Lil Wayne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lil Wayne
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Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.
September 27, 1982 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
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| Education | University of Phoenix |
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| Years active | 1991–present |
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| Children | 4 |
| Awards | Full list |
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Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), who is known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is a famous American rapper. Many people see him as one of the most important hip hop artists of his time and one of the greatest rappers ever. He was born and raised in New Orleans. At just eleven years old, he was discovered by the rapper Birdman and signed to his record label, Cash Money Records.
Lil Wayne started his career in a duo called The B.G.'z and later joined the group Hot Boys. The Hot Boys became very popular with their album Guerrilla Warfare and the hit song "Bling Bling".
His first solo album, Tha Block Is Hot (1999), was a huge success. He continued to release popular albums like Tha Carter (2004) and Tha Carter II (2005). His 2008 album, Tha Carter III, was his biggest hit. It sold over a million copies in its first week and won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. The album included his first number-one song, "Lollipop".
Lil Wayne has sold over 120 million records around the world. This makes him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He has won many awards, including five Grammy Awards. In 2005, he started his own record label, Young Money Entertainment, which has signed famous artists like Drake and Nicki Minaj.
Contents
Early Life
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. was born on September 27, 1982, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He grew up in the Hollygrove neighborhood. His parents divorced when he was two, and his father was not a part of his life. Lil Wayne dropped the "D" from his name because he didn't want to share a name with his father. He has said that he thinks of his stepfather, Reginald "Rabbit" McDonald, as his real father.
Lil Wayne was a smart student and was in the gifted program at his elementary school. He was also in the drama club and played the Tin Man in his school's play of The Wiz. He wrote his first rap song when he was eight years old. In 1991, he met Bryan "Birdman" Williams, who owned Cash Money Records. Birdman became his mentor and helped him start his music career.
When he was 12, Lil Wayne had a serious accident with a gun. An off-duty police officer named Robert Hoobler, whom Wayne called "Uncle Bob," rushed him to the hospital and saved his life.
Music Career
1994–1999: The Beginning with Hot Boys
After his recovery, Lil Wayne teamed up with another local rapper, B.G., to form a duo called The B.G.'z. In 1997, they joined with rappers Juvenile and Turk to create the group Hot Boys. Lil Wayne was the youngest member at just 14 years old.
The Hot Boys released their first album, Get It How U Live!, in 1997. Their second album, Guerrilla Warfare (1999), was a huge success. It reached number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The group was also featured on the hit song "Bling Bling".
1999–2004: Becoming a Solo Star
Lil Wayne's first solo album, Tha Block Is Hot, came out in 1999 when he was 17. It was a big hit and sold over a million copies. The album's main single had the same name and featured his friends from the Hot Boys.
His next two albums, Lights Out (2000) and 500 Degreez (2002), were also successful. During this time, he also appeared on songs by other artists, which helped him become even more famous.
2004–2008: The Carter Series Begins
In 2004, Lil Wayne released Tha Carter. This album showed a big improvement in his rapping style. The single "Go DJ" became a top-five hit. After this album, he was featured on the Destiny's Child song "Soldier" with T.I., which was a major hit.
In 2005, he founded his own record label, Young Money Entertainment. Later that year, he released Tha Carter II. It sold over 238,000 copies in its first week and included the hit single "Fireman".
Instead of releasing another album right away, Lil Wayne put out many free online albums called mixtapes. Mixtapes like Dedication 2 and Da Drought 3 were very popular and praised by critics. He also appeared on many hit songs by artists like Chris Brown, Fat Joe, and DJ Khaled.
2008–2010: Reaching Superstardom
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Lil Wayne's album Tha Carter III was released in 2008 and became a massive success. It sold over one million copies in its first week. The album's first single, "Lollipop", became his first number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album won four Grammy Awards, including Best Rap Album.
In 2009, he released a compilation album with his Young Money artists called We Are Young Money. It featured the hit songs "Every Girl" and "BedRock". The next year, he released a rock-inspired album called Rebirth.
2010–2013: More Chart-Topping Albums
While he took a break from the spotlight, his album I Am Not a Human Being was released in 2010. It went to number one on the charts, making him the first artist since Tupac Shakur to have a number-one album while being away.
His next album, Tha Carter IV, was released in 2011 and was another huge success. It sold 964,000 copies in its first week and debuted at number one. The album included hit singles like "6 Foot 7 Foot" and "How to Love". In 2013, he released I Am Not a Human Being II.
2014–2019: Tha Carter V Arrives
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Fans waited a long time for his next album, Tha Carter V. Due to disagreements with his record label, the album was delayed for several years. To thank his fans for their patience, he released a free mixtape called Sorry 4 the Wait 2 in 2015. He also released the Free Weezy Album exclusively on the streaming service TIDAL.
Finally, on September 27, 2018, Tha Carter V was released. It debuted at number one on the charts and had the second-largest streaming week ever for an album at the time. All the songs on the album appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
2020–Present: Recent Work
In 2020, Lil Wayne released the album Funeral, which also went to number one. In 2021, he released a joint album with rapper Rich the Kid called Trust Fund Babies.
In 2023, he released a greatest hits album called I Am Music. He also released a collaborative album with 2 Chainz called Welcome 2 Collegrove. He announced that his next album, Tha Carter VI, was released on June 6, 2025.
Legacy and Influence
Lil Wayne is often called one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time. His unique style, clever wordplay, and use of Auto-Tune have inspired a new generation of hip-hop artists. Many rappers, including Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Kendrick Lamar, have said that Lil Wayne was a major influence on their careers.
In 2024, the mayor of New Orleans gave Lil Wayne the Key to the City to honor his contributions. The city also announced that February 6–7 will be celebrated as "Lil Wayne Day."
Personal Life
Lil Wayne has four children. His first child, a daughter named Reginae, was born when he was 16. He was married to her mother, Toya Johnson, from 2004 to 2006. They remain good friends. He has three other children: Dwayne III, Kameron, and Neal, with other mothers.
Lil Wayne is a fan of the Green Bay Packers and has even recorded a song for the team. He also enjoys tennis and skateboarding.
Health
Lil Wayne has epilepsy, a condition that can cause seizures. He has been hospitalized several times because of it. He has said that the condition has caused him to have some memory problems, which can make it hard to remember the lyrics to his own songs.
Discography
Studio albums
- Tha Block Is Hot (1999)
- Lights Out (2000)
- 500 Degreez (2002)
- Tha Carter (2004)
- Tha Carter II (2005)
- Tha Carter III (2008)
- Rebirth (2010)
- I Am Not a Human Being (2010)
- Tha Carter IV (2011)
- I Am Not a Human Being II (2013)
- Free Weezy Album (2015)
- Tha Carter V (2018)
- Funeral (2020)
- Tha Carter VI (2025)
Collaborative albums
- Like Father, Like Son (with Birdman) (2006)
- Trust Fund Babies (with Rich The Kid) (2021)
- Welcome 2 Collegrove (with 2 Chainz) (2023)
Images for kids
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Lil Wayne at Beacon Theatre in 2007
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Wayne in 2006
See also
In Spanish: Lil Wayne para niños
