Lil Wayne‘s May 2025 Rolling Stone cover didn’t capture everything, so now we’ve got even more gems from the interview that didn’t make print.
The original cover story gave us a look into Tha Carter VI album, Donald Trump photo backlash, and the Super Bowl snub. But behind the scenes, there was even more Wayne excerpts that didn’t make the final edit.
In these extra moments, courtesy of Rolling Stone, Weezy F Baby opens up about learning guitar from a soul legend, pokes fun at Papoose, shares how he treats every show like a business mission, and more.
Betty Wright Taught Lil Wayne How To Play Guitar
Lil Tunechi‘s guitar journey started on the set of his and Birdman’s “Leather So Soft” from Like Father, Like Son.
He said if he was gonna hold a guitar in the video, he needed to know how to actually use it.
That’s when soul legend Betty Wright stepped in and showed him a two-finger riff he still builds on today.
“Look at your fingers, baby, I know what I’m talking about. You’re a guitar player. You won’t ever need nothing but those two fingers,” she told him.
Lil Wayne Had Jokes About Papoose’s New Relationship
Weezy admits he misses a lot of pop culture moments while working non-stop.
During his conversation with Rolling Stone, he casually asked if Papoose and Remy Ma were still together, unaware of their breakup.
When told Papoose was dating boxer Claressa Shields, the Young Money CEO cracked: “He like somebody that could beat his ass.”
Lil Wayne Loves Recording In Aspen
Tunechi said he never really takes “off” vacations. He always brings studio equipment, even when he’s in nature.
His favorite place to record? Aspen, Colorado, thanks to the mountain scenery and vibe.
“I really like it when I got the mountain scenery with the snow and sh*t like that, because a n*gga from the South never seen none of that sh*t,” he said.
Lil Wayne Knows Exactly What He Wants His Legacy To Be
Mr. Carter was clear when asked about his legacy: “Best rapper. Plain and simple.”
He compared his vision to Michael Jordan, saying he wants to be the MC that “don’t even count” on a list.
“If you do a list, that n*gga don’t count. That’s the legacy I want.”
Lil Wayne Keeps His Shows All Business
Before hitting the stage at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Lil Wayne went straight from Sprinter van to stage, skipping his dressing room entirely.
He says unless he’s on tour, there’s no pre-show hangout:
“Whatever the routine is, that’s taking place inside the Sprinter. I don’t do the backstage or none of the sh*t like that, unless it’s a tour. If it’s a spot show, nah, man. That’s a business trip. We came to fulfill our responsibilities and duties. That’s how sh*t happens, when you stick around and hang around and all that type of sh*t.”
His manager Fabian Marasciullo added: “Plane to stage to plane. That’s the routine.”
Lil Wayne Is Still Blown Away By His Own Wordplay
At 42, Tune says experience is his greatest strength, but even he’s amazed by his ongoing creativity.
“It’s scientifically weird to me that you still… the words are amazing.”
He joked that one day he might retire just because: “I done rapped all the words.”
Tyler, the Creator Sends Feature Requests With Instructions
Weezy‘s appearance on Tyler’s “Sticky” in 2024 extended his streak to 21 straight years on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
But Tyler didn’t just send a beat, he sent instructions.
“Tyler, you crazy as f*ck,” Tunechi laughed.
He said Tyler warned him he might chop the verse up, and Tune just rolled with it.
Photo credit: Theo Wenner for Rolling Stone magazine.
