Introduction

Hip Hop started in Bronx. Rap is a form of music that came from the hip hop culture. Hip Hop is truly a lifestyle with its own lingo, dress code, etc. KRS-One says that “hip-hop is something you live, rap is something you do.” Born as Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., but known as Lil Wayne, Weezy, Mr. Carter, Tunechi, Weezy F. Baby, and ect. Lil Wayne is a 29 year old American rapper, who started his career at the early age of 11. The well known rapper has enter the rap game with ambition and as one of the youngest rappers of the Cash Money label. As a child, there wasn’t much of a childhood. He dropped school to start a full career in the 10th grade. He is the father of 5 children. He is the son of Jacita Carter and Dwayne Michael. He goes by the name Wayne because his father wasn’t in his life. In a CBS interview with Katie Couric, Wayne described why he goes by the name of "Wayne" instead of his given name, Dwayne. Carter explained, "I dropped the D because I'm a junior and my father is living and he's not in my life and he's never been in my life. So I don't want to be Dwayne, I'd rather be Wayne". Couric asked Wayne if his father knew of this and Wayne replied with a smile, "He knows now". Wayne has recently came with the new album Carter IV, which consist of performances from Andre 3000, Busta Rhymes, and John Legend. He is literally one of the GREATEST rappers alive.

Young Child; Young Money Part 1

In the fall of September 17, 1982, a baby boy was born to Dwayne Michael Turner and Jacita Carter by the name of Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., who would eventually grow up to be one of the most famous men in America. His mother gave birth to him after graduating high school at the age of 19. He was in an abusive relationship with the biological father of Wayne. He left them soon after Dwayne Carter was born. He grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana's 17th ward. His mother got married to a man, who would move them out of Hollygrove. His stepfather, Reginald McDonald, moved them to East New Orleans, where Wayne began his interest in music. Little Carter was enrolled in the gifted program of Lafayette Elementary School and in the drama club of Eleanor McMain Secondary School. At the age of 8, Dwayne wrote his first rhyme. He performed at local block parties and finally caught the attention of one of the Cash Money's rappers, Lil Slim. After calling Brian Williams, Cash Money CEO, leaving freestyles on the answer machine, he got a chance to be on some of the Cash Money songs. Soon after, he got the contract. He was the youngest rapper of the Cash Money label. At the age of 12, he was in the house playing with his stepdad's gun and accidently shot himself in the chest with his stepfather’s 38, which had him on life support for two weeks. It almost took his life.

Young Child; Young Money Part 2

By the age of 11, Lil Wayne was hanging with the big boys. As a youngster, he started drugs. In his episode of VH1’s Behind The Music, Wayne speaks on his cocaine use as a child. "We didn't know what it was," Weezy said. "We were that young. We didn't know if it was dope, coke, crack." His thoughts after doing the drug was, "Man my momma is going to kill me!" Growing up in New Orleans to a single mother, 11-year-old Lil Wayne, born Dwayne Carter Jr., also started having sex, and smoking and selling marijuana. "I ended up getting high off my own supply," he said of his early drug dealing days. At the ripe age of 12 years old, Wayne almost took his own life after finding a gun in his mother's room and accidentally shooting himself in the chest. "I was in [her room] on my rap sh--," he said. "Got a gun ... music blasting, thinking I'm safe ... playing around. I heard [police knocking], of course, I couldn't scream or nothing. I [had] a big a-- bullet hole in my chest. I [couldn't] make no noise. I just slid to the door on my own blood." Wayne was rushed to a New Orleans hospital and the bullet, which was less than an inch from his heart, was extracted from his chest. Soon after the recovery from the chest wound, young Dwayne Michael Carter started his career as the youngest rapper in the game.

