Unreleased: Lil Wayne’s 2006 Cover Story With Complex Magazine
This right here is an interesting and amazing read for any Lil Wayne fan! Toshitaka Kondo interviewed Weezy back in 2006 for Complex Magazine, but the full uncut story has never been published until now. This was back before Tha Carter III had dropped and Jay-Z had ended his retirement and returned to the rap game.
In the interview, Tunechi calls Game, Juelz Santana, Kanye West and Jim Jones the best rappers, explains why he is better than Jay-Z, tells us what guns he has and how he shoots them, getting banned from Wet Willies in Miami for putting his cigar in the owners drink đ , the photo of him and Birdman kissing, says The Hot Boys used to kiss as well because of black mob love, breaking up with Trina, addresses Clipse trying to start beef with him, his daughter Reginae, spending a million dollars on weed each year, and plenty more. Don’t forget, this interview took place in 2006!
Weezy had been up in the studio all night working on his Juelz Santana collaboration Canât Feel My Face, which may explain why our interview, which was scheduled for 11 a.m., didnât get started until almost 2 p.m. But the wait was well worth it.
Complex: So whatâs going on with you, man?
Lilâ Wayne: Money, man.
You chillinâ?
Yeah.
I heard you were in the studio real late. You were in there until like, 7?
ManâŚ
So what have you been recording for us so far?
Everything man. I ainât never record for no one single thing; I just be recording.
Okay, so howâs Tha Carter III coming along so far?
I ainât working on that right now. Iâm working on, like, Canât Feel My Face.
Oh really?
Yeah.
Well whatâsâŚhave you guys decided yet whether thatâs coming out asâŚ?
Thatâs an album.
Thatâs definitely coming out as an album?
Yeah.
Have you figured out what situation youâre going to go under?
Nah, I donât know yet.
Regarding Tha Carter III, Iâve been reading in King about how with Tha Carter you had been doing kind of like the four-bar punches, but when we talked for MTV you said with Tha Carter II youâd recorded all one-takes and stuff. Whatâs been your recording process for Tha Carter III in terms of your approach?
Iâm just a monster, man. I just go in there, and whatever comes or wherever I stopâŚIf I want to add something else to it, I do it. Iâm just a monster. Itâs really like, you canât put no commentâŚYou know what I mean? Iâm just a monster. I just go in there and do what I do. Nobody canât do what I do anyways, so thereâs really no strategy to what I do. Cause if there was a strategy that means you could go in there and do it too.
Oh, so youâre saying itâs not really a strategy cause if there was you could mimic it?
YeahâŚ
But you canât really be mimicked.
Exactly, so…
I feel you. A lot of people have been following you since you were first on Juvenileâs album, even way back with Cash Money, a lot of people didnât know youâd become what youâve become nowâregarded as one of the top rappers in the game. At what point in your career did it dawn on you that you were like âOh shit, Iâm up there. Like, Iâm one of those dudes?â
I would say the only point in my career where that dawned on me is now. I mean, I always felt I should have been there, and I still feel people donât put me there. But now I know that lyrically Iâm there. And I know that people donât want to put me there. So now I know that I can say fuck whoever is there cause Iâm sposta be there, and they canât fuck with me. So, I know I could say that now. I got that⌠I came to that point now.
Like, just now?
Not just now. Like, you know, recently.
What was it?
It was just making $10 million off of rapping and I ainât put out one album. Just doing shit like that. Being on everybodyâs singles, still on everybodyâs singleâŚ
When you say you made 10 million dollars, how do you do that without an album?
Be on everybodyâs single. I get paid for everything I do.
Yeah, obviously.
So everything you hear I gets paid for. You hear me on everything, I get paid for everything. I made $10 million without putting an album out.
Thatâs a lot of money. Like what is that encompassing? The âSoldierâ song? What were some of the thingsâŚ?
Nah, it started all the way fromâthat was one of the big moves though, that was one of the big moves.
Yeah.
But you know man, Iâve done over⌠Dog, just to name a few, Iâve done Destinyâs Child, Iâve done Nelly Furtado, Iâve done Justin Timberlake, Iâve done Chris BrownâI done Chris Brown again last night. Iâve done Mya, Kelly Rowland. These are new people thatâs coming out. These are new singlesâŚ
Yeah, I was about to sayâŚ
Mya, Kelly Rowland. All of this is stuff yâall ainât heard.
Whatâd you do with Justin Timberlake?
Something for Timbaland. I did like 24 bars on thereâŚ
So itâs not gonna be on Justinâs album obviously because thatâs just dropped.
I donât know. Itâs for Tim.
Oh I see what youâre saying. So now that youâre one of the top rappers in the game, how much does it cost to get a Wayne cameo?
Oh nah, if youâre cool weâll work it out. Like most of the time the best thing to do instead of trying to be likeâŚThe reason why you hear me on everything is because I donât hit people in the head with no price, I just like my points. If your album sell, I cake up. I know that song gon’ sell if anything, so I cake up.
So what kind of points are you asking for?
I make my lawyers do that. It depends on what we think the song gonna do and how much Iâve done on the song. Like we might have a song, like that song you just asked me about I done 24 bars. So thatâs two verses. You know we gotta hit niggas in the head on the points for two whole verses. Some niggas can get a 16, some niggas can get a 8, some niggas can get a 16, a hook, another 8. You know what I mean? And like I said, it depends on the characterâI mean the size of who weâre dealing with. If we know the song ainât gonna be no serious song, we ainât trying to get no serious points.
Right.
We might come harder at the price. We might hit you in the head for the goinâ price. Cause we might know that okay, even if this song is hot, your company ainât about to shop it like itâs supposed to be shopped.
Yeah, yeah.
So when we do a song like Destinyâs Childâs âSoldierâ and shit like that, Iâll be like I wonât charge yâall, let me get my points though.
Oh, so for Destinyâs Childâs âSoldierâ you werenât even charging. You were just trying to get your points.
Yeah, yeah.
Okay, I see what youâre saying. Howâs the whole school thing going so far? Are you still in school?
Yeah, I made the honor roll this year.
You made honor roll?
