, transforming him into the king of features throughout the mid to late aughts. While he has slowed down a bit in the last few years, Lil Wayne is still active and gave out several features in 2023. He always showcases his expertise and versatility, bringing his unparalleled flow and lyrical prowess to collaborations across genres. That’s why, for many, Lil Wayne is the GOAT. Of course, being the veteran that he is, his verses on other artists’ songs elevate them to new heights. Let’s run through all the features Lil Wayne appeared on in 2023, and which one stands above the rest.
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19. “My Daddy’s Son” – Dame D.O.L.L.A Ft. Lil Wayne
Professional basketball player and rapper Dame D.O.L.L.A released his fifth studio album Don D.O.L.L.A on August 18, 2023. While the project has many great songs, “My Daddy’s Son” evidently stands out as one of its best tracks. On his verse, Lil Wayne is a beast, riding the beat and almost leaving Dame in the dust.
18. “Shoulder Pads” – AB Ft. Lil Wayne
Former NFL player Antonio Brown has been releasing music as AB since 2020. For his 2023 offering, he features Lil Wayne on the fire track “Shoulder Pads.” Although he does his best on the song, AB is totally upstaged by Tunechi when he comes on.
17. “Da One” – Dame D.O.L.L.A Ft. Lil Wayne
“Da One” is another track from the pro basketball player’s 2023 album that features Lil Wayne. Just like he did on “My Daddy’s Son,” Tunechi absolutely devours his verse. It is a testament to his prowess that the two tracks he appears on are among the album’s most memorable songs.
16. “I’m Mad At Me” – Trippie Redd Ft. Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne was on a mission with his features throughout 2023, and he took no prisoners. “I’m Mad At Me” is a track on Trippie Reed’s 2023 mixtape A Love Letter To You 5, and sees both Redd and Wayne dropping hard bars. The rappers’ chemistry on the track is effortless and certainly worthy of note. We hope they collaborate more in the future.
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15. “Brand New” – Tyga & YG Ft. Lil Wayne
On September 29, 2023, Tyga and YG released their collaborative album Hit Me When U Leave the Klub: The Playlist. However, two days before, the pair released “Brand New” as the fourth single from the project. It is one of only three songs on the album with a featured artist, and arguably the best of all three. Once again, Lil Wayne flexed on the owners of the song, upstaging them in less than a minute while receiving high praise from Eminem over that Funyun bar.
14. “FMFU” – DJ Drama ft. Lil Wayne, Roddy Ricch, & Gucci Mane
“FMFU” was released on March 31, 2023, as a part of DJ Drama’s album, I’m Really Like That. The album contains 14 tracks, and “FMFU” is certainly one of its standouts, primarily because of the performance of its featured artists. Roddy Ricch, Gucci Mane, and Lil Wayne all delivered on their respective parts. The only reason this song isn’t ranked higher is because the tracks that appear above it are just better songs overall. Nevertheless, despite its position, it’s a pretty good song.
13. “Ain’t Gonna Answer” – NLE Choppa ft. Lil Wayne
Featuring Lil Wayne on this track, NLE Choppa must have known he had to go as hard as he could. The Memphis rapper, riding the sample of Lil Wayne and Birdman’s “Stuntin Like My Daddy” just right, takes on the first half of the song. To his credit, he serves up good verses, matching the energy of the beat, and laying the groundwork for Lil Wayne to make his entrance. Halfway into the track, Tunechi takes the baton from Choppa and eats up his verse. With his part lasting about a minute, Lil Wayne has enough time to shine, and that’s exactly what he does on “Ain’t Gonna Answer.“
12. “The Formula” – Will.i.am ft. Lil Wayne
Will.i.am released “The Formula” in partnership with Formula 1 on May 5, 2023. A musical icon himself, the Black Eyed Peas frontman enlisted Lil Wayne’s help on the catchy song. Without a doubt, Wayne’s verse is one of the best parts of the track. It may not be among his very best features of the year, but it’s a solid verse nevertheless.
11. “Gladiator (Remix)” – Eladio Carrión Ft. Lil Wayne
This is track #2 on Eladio Carrión’s 18-track album, 3MEN2 KBRN, that was released on March 17, 2023. Carrión makes Latin trap music, and this song exemplifies his expertise in the genre. Being that he is immensely versatile, however, Wayne is not left behind on the track. While Carrión effortlessly glides through the beat spitting fluid Latin bars, Wayne equally delivers a stellar verse mostly in English, but with a little Latin of his own.
