Lil Wayne, born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. on September 27, 1982, in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a Grammy-winning rapper known for his prolific output and distinctive vocal style. He changed his name from Dwayne to Wayne to distance himself from his biological father, who left the family when Lil Wayne was just two years old. Raised by his mother and stepfather, whom he affectionately refers to as "Rabbit," he found father figures within his close circle—most notably Bryan "Birdman" Williams, the head of Cash Money Records, who has referred to Wayne as his son.
Lil Wayne began writing songs and rapping at an early age. He joined Cash Money Records while still in school, becoming the youngest member of the label at the time. In 2005, he founded his own imprint, Young Money Entertainment, under the Cash Money umbrella. Through this label, he helped launch the careers of superstars like Drake and Nicki Minaj.
Lil Wayne has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. His most commercially successful album to date is Tha Carter III, released in 2008, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and included chart-topping singles like "Lollipop" and "A Milli."
After years of delays, he has since released Tha Carter V, another highly anticipated project under his long-running Carter series. Known for his groundbreaking mixtapes, distinctive lyrical style, and unique voice effects in his songs, Wayne has remained an influential figure in hip-hop for over two decades.
Despite his close relationship with Birdman and Cash Money Records, Lil Wayne filed a $51 million lawsuit against the label in 2015, alleging delays in the release of Tha Carter V and financial disputes. The lawsuit underscored growing tensions between the rapper and his longtime label, eventually leading to a settlement and the release of his long-awaited project.
| Net Worth 2021: | 170 million |