Yeah.
Okay, how many classes are you taking?
Just two.
Okay, since youâre in your executive role now, have you been reading any books for that? Like maybe a Jack Welch book, or any executive booksâŚ?
Nah, Iâm not into all that because the only way youâre going to be who you are is by being you. You know what I mean? You read books and you start getting caught up in something you read about and try to do that shit. Or you probably, not even knowing, you trying to do it, and thinking itâs right cause youâve read it. You fuck around and forgot where you even saw it, but you know this⌠Like I said, I ainât even get into any reading. Iâd rather let a motherfucker write a book on me when Iâm said and done, ya dig?
So you donât read a lot of books then?
Nah.
Well for school youâve got to read a lot of books right?
Of course, man, and thatâs enough! You know what I mean?
Yeah.
That shit is torture. So I really donât evenâŚIâm still a student so you probably gotta ask me this question when Iâm out of school. Right now books are like, you know, ugh.
I feel you.
Yeah. And then, you know, I take psychology, so some of my assignments and exams and all that shit be based on regular shit. There donât be no books like from the library and shit like that. Theyâll be some shit like, âGo get the newspaper and read this article and tell me what you thinkâ and shit like that.
If you were gonna use this line in a song, âArgue all day about whoâs the best MCsâBiggie, Jay-Z or Nasââwhat would you say? What would you say if you were going to use that line in one of your songs?
What would I say?
You know the Jay line where he says âArgue all day about whoâs the best MC, Biggie, Jay-Z or Nasâ on that âWhere Iâm Fromâ? If you were going to use that in a song, how would you use it? Like, who would you put in those places? I guess you would say âArgue all day about whoâs the best MCs,â and then who would you say?
As in meaning whoâs the best MCs now?
Yeah, like if that was your song and in 2006 youâre using that line in your song, who would you put in there?
Iâd say something like, âWhoâs the best MCs? Weezy, Juelz or Game?â
Oh yeah?
Mm-hmm.
Okay, okay. Those are your picks for right now?
Uh huh⌠And my sleeper pick is Jim Jones.
Oh yeah?
Thatâs my future pick, my wildcard pick.
Yeah? Whyâd you say Jim Jones?
Because niggas ainât expecting him to come and here he come. And niggas thought like⌠âAinât nobody writing that shit but Jim.â Talkinâ bout âHe ainât doing nothinâ betterâŚâ
Okay, since I know youâre big on the sports metaphorsâfrom a fan perspective, how do you feel about Jayâs return so far? How many songs have you heard of his?
I heard a couple, and Iâma tell you if I like what he talking about. But I donât like what heâs talking about and Iâm gonna tell you why. Because heâs saying it like he had to come back, like hip-hopâs dead and all thisâŚLike, Iâm a hip-hop artist, B. What you mean itâs dead? So that means Iâm not rapping the whole time?
Iâve been in it 13 years daddy. How can it be dead? You know what I mean? If anything itâs reborn. Nawmean? So heâs probably having a problem with that. Like his whole aspect of coming back was âBecause it was dead and yâall needed me.â Like, âNah, nigga.â I want him to know that.
You left on a good note. You left. This was your house. All the people in the house, all the artists were saying âYo, this is Jayâs house. Heâs bowing out gracefully. We all say heâs the best.â All the players say âYou the coach. Youâre the best.â We love it. You bowed out.
You come back and think this still your house? Nah nigga, we fucked bitches in your bed already.
[Laughs.]
Nawmean? Aaah. Itâs not your house, daddy. And I just want him to know that. Thatâs from a competitive level. You know what I mean? Thatâs not no beefing or no hating shit or nothing like that. Itâs just I am a rapper. And he always capitalize on rappers being very confident about themselves. Like when everybody ask him, âHow do you feel about this person saying this about you?â if itâs anything about rap heâll be like âTheyâre supposed to say that.â
Right.
So Iâm supposed to feel that youâre talking about me when you say rap is dead. I mean, Iâve been out here rapping all my fucking life! What the fuck do you mean?
I feel you.
And Iâm better than you, daddy.
So you feel youâre better than Jay right now?
Who donât? [Yells to a third Party] Ay-yo, am I better than Jay?
Third Party: Yeah!
[Laughs.]
Alright then.
Third Party: Why would you ask that shit?
Am I better? He ainât gotta do that. You can look out that window and ask that question. He ainât have to do thatâyou can stick your head out that window and answer that question.
So what would you say right now from what youâve heard, is it Jordan with the 23 or Jordan on The Wizards?
I ainât got nothinâ to do with all that. I ainât got nothing to do with who he is. Iâm better than him, though.
Thatâs how you feel right now?
No, thatâs what I know.
Okay, okay.
Iâm 24 years old, B. The dudeâs like⌠Iâm 24!
Yeah, I feel you.
Thatâs scary. Iâm 13 years deep at 24. Five albums in. Ten million records sold solo.
Right. Speaking about the age thing, there was a recent police report where it looked likeâŚ
Yeah, rest in peace, my nigga Duckie got me the fake license when I was 19, because in New Orleans if youâre 21 you can ride around with your pistol. So at 19 he got me an ID that said I was born in â79. At that time it made me 21.
Oh, so it was likeâŚ
Yeah. Niggas think Iâm 27 and shit. I already know that, but câmon man. I donât even look 27.
So when they booked you it was just likeâŚ
That was about to be another charge!
Oh, off of the ID?
Yeah motherfuckers ain’t in the game. I still donât have my ID. Heâs still holding my shit trying to figure out a way to charge me on that shit.
The fake ID or the real ID?
That was a real ID with a fake date on it.
Oh, I see what youâre saying. Like you went to Motor Vehicles and got a fake date on it.
Yeah, yeah.
So now you have to try to prove that itâs whatever.
Yeah, so now when that comes out motherfuckers is gonna be like, âThat nigga is 24, he âbout to go to jail for this shit.â
I saw the recent XXL shoot, where you and Baby are posing with shotguns and stuff like that in the story. Are you personally into shooting guns? Do you have a big gun collection?
