Lil Wayne made headlines Saturday night when he abruptly canceled his final show of the Welcome to Tha Carter Tour. Performing in Los Angeles, fans were already frustrated when he showed up an hour late to the show. Wayne would turn the crowd’s mood around when he got going, performing classics such as “Fireman” and “I’m Single.” However, security soon told the crowd to begin making their way to the exits. By the end of the night, fans were lost and confused.
During the middle of the show, Wayne used his break to promote his catalog of Young Money artists. A record label co-founded by Lil Wayne, Young Money Entertainment’s Lil Twist, Yaj Kader, and Allan Cubas took to the mainstage. However, before Cubas was set to perform his second track, Wayne abruptly stopped the show. It was becoming increasingly clear that the crowd was disengaging from the performance of his disciples, which frustrated Wayne. He told Cubas and the audience, “We appreciate it, but we ain’t about to be bending backwards for these folks. We work too hard for this s**t. We work way too hard.”
Allan Cubas Came From Humble Beginnings
To make things even more complicated, the show was live-streamed to worldwide viewers. However, this livestream warranted a $15 viewing fee. Many at home were left with less than half of what they were promised, leaving many frustrated at Lil Wayne’s lack of empathy. In addition, many fans took to Twitter to vent their frustration at the iconic MC. The situation raises a fair question: how far does the audience have to go for an artist to cancel a show justifiably? It’s not the first time during the Welcome to Tha Carter Tour that fans have seen their hard-earned money go to waste, with Wayne canceling his Atlanta stop merely 24 hours in advance, sighting “unforeseen circumstances.”
Signing to Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment over a year ago, Allan Cubas came from humble beginnings before being noticed by Lil Wayne. He started doing rap battles in the streets of New Orleans, spending years struggling to get attention. When discussing the sudden change, he stated, “It’s more than I can put into words. I was born in New Orleans. And the age I am, coming up in the era that I came up…Lil Wayne was bigger than an artist. He influenced New Orleans culture. He was bigger than music.” In weeks, he had gone from rapping on street corners to collaborating with fellow Young Money artists.
Cubas’ Music Blends His Childhood Influences
Soon after, he would earn his first big break with a feature on Lil Wayne’s “Cameras.” While the track would perform modestly for Wayne’s standards (approximately 3 million streams on Spotify), it was a huge moment for Allan Cubas. Additionally, it was a calculated attempt on Wayne’s end to get his signed artists more attention. It’s a stark contrast to his upbringing, which took place in both New Orleans and Honduras. He cherishes the experience of living in a third-world country, stating, “I was living in Honduras and taking showers with a bucket…in America, you might be in the hood, but you have a stove, you have running water.”
Cubas’s music bounces between his childhood influences. His verses unpredictably dart from English to Spanish, keeping the audience on their toes. This is also reflected in the sonic pallets of his songs, which dart from heavier bangers to more melodic cuts. However, there’s a definite Drake influence in his sound. After years of struggling to find work in New Orleans studios, his big break came with a phone call from an associate of Lil Wayne. A few months later, Wayne sent Cubas songs to contribute verses.
Lil Wayne Takes Pride In Coaching His Artists
Since Allan Cubas’s big break with Lil Wayne, he’s struggled to gain notoriety as a solo artist. It’s a stark reality of where the majority of MCs are at, looking to create the first hit that can catapult them into a household name. Going on tour with Lil Wayne was a big opportunity for Cubas to get his name out there. However, engaging a crowd that came for a different artist isn’t easy. Even Drake has had moments where he’s been booed off the stage. During Camp Flog Gnaw 2019, fans were dismayed at seeing Drake when they anticipated a performance from Frank Ocean.
However, Lil Wayne’s frustration at his pupils not being taken to is understandable. Wayne has been more than a manager to his artists, acting as a coach to hone their craft. Cubas has discussed being challenged by Wayne to expand his range as an artist. Whether it’s different kinds of beats or a different vocal pallet, Weezy is at a point where he wants to curate the next generation of talent. The silver lining in all this is that, by stopping Allan Cubas’s performance short, he’s likely bringing plenty of attention to the talented artist through headlines.