History of Lil Wayne in Timeline

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Lil Wayne

Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., known as Lil Wayne, is a highly influential American rapper. Discovered by Birdman in 1993, he signed with Cash Money Records at age eleven and became the label's flagship artist. Lil Wayne is often considered one of the greatest and most influential hip hop artists of his generation.

November 29, 1998: Birth of Reginae Carter

On November 29, 1998, Lil Wayne's first child, daughter Reginae, was born to his high school sweetheart Toya Johnson.

1998: Lauryn Hill Album

In 1998 Lauryn Hill released the album 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill', which would later inspire Lil Wayne and Calboy's 2021 single Miseducation.

1999: Meeting Lauren London

In 1999, Lil Wayne met Lauren London when she was 15 years old.

February 2002: Dating Nivea

In February 2002, Lil Wayne began dating singer Nivea after his first breakup with Toya Johnson.

December 2002: Engagement to Nivea

In December 2002, Lil Wayne got engaged to singer Nivea.

2002: Feud with Juvenile Begins

In 2002, Lil Wayne started feuding with Juvenile after Wayne named his album 500 Degreez, seen as a diss to Juvenile's 400 Degreez. Juvenile responded with a diss track questioning Wayne's sexuality.

2002: Tension Begins with Clipse and Birdman Collaboration

In 2002, tension between Lil Wayne and Pusha T began soon after Clipse and Birdman worked on "What Happened to That Boy".

August 2003: Engagement Broken Off

In August 2003, Lil Wayne broke off his engagement with Nivea.

February 14, 2004: Marriage to Toya Johnson

On Valentine's Day, February 14, 2004, Lil Wayne married his high school sweetheart Toya Johnson after dating on and off for seven years.

2004: Brief Reconciliation

In 2004, Lil Wayne and Birdman appeared in the music video for Juvenile and Soulja Slim's song, "Slow Motion", signaling a short reconciliation. Wayne also released "I Miss My Dawgs" on Tha Carter.

January 2005: Enrolled at University of Houston

In January 2005, Lil Wayne enrolled at the University of Houston after earning his GED.

2005: Dating Trina

In 2005, Lil Wayne began dating rapper Trina after featuring on her single, "Don't Trip".

January 2006: Divorce from Toya Johnson

In January 2006, Lil Wayne and Toya Johnson divorced due to his lifestyle and communication with former romantic partners.

2006: Reconciliation with Lauren London

In 2006, Lil Wayne and Lauren London reconciled following his divorce from Toya Johnson.

2006: Wayne Feels Dissed by Clipse Song

In 2006, Lil Wayne felt that the Clipse song "Mr. Me Too" was directed at him, causing further tension between him and Pusha T.

2006: Initial Recordings by Thomas Marasciullo

In 2006, Thomas Marasciullo was asked by Lil Wayne and Birdman to record "Italian-styled spoken word recordings", which were later allegedly used without permission on their tracks.

2006: Miscarriage and Growing Distant

In 2006, Trina suffered a miscarriage from what was later confirmed to be her and Lil Wayne's unborn child, and they grew distant from one another. During that time Trina developed an affair with Young Buck.

March 2007: Reported High Grades at Houston

In March 2007, Urb magazine reported that Lil Wayne had been earning high grades at the University of Houston.

July 22, 2007: Arrest in New York City

On July 22, 2007, Lil Wayne was arrested in New York City after police discovered him and another man smoking marijuana near his tour bus. A .40 caliber pistol was found nearby, leading to charges of criminal possession of a weapon and marijuana possession.

October 5, 2007: Arrest in Boise, Idaho

On October 5, 2007, Lil Wayne was arrested in Boise, Idaho, on felony fugitive charges based on accusations from Georgia authorities of possessing a controlled substance. These charges were later dropped due to a "mix-up".

October 2007: Relationship with Trina Ends

In October 2007, Lil Wayne's relationship with Trina ended after she realized that it was not properly empathized, due to being young and not knowing what they were doing.

2007: Dating Karrine Steffans

From 2007 to 2014, Lil Wayne dated model Karrine Steffans on and off.

2007: "Something You Forgot" Release

In 2007, Lil Wayne released the song "Something You Forgot," which expressed his feelings for Nivea.

January 23, 2008: Arrest near Yuma, Arizona

On January 23, 2008, Lil Wayne was arrested near Yuma, Arizona, after Border Patrol agents found marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, and $22,000 in cash on his tour bus. He was charged with multiple felonies, including drug possession and misconduct involving weapons.