Nah, Iâve got guns but I ainât go shooting or nothing like that. Itâs for one reason and one reason only: for killing. You know what I mean? Protection.
What are some of the guns in your collection?
Iâve got Glocks and Ks. Thatâs all we fuck with at home.
So you keep them in the crib?
You can buy Ks in New Orleans for $100. $40.
$40 dollars for an AK?
Itâs New Orleans, you know what I mean?
Thatâs crazy.
Itâs a third-world country, B. Youâve got 14-year-olds running around with AKs. I had my first gun when I was 11 my nigga. Ya dig?
So youâve been having a gun since you were 11?
Yeah. I had a .32 Derringer, three shots. Bought the bullets for 25 cents each.
Damn.
Yeeeah.
Thatâs crazy. So where do you keep all of these guns? Where do you keep your guns at then?
Iâve got a permit. Keep em with me. [Laughs.] Iâve got a permit to carry baby.
I guess one thing that youâve become known for is being a style trendsetter. You were rocking the BAPE on the cover of VIBE. Now it seems like all the rappers are starting to rock BAPE, so where are you trying to take it next fashionwise?
I donât really do my thing. Because you getting interview and stuff saying this about a brand, and this is the new style, and then people are gonna read it and be like, this nigga thinks heâs a trendsetter. No. You do what you do, and you let them motherfuckers do itâŚ.I didnât get in there and say nothing about BAPE in that interview, but thatâs what yâall got from it.
Right.
Thatâs how I do it.
Iâm sure youâve heard The Clipse are coming back right now. And one of the things theyâve been saying is like âYo, all these dudes, now they do the BAPE and coke rap⌠But before, that was us. We were the ones who started that.â How do you feel about that?
I donât rap about no coke. He ainât talking about me. I donât rap about no coke. Iâve been rich since I was 14 years oldâoff of selling records. I do not rap about no damn coke. If I say anything about coke, I speak the truth about it. I donât go talking about I got none.
I ainât got no bricks or Iâm cooking upâfor what? Why is you rapping then? If you cooking up coke what the fuck are you rapping for? Or why if you rapping, what the fuck are you cooking up coke for? Make some sense out of this shit.
I guess becauseâŚ
Stop talking bout âI guess.â Stop tryinâ to make sense out of shit that donât make sense, dog. Stop trying to make sense out of shit that donât make sense. Why are youâŚDoes that make you real for talking about coke, my nigga?
Nah, Iâm not saying it makes you realâŚ
No. I talk about the money Iâve made since I was 14 years old. I put out a fucking platinum album and reaped every dollar from it. Holla fucking back. A platinum album makes couple $15 million. Holla at ya boy. They gotta give me some of that 15 million, ya dig?
I feel you.
I was 14 when it happened, my nigga.
Okay.
Ya dig? I did it four times again after that, just on the charts. I ainât gotta talk about no coke nor no fucking BAPEs. I got my own shoe out nigga, that OG collection Reebok nigga. I got my own jeans out nigga, W. Two Us, Iâve got my nameâthe W is gonna be on your bitch ass. Aight?
Okay.
Alright. Stop coming at me about that bullshit man. Thatâs how you get beef started man.
Well you know XXL has theâŚ.
I donât see niggas like that. You talking to the best. Talk to me like youâre talking to the best. I donât see no fuckinâ Clipse. Come on man. Weezy, man. They had to do a song with us to get hot, B. âWhat Happened To That Boy?â Câmon B. Donât do that, dog. This is a fucking legend youâre talking to right here. 14 years, B. How many years them niggas been around?
2000âŚ
Who the fuck is Pharrell? Do you really respect him? That nigga wore BAPEs and yâall thought he was weird. I wore it and yâall thought it was hot. Câmon man. Câmon now. The nigga walked around with niggas that looked like you, yâall thought he was crazy. If I did it, yâall gonna think these niggas are killers.
[Laughs.] OkayâŚ
Câmon man. Keep shit real man.
I feel you. But you know XXL has you as part of the feature on cocaine rap? They have you as part of that.
I keep it real when I rap about cocaine. You can put me in because I keep it real. Iâm gonna tell you what itâs about, what I know. I wouldnât tell you nothing thatâs fake. Thatâs probably why theyâve got me in there. I ainât about to be in that bitch talkinâ about âIâm in the kitchen.â For what? For what?
On one of your songs, âDonât Die,â you talk about being banned from Wet Willies. Whatâs the story behind that? Are you really banned from Wet Willies?
Yeah, those stupid motherfuckers banned me.
[Laughs.] Whyâd they ban you from Wet Willies?
Thatâs the new thing, ban Lilâ Wayne but thatâs justâŚ
They really banned you from Wet Willies?
Because they were quick to do something to doâŚyou know what I mean? Thatâs why they did it, just something to make a thing about.
Thereâs no reason? They just banned you?
Oh yeag, they had a little reason. Yeah, I was tripping butâŚ
[Laughs.] You said you were tripping?
I really wasnât. I was smoking a cigarânot weed, a cigar. And they was like, you know, âNo smoking in here.â But I was smoking on the balcony, my niggaâoutside. Iâm like, âBelieve that.â One thing heâs talking about, âDonât come in here smoking.â Iâm like, okay. So when they come back or whatever, heâs like âI said no smoking in here.â I was like, âAnd what?â And Iâm like âWho are you?â And he was like, âI own this place.â So I dropped the cigar in his drink. I had to get out of there after that.
[Laughs.] So they banned you for putting a cigar in his drink?
He did end up happening to own the place. That was really the owner.
[Laughs.] Wow.
I shitted on the owner.
I was reading a Rides piece where you were like, âYo, I donât like dudes knowing what kind of cars I drive because I be fucking a lot of dudes bitches in the car.â
That was a joke. Man, Iâve got a girl. I canâtâŚ
Oh no, Iâm talking about obviously before your girl.
Iâve just got to keep itâŚIâm a real dude. I really drive those cars. Why in the hell would I wanna ride around the city with a car that Iâm on a video with? Theyâd be like, “Yo, thatâs that niggaâs car right there! Follow that nigga!”
[Laughs.]
