9781422274446

HIP - HOP & R&B Culture, Music & Storytelling

HIP - HOP & R&B Culture, Music & Storytelling

Beyonce Bruno Mars Cardi B Chance the Rapper DJ Khaled

Drake Jay-Z John Legend Lil Wayne Nicki Minaj Pharrell Pitbull Post Malone Rihanna The Weeknd Travis Scott

HIP-HOP & R&B mason crest Carlie Lawson Culture, Music & Storytelling

MASON CREST 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D, Broomall, Pennsylvania 19008 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll-free) • www.masoncrest.com

Copyright © 2020 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN (hardback) 978-1-4222-4365-7 ISBN (ebook) 978-1-4222-7444-6 Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file with the Library of Congress

Developed and produced by National Highlights Inc. Editor: Dave Johnstone Production: Michelle Luke Interior and cover design: Annalisa Gumbrecht, Studio Gumbrecht

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CONTENTS Chapter 1 : Career Highlights—Setting Recording Industry Records ........................... 7 Chapter 2: The Road to the Top—Fulfilling a Lifelong Dream ......................................35 Chapter 3: Lil Wayne’s Hip-Hop Career, Interests, and Passions in Moments ......... 43 Chapter 4: Lil Wayne’s Brand Messaging—Becoming a Worldwide Sensation ......55 Chapter 5: Lil Wayne Reminds Us to Give of Ourselves .................................................. 61 Series Glossary of Key Terms ....................................................................................................... 70 Further Reading and Internet Resources ................................................................................ 72 Citations .............................................................................................................................................. 73 Educational Video Links ................................................................................................................ 75 Index .................................................................................................................................................... 76 Picture and Video Credits ............................................................................................................. 79 Author’s Biography ......................................................................................................................... 80

KEY ICONS TO LOOK OUT FOR:

Words to Understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills.

Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more! Text-Dependent Questions: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there.

Research Projects: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis.

Series Glossary of Key Terms: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

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HIP-HOP & R&B

Chapter 1:

I f you’re a new fan of hip-hop or rap, your jaw might drop a bit at the prolific output of Lil Wayne (Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.). While he does have an amazing work ethic that Nicki Minaj literally prays to emulate, his list of albums, mixtapes, singles, and artist collaborations runs so long because he began his professional career when he was the age of many readers of this book. Lil Wayne went pro when he was 11 years old. He landed a job running errands at a studio as a boy of 11. As a child, he Career Highlights— Setting Recording Industry Records

Lil Wayne had his heart set on being a musician from an early age.

already knew what he wanted for a life’s career. He’d sweep the studio and do odd jobs just to be around the action and learn. It took about a year, but when he was 12, an artist and producer invited him into the studio and gave him a go on the mic. He didn’t disappoint them. He showed his epic lyrical flow even before he’d reached his teen years. His free-style rhymes landed on the album. He also landed his shot and the production team took Lil Wayne into the studio to record his first big release.

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It’s probably not surprising that the artist has racked up many awards through his lengthy career. Lil Wayne is one of the few artists upon which fans and critics agree. He’s won American Music Awards, Grammys, People’s Choice Awards, and Teen Choice Awards. This chapter dives in to highlight the musical moments of his work as a rap artist. All Released Solo Albums to Date: Discography T HA B LOCK I S H OT (Released November 2, 1999) Carter’s first solo album became a star- studded affair from the producers to its guest artists. It debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 200. It took only one month for the album to reach platinum sales status with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Released on Cash Money Records, its executive producers included Brian “Baby”Williams, Ronald “Slim” Williams and Mannie Fresh. The album featured guest appearances by Big Tymers, Juvenile, B.G., Paparue and Turk, also known as the Hot Boy$. Unlike his follow up albums, Tha Block Is Hot had little profanity on it. The then teen-aged Carter did this out of respect for his mother, who does not like profanity. The other rappers were allowed to curse. That’s why the three tracks with no guest artist on them sound so clean.

Scan here to listen to “Tha Block Is Hot” from Lil Wayne’s first album.

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Collaborations

“Intro,” featuring Big Tymers “Tha Block Is Hot,” featuring Juvenile and B.G. “Loud Pipes,” featuring Big Tymers, Juvenile and B.G. “Watcha Wanna Do” “Remember Me,” featuring B.G. “Respect Us,” featuring Juvenile “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” featuring B.G. and Mannie Fresh “Young Playa,” featuring Big Tymers “Enemy Turf,” featuring Juvenile “Not Like Me,” featuring Big Tymers, B.G. & Paparue “Kisha,” featuring Hot Boy$ “High Beamin’,” featuring B

“Come On,” featuring B.G. “Up To Me,” featuring Turk “You Want War,” featuring Turk

Scan here to listen to “Fireman.”

