Lil' Wayne

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• Genre: Dirty South
• Hometown: New Orleans
• Lil' Wayne Website

About

One of Southern rap's most enduring and talented emcees, New Orleans' Lil' Wayne began rapping at the tender age of 11. By the time he was 15, he'd linked up with Juvenile, Turk and B.G. and formed the immensely popular Hot Boys group on Cash Money Records. Though the emcees showed promise, many listeners focused on the post-Bounce production of Mannie Fresh, and regarded Wayne as a fresh-faced vehicle for the producer. But Wayne went solo in 1999 with Tha Block is Hot. His raps focus on youthful rebellion, New Orleans style -- crack, girls and turf supremacy are paramount. He would go on to release two additional solo CDs 2000's Lights Out and 2002's 500 Degreez. Those albums were commercially successful and established Wayne true force. With 2004's Tha Carter and its 2005 follow-up, Tha Carter II, he made a case for himself as the South's preeminent rapper, with a supple flow, witty lyrics and ample charisma. When he boasted in a 2006 interview that he was the greatest rapper in the world, few disagreed.

- Sam Chennault