That shit ainât a game man. I keep it real. Thatâs why I donât put my cars out there. None of that. âStuntinâ Like My Daddy,â the black Lamborghini Gallardos, those was ours. That was like his gift to me on that set that day, like, âVoilaâthis is yours.â I ainât drove that shit since. Real talk.
But youâve never gotten caught up with a dude finding you in your carâlike, that wasnât from experience or nothing?
Nah, you know, it was just a joke.
Alright, I feel you. One thing that Iâve noticed with all the new material youâve been putting out, your work ethic is crazy. You know, youâve got the Dedication mixtapes, the Juelz project, Tha Carter III. Who influenced you to have that crazy work ethic?
Baby and Slimâthey made us rap from day one. Ya dig? It was like, âRap little niggas! Rap, rap, rap, rap, rap.â You know I mean? And then you got to watch niggas actually come in and do what theyâre telling you to do, and become successful. So I had no other choice but to do that. And it stuck with me, soâŚ
Young Buck is one of your dudes.
Mm-hmm.
But in an interview with Kay Slay, theyâd asked him about the kissing stuff and all thatâŚ
The kissing stuff obviously and all thatâŚ
He said, âYo, Wayneâs my dude but thatâs some gay-ass shit.â Whatever whatever. Since thatâs your dude, why do you think he would say that?
I donât know. I donât give a fuck about what he thinks or what he said. I donât give a fuck about what nobody says. Iâm rich, B! Like, thatâs a blessing. When youâve worked hard to get it, thatâs a blessing man. I donât worry about what nobody thinks about me dog.
My mother love the fuck out of me. My daughter loves the shit out of me. My girl loves the fuck out of me, you know what I mean? I donât care what no nigga, no bitch, nobody think about me, dog. Iâm great at what I do. Iâm great at who I am. And thatâs me.
You think he could have just been saying it out of jealousy?
I donât care what heâs doing, B. You know what I mean? Iâm something to talk about. Just think, manâhe probably should have been up there promoting the album or something, huh? Heâs Young Buck. Heâs got a whole lot of Young Buck stuff to talk about, right?
Yeah.
And here they talking about me. You know I mean? I made the subject. I made the conversation. Iâm that type of nigga. Look at these questions youâre asking. The Clipse. I mean, they gotta talk about me. Iâve heard them say that shit before, âWayne start wearing BAPEâŚâ I heard them. That shit fake. I mean, I donât get it.
Iâm telling you now manâall these niggas could come at me if they want with all this sweet shitâŚthese niggas know where Iâm from man, New Orleans. These niggas see my face man. They know one thing man, if we go down there playing with that boy, somebodyâs gonna get murdered. They know that. They already know.
Thatâs why theyâre doing it on radio stations and all that. Interviews and all that. Them niggas see me and shake my hand, B. And keep telling me âYouâre the best.â Thatâs what them niggas tell me when they see me: âYou the best dog. Keep doing that shit dog.â
Who are you referring to when you sayâŚ
Who are you referring to?
I mean Iâve read about Kanye saying youâre a great rapperâŚ
I respect people like that. I ainât talking aboutâŚ
Oh no, not in a bad wayâŚ
I respect them. I respect them. And as a matter of fact, when you asked me about whoâs the best MCs, dog. When I said that line Iâda put ‘Ye in there if I could have.
So you feel that itâs wack because when dudes see you, theyâre like âYo whatâs up? Youâre the best.â But then they go on radio stations talking bullshit or whatever.
Yeah, you know what I mean. If youâve got animosity, donât say⌠If youâve got a problem when you see me, letâs get it popping. Iâm from the city of death, nigga. Iâm made of problems. I am a big problem.
[Laughs.]
Letâs get it poppinâ dog. Look at me! I look like Iâm fooling? I could die right now and I wouldnât give a fuck.
Seriously?
You too. I wouldnât give a fuck. Feel me?
I feel you.
Iâm from New Orleans. We kill niggas for nothing. Not for fun. Not for reasons. Not niggas that we murder for fun. No. We murder for nothing. For nothing! Like, what the fuck, nigga? Boomâdead. Nah, for real.
Nah, I mean I feel you. It sounds crazy when youâre saying that.
Why you think all that shit happens to New Orleans? Why you think they say thereâs no such thing as Hurricane Katrina? Why you think they say the governmentâs done. They tried to wipe us out that muthafucka. Itâs a jungle there, B.
So youâre saying that it was just too violent down there, soâŚ
Son, you do 60 days for a murder in New Orleans. On everything.
60 days?
60 days.
You canât do 60 days for a murder. Like you get convicted?
You get 60 days. You ainât gon’ get convicted. Whoâs coming to court? Whoâs cominâ to court? Everybody murdered.
No witnesses.
Whoâs coming in the court?
True.
Ya dig? Everybodyâs murdered. You got kids age 15, 16 with 20, 30 bodies under their belt. Straight up. So you get in a position where, all right, you know you ainât goinâ to court. If you go to court you goinâ to jail forever. If heâs 15, what he got? Friends.
If heâs 15 and bout that shit, of course he got 14-, 16- and 18-year-olds he run with him who about the same damn thingâthatâs crazy. They gonna come kill your mom. Theyâre gonna come catch a rat. You know I mean?
Right, yeah.
You donât want to deal with that. So fuck it, I lost my homie. The only way you can handle it is to hold court in the streets. Thatâs the only thing they respect. The niggas that did it, the only thing they respect is you coming back in they âhood, shooting that bitch up. Then theyâre gonna respect youâlike, âAlright. Itâs all good.â
Iâm sure you get so tired of the questions, but why do you think people are making such a big deal out of that kiss? Like, who cares?
If a nigga was nothing, they wouldnât be worrying about us. If we wasnât nothing, that wouldnât be the subject. Remember them? Fuck them niggas. But we doing too much good shit. Letâs try to find some bad shit man. They hated on Jesus, B⌠Because weâre doing too much good shit. âOhâthem niggas kissed in â93. Them niggas gay!â You know what I mean?