Young Child; Young Money Part 3

Lil Wayne recovered from the shooting incident and went right into a bigger music career. He got with Lil Doggie, which was one of the new coming rappers in Cash Money. They were called the B.G.’z and recorded the album “True Story” in 1995. It didn’t make as much progress as they really expected. He dropped out of 10^th grade. He fathered his first child, Reginae Carter, with his high school sweetheart, Antonia. She was named after his stepfather, Reginald. His stepfather died in 1997 after telling him he wasn’t allowed to see Baby anymore. His stepfather’s death was a stressful time, but he got the opportunity to work with Brian Williams again. He joined a new group with Juvenile, Turk, and B.G., which was known as Lil Doggie earlier, and was called “The Hot Boyz”. They recorded their first album, titled “Get It How U Live”. It sold over 400,000 copies. It reached #37 on the Billboard’s Charts. They released their second album “Guerrilla Warfare”, which went platinum in less than a few months. It was #1 on the Billboard’s R&B/HipHop Charts and #5 on the Billboard’s 200. One of the album’s songs was “I Need a Hot Girl”. That song reached #65 on the charts in 1999. Also in 1999, Dwayne went and recorded “The Block is Hot” after going solo. His solo debut was at #3 on the Billboard’s album charts and #1 on the Billboard’s R&B/HipHop charts. Before he was known over  several states, after he was known over all the states.

Young Child Reflection

My thoughts on Wayne childhood is that it left early. He didn’t have much of a childhood. His rap career started at the age of 11. He dropped out of school in the 10^th grade and already had a child. I think he managed it well though. He had Cash Money’s CEO, Brian “Birdman” Williams to look up to. He didn’t have enough time in his childhood to actually be a child. He was handling grown man business at an early age. The reason Wayne’s life excites me is because of the way he was determined and kept leaving his freestyles on Birdman’s answer machine until he got to sign that contract. This showed early on that he was determined and would go after exactly what he wanted in life. I think what if he had given up? Where would Wayne be? I’m pretty sure his life wouldn’t be like it is now.

Early Career; Earning Cash Part 1

The career of a young rapper started very young. He was signed to Young Money’s label at age 11. He was joined with the group, “The B.G.’z”. Later, he joined “The Hot Boyz”. Wayne was growing up. The Hot Boyz made much success, but the group decided to break up. Wayne went solo and dropped the album, “The Block is Hot”, which made a lot of success in the rap world. The Carter's solo album "The Block is Hot" went gold. He was 17 years old when that album dropped. During 2000 through 2003, Lil Wayne made two more albums. The two albums are Lights Out and 500 Degreez. The second album “Lights Out” wasn’t very successful at all. People and various critics compared him to the members of Hot Boyz. They said his music lacked maturity. The lead singles on the album were "Get off the Corner" and "Shine", which featured the Hot Boyz. Near the release of the "Lights Out" album, Wayne recorded "#1 Stunna" with Juvenile. It went up to #24 on the Hot Rap Track charts. For his third album in the rap game, he created 500 degreez. It was a reference to Juvenile's recording 400 degreez. This album did not meet much success either. Its release was in 2002. The lead single was "Way of Life", which also failed to meet the success of previous singles. He went on to feature in “Neva Get Enuf” by 3LW. Although his albums didn’t reach much success, Wayne was still on his way.

Early Career; Earning Cash Part 2

Wayne’s career was boosting. He gave birth to new music and a new style. He created new albums and new mixtapes during 2004 and 2008. Wayne was slowly, but surely becoming one of the best rappers in the world. Had Wayne’s music finally reached maturity? The summer of 2004, Dwayne Michael Carter dropped "Tha Carter", which showed his advancement in his rap styles. This album is what gained Wayne significant recognition. It sold 878,000 copies in the United States, while the leading single "Go DJ" hit the top 5 spot on the R&B/HipHop Charts. In December of 2005, Wayne dropped Tha Carter II, which was the follow up to the album Tha Carter. Tha Carter II sold more than 238,000 copies during its first week on the market. It reached #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. It went on to sell 2,000,000 copies worldwide. In 2005, Wayne was named president of the Cash Money label. In the same year, he founded what is known as Young Money. In 2006, Wayne and Brian “Birdman” Williams collaborated to make the album “Like Father; Like Son”. This album reached #21 on the Billboards charts. The leading single was “Stuntin’ Like My Daddy”. During this time, Wayne made mixtapes, no albums. He brought the rap game two mixtapes, Dedication 2 and Da Drought 3. Dedication 2 was released in 2007 and Da Drought was released in 2008. Rolling Stones magazine claims that Da Drought 3 and Da Drought is Over 2 was among the best albums of 2007.