You'd be hard-pressed to find somebody unwilling to pay homage to Lil Wayne. From the moment he emerged in the game as a young Louisiana rapper, Weezy honed his craft and blessed us with era after era of hip-hop excellence. Between the Cash Money Records movement to his own triumphant mixtape run, Wayne's style proved influential on a generational level; who else boasted such unparalleled swagger and lyrical proficiency? Not to mention, the man's punchlines may very well be the cleverest of the batch. And that's not even factoring in his absolutely ridiculous flow.
Young Thug Co-Signs">Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images
Yet despite everything he's accomplished and the myriad artists he's gone on to inspire, it sometimes feels as if Wayne isn't getting the recognition he deserves. Perhaps that's why he decided to take matters into his own hands, hitting Twitter to issue a brief but impactful PSA: "Me, that's who." While it's not entirely clear what spurred Weezy into action, a recent piece by the BBC titled "Why Young Thug Is The 21st Century's Most Impactful Rapper" may be the chief culprit. Though the piece pays homage to Weezy's influence on Thugger, the title's conclusive nature might have left Wayne feeling slighted given his status as Thug's stylistic predecessor.
Doubling down on a braggadocious yet truthful claim previously pushed on Carter V's "Dedicate," Wayne's declaration united his fanbase in appreciation. Even Young Thug slid through to validate Wayne's claims, a testament to the respect he holds for his mentor-from-afar. Even though Thugger and Wayne's relationship has been complicated to say the least, it's nice to see the former pay homage to one of hip-hop's enduring figures. If it wasn't for Wayne it wouldn't be, now would it?