Yeah, I think itâs like what ‘Ye was talking aboutâŚ
That niggas likeâŚnah. So I gotta go in the store and actually say âI like these clothes but I canât buy âem because other rappers wore them.â Are you serious, B? Iâll start making clothing lines âYou know the rappers Iâm talking to, pleaseâyou can buy my clothes. Wear them please, and rep them in your raps.â Wear my shit. Be the first, be the lastâall thatâto wear my shit. I donât care.
Niggas is trying to be the first to wear something. How you gonna be the only nigga that could wear that man? Them people put those clothes out for us to buy man! Câmon, you donât even want the peopleâs clothes to sell. Damn!
I feel you. You had the incident at Morgan State recently where a couple of people got hurt. What was your reaction to that?
I ainât have no reaction, because ainât nothing happen while we was there. All this happened afterwards. All this came up in the tabloids. We was like, âWhen did this happen?â We had a regular show, B. A regular show. Fly through, no stopping, no pausing. Regular show.
So like when you were there doing the show and you threw the money, you didnât really see any females getting hurtâŚ
There was a barricade. They built a barricade there, and I said on the mic, âYâall should have the barricade down anyway.â It was like 10 feet away from the stage. So there wasnât something to hold the area back but the barricades.
So when I threw the money, of course, the money ainât get to the crowd. It went to the front area, and they went and got that. But they didnât stop it or nothing.
They wasnât stopping nobody. They didnât say somebody was hurt. Ya dig? They kept coming. I did see one girl. I did see one girl they had to pull out of there. I did stop the show and I said weâre gonna take five seconds to pull her up and see if sheâs alright.
If theyâve got footage of the show, youâll see that. Like, we donât play that. Sheâs alright. I even got her back into the show. You know, thatâs a scary instance.
Does that incident make you hesitate to throw money at shows or whatever?
No, thatâs a difference. Thatâs a difference. You throw money at a show in a arena, thatâs part of your show. If you throw money at a club, youâre stunting on niggas.
Is that why people say itâs disrespectful? Cause I guess some people felt disrespected. Itâs not like youâre throwing it in their faceâyouâre just throwing it in the air.
Who knowâs if they was throwing in the air? If youâre in an arena, you have no choice but to throw it in the air. You canât throw it at a million people. So everybody in the club, you know, a couple hundred people.
So youâre saying in the club youâre not throwing the money because thatâs disrespectful.
Thatâs disrespectful, man. Thatâs too close, ya dig? People that come to the show come to see a show. Youâre an entertainer, youâre performing. Thatâs a part of my show, my performance. Iâm not entertaining if Iâm just chilling in the VIP. Iâm having fun.
Now Iâm having too much funâthrowing money at these motherfuckers. I ainât saying Iâm knocking nobody that do it because I think itâs kinda cool or whatever. But Iâll have some niggas throw it at people too. And then they get really mad and wanna start some shit.
With you and T.I., in the King article T.I.âs talking about how much he respects you. And a lot of talk was when that song âIâm Talkinâ To Youâ came out. A lot of people thought it was either you or Ross. Did you and T.I. have a conversation about it just to clear it up or anything?
Nah, I donât be tripping over no shit like that. I ainât never even heard the song. I probably forgot.
You never heard âIâm Talkinâ To You?â
Nah.
That song is crazy, with the Just Blaze beat.
Iâve heard about itâbut you know, I donât be worrying about shit like that. The dudeâs cool. Heâs got my direct number. Call me every other day and we talk about other shit.
One thing Jay was saying when he was on the radio doing his freestyles and stuff was, like, “Yo, Iâm kinda happy about Camâs not doing what he was doing because I always felt like it was a publicity stunt. So itâs good for me because it shows other people that you canât just come out at the top dude just to get publicity.” And one thing, obviously, Gillie has been out there running his mouth, and to see his thing pop up for a second, and now no one cares. Does it make you feel like, âYeah, see? I told you you canât just come at the topâŚâ
I donât have no feelings about shit that dude felt. You know what I mean? So I have no feelings towards that. That shit is zero percentage of reality to me, you dig? Thatâs not even a question right there. Who? What are we talking about again? But you know, thatâs a seriousâthat is a reality statement Hov made though. I didnât hear it, but if he made that statement, thatâs real.
Yeah, because he was just like, âI always felt like that Cam song was a publicity stunt. Thatâs why I didnât respond.ââŚ
I donât know nothing about all of that, I was just sayingâŚ
Oh, which statement are you talking about?
When he said âNobody can come at the top and take your position.â I ainât got nothing to do with what he said. Anytime itâs involving somebody elseâs name, you stay yourself far away from me. Thatâs just what my momma taught me, period. Thatâs just how youâve gotta be in New Orleans, or you get murdered. Ya dig? [Laughs.]
Are you happy Hov is back?
Who, Hov? Yeah. Yeah. I feel like he just shouldnât have left. Because you know, when he left he put himself⌠Itâs like he never left, but he still put himself in a mental position. âMentally, Iâm gone.â You know what I mean?
Right.
If you mentally took yourself away from something and then come back. I meanâŚ
Youâre not in the right frame of mind?
You donât know. I donât know. Iâm just saying: Who knows? You actually donât know if youâre going to be back. Thatâs just kind of scary. I know if I mentally took myself out of the zone one day. At leastâput it like this, I know they got babies writing right now. Fuck niggas thatâs already spitting thatâs recording right now that got bills thatâs about to come out and eat the game up. Theyâve got babies writing raps for you right now.
Right, just waiting to take your spot. So you canât just step outâŚ
Right, so I know if I take one day out and I say âIâm gone,â I cannot jump back. I canât even see it now. You know what I mean? Thatâs why I was kinda like, âHov gonna come home and find niggas in his bed.â Like, âYo, whoâs been sleeping in my bed?â
[Laughs.] Youâve got the feet on the couch and you left the soda cans on the floor and shit.
Yeah. You get the basement now, B.
Thatâs crazy, man. Whatâs the last fight youâve been in?
Manâfemales always wanna fight me.
Like, an actual fistfight though?
Yeah, they always beat me up, man.
Yo, females be coming at you?