L IGHTS O UT (Released December 19, 2000)

Mannie Fresh also helmed the artist’s sophomore release the following year. While Lights Out did not sell as well or as quickly as his first album, it did resound with both critics and fans. Rolling Stone magazine complimented its “staccato and jittery beats” and “propulsive, high-speed

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rhymes.” Its raps analyze a quick year of coming of age for the then-teenaged performer, such as in “Grown Man.”

Collaborations

“Hit U Up,” featuring Hot Boys “Lil One,” featuring Big Tymers “Break Me Off,” featuring Big Tymers and Unplugged “Shine,” featuring Hot Boy$ “Let’s Go,” featuring Big Tymers “Act a Ass,” featuring B.G.

Petey Pablo collaborated on Lil Wayne’s album 500 Degreez .

500 D EGREEZ (Released July 23, 2002)

Carter’s third release quickly topped the Hip- Hop charts, rising to the number one position on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 chart. The album shows a subtle sign of growth—Lil Wayne raps most of it alone. Only seven of its 21 tracks use a guest artist.

Collaborations

“Way of Life,” featuring Big Tymers and TQ “Gangsta and Pimps,” featuring Baby “Gangsta Shit,” featuring Petey Pablo “Believe That,” featuring Blaque and Mannie Fresh

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HIP-HOP & R&B

“What Does Life Mean to Me,” featuring TQ and Big Tymers” “Get That Dough,” featuring Baby, Tateeze and Cristale

T HA C ARTER (Released June 29, 2004)

Carter released his fourth album, Tha Carter, on June 29, 2004. The RIAA certified the album platinum on September 7, 2004, indicating that sales had

exceeded one million units in the U.S. The album eventually went double platinum, selling more than another million units in the U.S. It spawned three singles, “Bring it Back,”“Go D.J.,” and “Earthquake.” Collaborations “This Is the Carter,” featuring Mannie Fresh “I Miss My Dawgs,” featuring Reel

Mannie Fresh has worked with Lil Wayne many times.

“We Don’t,” featuring Birdman “On My Own,” featuring Reel “Bring It Back,” featuring Mannie Fresh “Get Down,” featuring Birdman “Hoes,” featuring Mannie Fresh “Only Way,” featuring Birdman “Earthquake,” featuring Jazze Pha

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T HA C ARTER II (Released August 10, 2005) Critics hailed the artist’s follow-up effort for its hookless, free-style. From AllMusic to Entertainment Weekly , critics lined up to compliment the release as Carter’s best, noting his growth as a lyricist and the improvement in his flow. Collaborations “Lock and Load,” featuring Kurupt “Grown Man,” featuring Curren$y “Shooter,” featuring Robin Thicke “Weezy Baby,” featuring Nikki Jean “I’m a D-Boy,” featuring Birdman “Get Over,” featuring Nikki Jean L IKE F ATHER , L IKE S ON ( WITH B IRDMAN ) (Released October 31, 2006) Some refer to his Birdman collaboration as a mixtape, while others call it a full album. It offered 20 tracks on the Cash Money release, some which were leftovers from Tha Carter II. Most lists put the co-released album as a full album due to its production values, which included spoken-word pieces from Italian artist Thomas Marasciullo. Critics again hailed Carter’s work, especially his “ever-evolving sentence structure.”

Scan here to listen to Lil Wayne’s hit song, “Mona Lisa” ft. Kendrick Lamar.

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HIP-HOP & R&B

Collaborations “KnowWhat I’m Doin,” featuring Rick Ross & T- Pain “Out the Pound,” performed by Birdman “No More,” featuring All Star Cashville Prince “Cali Dro,” featuring Tha Dogg Pound “About All That,” featuring Fat Joe T HA C ARTER III (Released June 10, 2008) Between the mixtapes preceding it and Lil Wayne’s guest appearances on other artists’ releases, his 2008 album became his most anticipated. It debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 200. It went platinum its first week out and proceeded to reach double platinum status by the end of the year.

Scan here to listen to Lil Wayne’s hit song, “Lollipop” ft. Static.

Lil Wayne collaborated with Rick Ross (shown here) and T-Pain on “KnowWhat I’m Doing.”

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Collaborations

“Mr. Carter,” featuring Jay-Z “Got Money,” featuring T-Pain “Comfortable,” featuring Babyface “Tie My Hands,” featuring Robin Thicke “Mrs. Officer1,” featuring Bobby V “Shoot Me Down,” featuring D. Smith “Lollipop,” featuring Static Major “La La,” featuring Brisco & Busta Rhymes “Playing with Fire2,” featuring Betty Wright “You Ain’t Got Nuthin,” featuring Juelz Santana & Fabolous

Scan here to listen to “Uproar” ft. Swizz Beatz.

Jay-Z features on Lil Wayne’s “Mr. Carter.”

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HIP-HOP & R&B