10. “Big Dog” – Benny the Butcher Ft. Lil Wayne
Featuring one of Hip Hop’s biggest dogs, this song is aptly named. The song was released on November 3, 2023, and is a single from Benny the Butcher’s upcoming album Everybody Can’t Go. Despite not appearing on charts, it is currently one of Benny’s biggest songs, and rightly so. Coupled with Lil Wayne’s stellar verse on the track, Benny’s verse and hook make “Big Dog” a great song.
9. “This Sh*t Right Here” – Swizz Beatz Ft. Lil Wayne
Released on April 21, 2023, “This Sh*t Right Here” is a track on Swizz Beatz’s EP Hip Hop 50: Vol. 2. Throughout the track’s almost three-minute run, Lil Wayne goes off on the beat, having fun with it. Tracks like this one remind us that even at his most playful, Tunechi is not an MC to be trifled with. Swizz’ EP is laced with great tunes, but this one holds the most weight.
8. “El Niño” – Big Freedia Ft. Lil Wayne & Boyfriend
Big Freedia released “El Niño” as the fourth single from Central City on June 19, 2023. With a catchy hook and energetic beat, the song is quite a memorable one. However, Lil Wayne’s verse undoubtedly elevated the track. While Big Freedia and Boyfriend snapped on their parts, Lil Wayne’s verse is arguably the standout performance on the track.
7. “Main One” – Mario Ft. Lil Wayne & Tyga
You can almost never go wrong with a pairing like this. Mario, an R&B icon, carried this song with his catchy hook. Likewise, Tyga delivered on his part, dropping an equally memorable verse. Finally, Lil Wayne, with a stellar 30-second verse, tied it all together. All three performers on this track brought their A-game, and that’s why it’s such a great song.
6. “Annihilate” – Metro Boomin ft. Lil Wayne, Swae Lee, & Offset
Following the critically acclaimed first film released in 2018, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was finally released in 2023. The soundtrack album that accompanied the film dropped on June 2, 2023, and “Annihilate” is one of its standout tracks. The combination of Lil Wayne, Swae Lee, and Offset on a Metro Boomin beat was a great idea. Indeed, whoever thought to pair them together deserves some sort of raise. Although Lil Tunechi has arguably the best verse on the song, Swae Lee certainly deserves props for a great hook. Likewise, Offset and Metro Boomin for a great verse and production, respectively.
5. “How We Roll (Remix)” – Ciara & Chris Brown Ft. Lil Wayne
“How We Roll” was originally released on August 4, 2023 as a single from Ciara’s EP, CiCi. Subsequently, on November 3, 2023, the remix featuring Lil Wayne was dropped, and it is one of his best features this year. On the remix, Tunechi takes the first verse, and he absolutely murks it, almost making it hard for Ciara and Chris Brown to match.
4. “RNB” – Nicki Minaj ft. Lil Wayne & Tate Kobang
One of the overall best tracks with features in 2023, “RNB” is a song off Nicki Minaj’s long-awaited fifth album, Pink Friday 2. The Queen of Rap, as expected, brought the heat on the song, and Lil Wayne did not relent either. Although his verse only lasts about 30 seconds, it is memorable. Moreover, and to his credit, Tate Kobang was also not obscure on the track, despite appearing beside two Hip Hop legends.
3. “Hallelujah Heaven” – Jeymes Samuel Ft. Lil Wayne, Buju Banton, & Shabba Ranks
The lead single from the upcoming film The Book Of Clarence, “Hallelujah Heaven” was released on November 28, 2023. Until the movie finally premieres in theaters, fans can listen to this track while they wait. The Gospel-infused track sees Lil Wayne delivering yet another fire verse. While his collaborators also eat, Lil Wayne’s verse is undoubtedly the star of the show on this track.
2. “Uneasy” – Jon Batiste ft. Lil Wayne
While they may make an unlikely pairing, Lil Wayne and Jon Batiste are a musical match made in heaven on this song. It’s always fulfilling to see collaborators on a song bring their A-game and lay it all out. On “Uneasy,” that’s exactly what these two musicians do. Indeed, throughout 2023, Lil Wayne delivered many great features. However, “Uneasy” is easily one of the best of them all. Besides his insane verse, the rapper also graces fans with a short electric guitar interlude that comes right before Batiste takes us to church on the piano. The two musicians exhibit beautiful chemistry and both have unforgettable verses on this track.
1. “Never Die” – Nas Ft. Lil Wayne
Rap icon Nas released his seventeenth studio album Magic 3 on September 14, 2023. The 15-track album only contains one feature, and it’s from none other than Lil Wayne. On “Never Die,” the two rap giants trade scorching hot bars, and listeners are reminded why they’ve remained relevant in Hip Hop all these years. Undoubtedly, this is among the best features Lil Wayne appeared on in 2023, and overall.
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