Yeah. You canât hit âem back. They know thereâs a lot of advantage that can be taken at you. âI can hit this nigga.â I ainât about to call the policeâIâm a nigga. Ya dig? I ainât about to hit youâIâm rich. So, just beat me up. Iâm a man so Iâma take those punches. They just go pop, pop.
Oh word? So you wonât hit a girl back if she hits you in your face?
I might choke a bitch up. Ya dig? [Laughs.] By then youâre gonna make her swallow her words. Swallow them words, bitch! Taste every letter. Yeah. My bitches be beating me up over some bullshit.
Trina donât be trippinâ though?
I ainât with Trina no more.
You ainât with Trina no more? For real? What happened with that?
I be chilling. I be moving. Iâm young, B.
Word? Thatâs over now? When did that happen?
Yeah! Iâm young, man. Itâs been a minute, you know.
Yâall were together for likeâŚ
Nah. Yeah, we was chillinâ. Thatâs when I was doing the Miami thing.
Okay, but youâre still down in Miami, right?
Yeah, but I just bought a crib in New Orleans, so you know Iâm going to be there 80% now.
Oh, okay. So itâs more like distance that broke yâall up.
Nah, itâs just disagreements.
Disagreements?
Yeah, you know. We grown. Mutual agreement. You go your way and Iâll go mine.
Everythingâs straight though?
Yeah, like a perm.
You didnât have to choke her out though, did you?
Oh no, no.
When you said you had a girl, I thought you were referring to her. So you got a new girl already?
Shit, I move quick bro. Youâve gotta watch me, man. I move quick. I ainât just gonna be single all day. Iâm hot. They like me, you know. They ainât just gonna leave me single.
Let me ask you this, since youâve been single and stuff, do you ever get your online game on? I know a lot of dudes be running through a lot of hoes through Myspace and stuff like that.
No, no, no. Iâve got a Myspace page but I donât use it for that.
You met any hoes off of Myspace?
I might have met some, you know, but not chased them. My dudes, they be going on there, like, âWhat city you going to tomorrow nigga? Aight.â
But youâre personally not really on there like that.
Nah, but you knowâŚ
Because Paul Wall and his man Gu were telling me about how many hoes they used to bag off of Blackplanet. So I was just wondering, now that everyone is getting on the Myspace gameâŚ
Nah.
Have you actually ever like, met a chick in person that you met on MySpace?
Yeah.
Were they like, ugly? Or was it cool?
Nah, I met bad bitches off ofâcâmon, this is Lilâ Wayne pimpinâ. Shoot, I get real models hitting meâstraight up. All day sending me pictures like, real Vibe magazine spreads and shit.
Oh word? So youâve met a couple out there?
Yeah, I met the make-up girls and stuff like thatâŚI use it for people that actually have a real career to me. You know what I mean? Real people. Not fans and all that. Thatâs cool tooâof course, thatâs good. But other celebrities and shit. They hit me up. Itâs like finding my 2-way. âOh this is such and such. Hi, I like your shit. I just wanted to say whatâs up.â
So youâve got the âFear Godâ tattoo above your eyes. And you talk about doing prayers every morning. How religious are you?
I mean, I ainât going to church every Sunday or nothing like that. I just got to keep that relationship with the Lord, period. Everybody do. Thatâs just my relationship with the Lord. I pray every morning. Shit, every time I remember. Cause you know, sometimes I donât even go to sleep. Then I remember, âDamn, I didnât pray.â But shit, I ainât even go to sleepâŚ
Is there any event thatâs happened in your life so far thatâs shaken your belief? You know how sometimes when people say things get really bad, they almost stopped believing in GodâŚ
Nah. You know, Iâm human and I represent a human being so of course Iâve came to that point. But, I believe. I have faith. I know everybody has come to that point. I donât want them to be like, âOh that nigga, nothing ainât never happen to him before?â No there has, but Iâm stronger than thatâŚ
What caused it? Was there a specific incident?
You know, same shit everybody else do. Little shit. Probably a conversation. Just talking to somebody and they tell you some shit like, damn. But then again, keep your faith.
You and your father, were you guys real close?
Me and my real pop? The one thatâs passed?
Yeah.
We was close cause he was young and shit. So we was close on the homeboy level. I mean as far as a father-son level, thatâs Babyâall day.
Oh, but donât people get it confused? Like people who arenât really in the rap thing, do they think that heâs actually your father? You donât think itâs disrespectful at all to the man whoâs like, your actual father?
My actual fatherâthatâs not even my real father thatâs passed, thatâs just my momâs second husbandâthatâs who I choose to name my father.
Oh, okay.
Yeah, he passed and I just felt like he was my father because he used to really take care of my mom, the right way. Take care of us, you know what I mean? But as far as⌠My real popâs still livingâso fuck him. Thatâs another reason why I say Babyâs my father. Because every single day I know his homies or whatever are like, âAinât that your real son?â
Right.
They be saying Baby, thatâs Babyâs son, nigga. That ainât your son. I make him go through that every day.
People really do argue all day about whoâs the best MC. And theyâll be like âYo, Wayne and whoever else.â But sometimes the argument that comes up is like, âI donât know if Wayne can be the best because heâs Babyâs son.â Like he always refers to him as his daddy. Itâs like how can your boss beâŚ
I canât have a father? That donât make sense. Everybodyâs born. Nah, nigga. Fuck that nigga. Everybodyâs born. That didnât make sense. Everybodyâs born man. And born donât mean birthed.
Everybody was made. I donât give a fuck, man. I was made. And thatâs who made me. And heâs still living. Heâs still here, in the same game Iâm in.
Niggas gonna respectâand Iâm that cold. Iâm making niggas respect it. How many times have you said âStuntinâ like my Daddy?â Come on, man. Come on, nigga. Keep it real. Weâre number one. That song was number one. The title of that song is called âStuntinâ Like My Daddy.â Of course I donât think the world has a problem with thatâŚ
That album was #1 too right?
And the name of the album is Like Father, Like Son. I donât think people have a problem with me saying âIâm the best and thatâs my father.â You know, thatâs cool. Thatâs what makes me the best. And you ainât the best because he ainât your father, bitch!
