Lil Wayne has been rapping for close to two decades, and seeing that at on point during his very long career, he the biggest, most prolific, and arguably best rapper working, it's safe to say he's influenced many. Over the last few years, we've seen quite a few artists give it up for Lil Wayne and the whole Cash Money movement through musical tributes, and today we've selected a few of the more memorable instances of such. Click through the galleries to see some of the artists Wayne's music has touched, and be sure that his influence will be felt even more greatly in the coming years.
Used 2
2 Chainz- "Used 2"
Though he's a little older than Wayne, it's clear that 2 Chainz has always looked up to his now-collaborator. After scoring a hook from Weezy on Playaz Circle's hit, "Duffle Bag Boy," the artist formerly known as Tity Boi decided to pay tribute to Wayne and the Hot Boyz on "Used 2" the second single from his sophomore album, BOATS II: Me Time. Chainz went all out with this one, enlisting Cash Money's longtime in-house producer, Mannie Fresh, who wrote the incredible beat on an iPad, and brought out the "Back That Azz Out" flow for the occasion. Never one not to cite his sources, Chainz brought the Hot Boys out for the video (minus BG, who's still locked up), with everyone rocking oversized white tees just like back in the day (except Wayne himself, who went with a Supreme shirt).
Hot Boy
Bankroll Fresh- "Hot Boy"
Bankroll Fresh's breakthrough mixtape, Life Of A Hotboy, was itself a dedication to Lil Wayne's original rap group, but "Hot Boy" was the track that actually called him out by name, along with the rest of the members of the group. Tragically, Bankroll Fresh was shot and killed in Atlanta this March, and while he wasn't able to achieve his full potential, he did get the rare honor of having his song remixed by Wayne, and later made into a remix with both Turk and Juvenile on board.
Like Baby
Jacquees- "Like Baby"
Jacquees, a singer who is one of the more recent artists to earn the coveted Birdman co-sign celebrated with "Like Baby," a song that plays into Cash Money nostalgia as Birdman, Wayne, and Drake are held up aspirational figures. As we saw in the "Used 2" video, he also conjures the 90s Hot Boy style in the way of white tees and bandannas around the neck. We've recently seen Wayne attempt to cut all ties with Birdman and the Cash Money label, so it should be interesting to see where Jacquees' career is headed under Birdman's guidance.
Big Tymin
Nef The Pharaoh- "Big Tymin"
You certainly don't have to be from New Orleans to have felt the Cash Money movement, and the Bay's Nef The Pharaoh is a good indication of how far-reaching the once independent label was. While keeping a West Coast bounce throughout his record, "Big Tymin," itself a reference to Birdman and Mannie Fresh's group, there are traces of Fresh's influence in the production, from the simple but colorful piano riff, to the playful funk of the theremin-like refrain. As far as the vocals are concerned, the references are countless, from "Still Fly," to "Oh Yeah," the song recalls the unfiltered fun of Cash Money's early output. Naturally, there isn't a mean mug to be found in the accompanying video.
Barter 6
Young Thug- Barter 6
Young Thug has often cited Lil Wayne as his all-time favorite rapper, and while he has never done a proper tribute track to the Cash Money rapper (despite having many that bear his influence), he attempted to name his debut release Carter 6, a reference to Wayne's iconic album series. When he was denied the ability to do so, he settled for Barter 6, still a very obvious tribute to Weezy. While the name seemed to cause a fair amount of tension between the two at the time, Thug maintains it was down out of love and is now back on good terms with his hero as far as we know.
Dedication
2 Chainz- "Dedication"
You could argue that Collegrove is less a collaborative album between 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne, and more of a fan letter from the former to the latter. This is never more true than on the opening track, which finds Chainz recounting his experience meeting Lil Wayne, going on tour, recording "Duffle Bag Boy," and eventually becoming friends with one of his heroes. Wayne actually suggested that he was brought to tears when he first heard the song, and given how uncompromisingly personal it is, it's not all that surprising. As far as Wayne tributes go, this is by far the most sincere and heartfelt.
Carter 2
Anyone can record an homage to Lil Wayne, but not everyone can get acknowledged by the man himself for it. Apparently, Jazz Cartier's tarck, "Lil Wayne" made its way to the titular rapper pretty quickly, and not only did he voice his appreciation, he called it his favorite song.
my new favorite song Lil Wayne by Jazz Cartier prod. By Lantz!!! I f'n luh dat shyt! Preshiate it!! Funny as fk but dope!
Fans of Wayne should definitely find something to appreciate, as Cartier liberally quotes lines from "Fireman" and "Go DJ," and adopting a flow that sounds a whole lot like Carter 2 Weezy, a particularly ferocious point in the rapper's career. It's one of the most direct tributes we've heard from a rapper yet, and as we see the next generation of rappers take influence from Wayne the way we've seen previous gens pull from 2Pac, Biggie, and Jay Z, it should be far from the last.