[Laughs.] I feel you, I feel you. In terms of the album, youâre happy with how it came out and everything, Like Father, Like Son?
Of course. But how can a nigga be knocked for that when you think about it? Theyâre doing reality shows on kids who are nobodyâs just because their parents were somebody. Iâm somebody, and my parentâs somebody. Whatâs wrong with that?
Like you said, theyâre always looking for bullshit.
Exactly. Theyâre doing reality shows on people we donât give a fuck about. [Laughs.] You know what I mean?
But we care about their fathers.
Yeah. And now we have to pay attention to their asses, who they kissedâŚ
One thing I know, when the pictures of you and Baby first came out, someone explained to me that thatâs just how people greet each other. Like in France dudes kiss tooâŚ
Let me tell you something yoâŚIn France, if you ever caught one of those dudes, they be walking and holding hands. Right?
Dudes that are gay, or no?
No, no, not like that. You call a nigga on this, them niggas could kill you right there. You be like, âWhat is this? Some gay shit?â And itâs a law, they can murk you. Donât play with them people, man! Thatâs just advice for people that go out there. Thatâs just advice. You dig?
Yeah, so with you, itâs just some shit where itâs likeâŚ
Thatâs just some black mob love man. Weâve been doing that. When we walked in the club in them days, we had all of usâthe Hot Boyz, everybody. We was like, everybodyâs doing this black mob shit. When I see you niggas, this is what we gonna do. Weâre gonna be different from everybody.
That speaks to who I am. Iâm the same nigga when we said weâre gonna do The Hot Boyz. Weâre gonna do the Cash Money, weâre gonna do this⌠Iâm still here. I was still doing it. And thatâs why youâve probably got a picture of me.
But every niggaâs done that. I donât know why they donât have pictures of them niggas. But you know, Iâm that nigga. Thatâs why youâre gonna see pictures of me, because I stuck with everything that that man said. Ya dig?
So youâre talking about everybodyâs done it? Youâre talking about all of The Hot Boyz. It was just a Hot Boyz thing?
Iâve done kissed them niggas.
Like Juve, B.G�
Iâve done kissed them niggas man.
Oh word?
Yes, man. Thatâs how we done. No homo. This is how weâve doneâstraight up. No homo. Pause. And then you see the picture that I saw that they got, you see we locked up. You donât see noâyou know what I mean?
[Laughs.] Yeah, it ainât like an embrace.
We like that in everything man, but you knowâŚ.Make of it what you want to make. Weâve got the No. 1 album, man.
So itâs just like peopleâs ignorance? Like, not understating what that culture is?
It ainât ignorance. Itâs just like you said, people not understanding. So you know, I donât fault nobody for not understanding. I donât understand a lot of shit, soâŚIf you started speaking your language Iâd be looking at you like, âWhat the fuck is he talking about?â
[Laughs.] When Mannie Fresh first left Cash Money, it seemed really amicable, like there wasnât any bad blood. And then in the XXL interview, both you and Baby sounded like there was bad blood now.
Ainât no bad blood with me. If thatâs the way it sounded, I donât want that.
Well Baby was like, he started clowningâŚ
You know, Iâve got to ride with pops though. Iâve got to ride with pops, but I do have my own opinion, and you know, I donât have no problems with Fresh. At all.
So it wasnât like anything that occurred between him leaving and now that made yâall feel bad. Thatâs just, I guess, Babyâs perspective?
You gotta ask B that. I donât want to speak on it and get it wrong.
You talk about how Baby raised you and stuff. How did that it affect you and your daughterâs relationship? How did Baby influence the way you raise your own daughter?
I watched him raise his kids, but I did do it a lot different. I give her everything she wants. Because of course we didnât grow up like thatâwith everything we want. I didnât. I know Baby didnât. So thatâs a big difference for her. Just give her everything she wants. Let her know the world is in her hands. You let a child know that they could have the world, and 90% of the time theyâre bound to do something.
Sheâs 7 now, right?
Yeah, about to be 8 on the 29th of November.
Is she getting to an age where she kind of understands everything thatâs going on around her?
She couldnât understand any better. You could ask her every question youâve asked me.
Yeah? So she knows what it is?
Yeah. If you asked her she could have done this interview for me, B. At 7. Thatâs my word.
Do you feel like as she grows older youâre being a little bit more careful about what you out in your music?
Yeah. Thatâs another reason why I said the shit earlier, where I said Iâve got a girl. Thatâs who I meant when I said that.
Oh, you werenât talking about your lady. You were talking about your little girl.
Yeah. Because sheâs listening, and she quotes, and she remembers. So I be having to watch what I say.
Whatâs her name?
Reginae. Like Regina, just Reginae.
Right, so she stays with you all the time then?
She stays with her mommy in Atlanta, but I get her all the time.
So you just copped a crib in New Orleans. Howâs it looking there now? Is it looking crazy?
Eh, you know, they tore everything down and theyâre rebuilding everything. Everything is new, so you canât really say it looks bad because everything is spanking new.
It just looks like a new-ass city. You know what they tore down though, that ainât no ancient buildings, that was peopleâs houses. They tear down the whole projects and all that.
Superintendents still living in there and they forced them out. Nah, itâs like them coming to wherever youâre staying, like, âEverybodyâs gotta get out so we can do this.â
Does it still feel like home to you?
I donât really know. I donât know what itâs going to feel like when I get there.
Obviously this year has been a bad year for rap. A lot of dudes havenât been selling records. Why do you think that is? Like, they say T.I. is the highest selling rapper, and heâs only at, like, 1.5 million. Other years, itâs always been dudes at 3 million and betterâŚ.
9/11, B. 9/11 fucked us up ever since that day. Itâs just that weâre just now paying attention. 9/11 been fucked that up. It made life reality again. I mean Hurricane Katrina, all that. All these tragedies is making life more real.
Niggas is getting on these raps just talking about cars and money and shit. People wanna hear that real shit right now. Like âBaby youâve just gotta know that Iâm just out here doing what I gotta do for me and youâŚâ People want to hear that type of shit. You know what I mean?
Because the world is becoming a different place. So thatâs why I think rap ainât selling. And thatâs why the people thatâs selling it thatâs the closest thing youâre gonna get to reality.
Because thatâs what people are looking for these days?
Exactly man. Tell us whatâs happening. I talked to this dude that was selling me my condo, right?
Selling you your condo where?
This was in Miami. This was a while back. I come downstairs and we walked past this girl. And we had seen the house already and everything. And when we come back he finally told me that that was his daughter downstairs that weâd walked past. He didnât tell her nearly nothing. He was like, âDog, she just wanted to be down there to see you.â This was a Spanish dude.
He was like, âI know if you told 4,000 people to get on top of a building and jump, for some reason, 3,500 of them would jump. And I think my daughter would be included in that 3,500.â Thatâs what he said.
And he was like, âYâall can sculpt the world.â And he said, âI know those motherfucking politics are gonna take your shit, and make it look like yâall ainât do it.â So he said, âI respect yâall for not giving them what they want.â And I respect him for saying that.
We were talking about Juve and B.G. before. Whenâs the last time youâve seen them? Have you seen them recently at all?
Nah, I ainât seen them recently. But you know itâs all love, whatever whatever.
You say you like smoking weed, and I know Snoop talked about he spent between 1 and 2 Gs a day on weed. How much would you say you spend a day on weed?
I spend about $1 million a monthâI mean $1 million a year.
You spend a million a year on weed?
Yeah man.
You smoke that much?
Man, alright. Two Gs gets you like, it only get you like a couple of Os. You dig?
What kind of weed are you smoking where a couple of Gs can only get you a couple of Os? Thatâs like a G an O.
I buy quarters. You gotta get me the quarter poundsâflat out. Like niggas already know that nigga want either a pound, or half a pound, or a quarter pound every time. We smoke like that, dog
Damn.
You know what? This is what we do. You know like the 50 box of Dutch Masters?
Yeah.
My nigga sit there, and we roll all themâbut like 50 boxes of the 50 box. [Laughs.] Yeah.
That doesnât even work. Because itâs like mostly if I want to get some weed I call a delivery service. But if youâre getting a quarter pound, you donât really get a delivery serviceâŚ
You already got it. I donât ever run out.
You never run out?
Nah man.
You just keep it on stash?
I mean, because, câmonâŚ
Alright, on one of your interludes, you said a dude walked up to you in Miami wanting to battle you on camera?
Yeah, clown-ass nigga.
When was the last time a fan made you uncomfortable?
Never. As a fan, even when they hating me, âFuck you nigga,â and all thatâŚ
They talk to you like that?
Shit, we was at the club the other night. There was an after-party in New York, the release party. Niggas was like âFuck them niggas. Fuck you Wayne.â
For real? At the Roxy? I thought yâall didnât come to the Roxy.
Yeah. We came. Thatâs why we didnât go in. Niggas was like, âCâmonâwe donât need this shit.â
For real? Dudes were hating and shit?
It was like, they thought we need this? Come on. We turned around, got back in the Phantom and got the fuck out.
When you were in Philly last you didnât show up to a show and gave back the money. What happened?
Yeah, becauseâyou know what I meanâitâs Philly. Real respect real. I know niggas beefing out there. So when they tell me âWe gonna search yâall.â It was like âNah. We ainât going in then.â
Oh, they wanted to search yâall? And take your protection away from you?
Yeah, thatâs a set up. So we could be in there with no pistolsâin this nigga city. [sucks teeth]. You crazy?
That makes no type of sense.
You crazy? Yâall can have your money back. Yâall could call me phony, fake, or whatever. Put me in the tabloids tomorrow. Iâm saving my life. I ainât scared, but Iâm gonna go in there right. Like, they was specifically saying, âOh and we gotta search yâall.â For a show? Yâall search me, Iâm not going on stage my nigga.
What do you have a license to carry though?
Oh anything. I can carry anything thatâs considered a weapon. And you would be surprised dog, whatâs consider a fucking handgun. I swear when they showed me the list, I was like âThat ainât no fucking handgun!â
If I knew a nigga was walking around with this shit, Iâd be scared than a motherfucker. Find some shit with two fucking drums, talking about âThis a handgun.â Nigga that shitâll shoot you a hundred timesâ, Iâm like âWhat the fuck! What am I toting? A damn Glock?â
Would you consider yourself a good shot?
Nah man, I ainât at no range. I told you. But Iâm gonna aim at your feet! I know what to do.
[Laughs.] You aim at the feet? Why the feet?
Pow! You just do that. Everybody know that.
Oh, in case you fuck up?
You hit that nigga right in his face.
[Laughs.] So you aim at the feet so you hit him in the face?
No, you do that when your shooting them choppers though. You shooting with them Ks, nigga, you gotta aim down. That big motherfucker gonna kick. The first thing you gone do is come up. I donât care how strong you think you isâif you aim at a nigga, you can aim right at a nigga, that nigga standing right in front you and you ainât even gonna hit him.
Youâve shot a K before?
Yeah. I said I ainât been to the rangeâŚBut New Yearâs, that bitch swole my whole right side up when I was like 13.
Oh, I read about that. When you shot yourself ?
No, no, no. Not that one. The K swole me upâjust the kick back of the gun⌠Fucked my whole right side up.
Damn. When you shot yourself, was that the worst pain youâd say you ever felt?
Nah, I ainât felt no pain from that. But that was realest experience ever in my life. That changed my life. That made Lil Wayne. Thatâs who you see todayâfrom that day.
Getting shot in the chest?
November 11th, 1994 is the nigga who you see right now. Thatâs the main reason I write. Thatâs when my life changed.
Why?
I got shot two inches away from my heart and didnât die. I was supposed to go. I was supposed to go, B. Thatâs some weird shit. Iâve still got metal over my heart. I canât have no MRIs or nutting.
Oh word?
Yeah. If I jump wrong I think I could die. So, I was supposed to go, man. Iâve still got bullet fragments in places under my skin. That ainât gone go nowhere. Itâs all potential. If I had changed in that move, Iâm gone. But I donât think about no shit like that.