February 19, 2008: Visit to McMain Secondary School

On February 19, 2008, Lil Wayne and his manager Cortez Bryant visited McMain Secondary School to encourage students to design an invitation for the gala introducing Carter's nonprofit One Family Foundation.

May 6, 2008: Court Appearance in Arizona

On May 6, 2008, Lil Wayne appeared in court in Arizona and pleaded not guilty to the drug charges stemming from the January 23 arrest.

July 24, 2008: Copyright Infringement Lawsuit

On July 24, 2008, Abkco Music filed a lawsuit against Lil Wayne for copyright infringement related to the song "Playing with Fire" on Tha Carter III, claiming it was derived from The Rolling Stones' "Play with Fire".

August 2008: Rumors of Reginae's Death

In August 2008, internet rumors circulated that Lil Wayne's daughter, Reginae, had died in an auto accident, which he immediately dispelled.

September 24, 2008: First ESPN Blog

On September 24, 2008, Lil Wayne published his first blog for ESPN in their issue, ESPN The Magazine. He shared his love for sports like tennis, Green Bay Packers, the Boston Bruins, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Boston Red Sox.

October 22, 2008: Birth of Dwayne III

On October 22, 2008, Lil Wayne's second child, son Dwayne III, was born to Sarah Vivan at The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati.

2008: Reconciliation with Nivea

In early 2008, Lil Wayne and Nivea reconciled following Nivea's divorce from singer-songwriter The-Dream.

January 6, 2009: Guest Debater on ESPN First Take

On January 6, 2009, Lil Wayne appeared as a guest debater against Skip Bayless on the "1st & 10" segment of ESPN First Take.

February 10, 2009: ESPN's Around the Horn Appearance

On February 10, 2009, Lil Wayne appeared on ESPN's Around the Horn and won the show's episode, beating out veterans Woody Paige, Jay Mariotti, and Michael Smith.

February 2009: $1.3 Million Lawsuit

In February 2009, Lil Wayne faced a $1.3 million lawsuit from RMF Productions after cancelling three shows for which he had received a $100,000 advance payment.

September 9, 2009: Birth of Cameron Carter

On September 9, 2009, Lil Wayne's third child, son Cameron, was born to actress Lauren London.

October 2009: Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Over Voice Recordings

In October 2009, Lil Wayne, Birdman, and Cash Money Records were sued for copyright infringement by Thomas Marasciullo, who claimed his voice was used without permission on "Respect" and other tracks from the album Like Father, Like Son and Birdman's 5 * Stunna.

October 22, 2009: Guilty Plea for Weapon Possession

On October 22, 2009, Lil Wayne pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon in New York.

November 30, 2009: Birth of Neal Carter

On November 30, 2009, Lil Wayne's fourth child, son Neal, was born to singer Nivea.

December 18, 2009: Detained at Texas Border Patrol Checkpoint

On December 18, 2009, Lil Wayne and 11 others were detained at the Falfurrias, Texas, border patrol checkpoint after marijuana was found on two of his tour buses.

2009: Relationship with Tammy Torres Begins

From 2009 to 2010, Lil Wayne entered into an intimate relationship with glamour model Tammy Torres.

2009: Breakup with Lauren London

In 2009, Lil Wayne and Lauren London broke up after London discovered she and Wayne's ex-girlfriend Nivea were pregnant at the same time.

2009: Re-engagement to Nivea

In 2009, Lil Wayne and Nivea were re-engaged.

2009: Squashing Beef with Young Buck

In 2009, Lil Wayne and Young Buck squashed their beef and recorded a track called "Up's and Down's" for Young Buck's Back on My Buck Shit mixtape.

2009: Birdman Disputes Jay-Z's Hottest MC Title

In a 2009 interview with Tropical TV, Birdman disputed the MTV poll that voted Jay-Z "The Hottest MC in the Game", arguing that Lil Wayne was a better rapper and made more money.

February 9, 2010: Sentencing Delayed Due to Surgery

On February 9, 2010, Lil Wayne's attorney announced that his sentencing was delayed until March 2 due to dental surgery scheduled for February 16.

February 2010: Dental Surgery

In February 2010, Lil Wayne underwent extensive dental surgery that included eight root canals, the replacement of several tooth implants, and the addition of new implants.

March 2, 2010: Sentencing Postponed Again

On March 2, 2010, Lil Wayne's sentencing was postponed again due to a fire in the courthouse basement.

March 8, 2010: Sentenced to Rikers Island

On March 8, 2010, Lil Wayne was sentenced to one year in jail and began serving his sentence on Rikers Island for attempted criminal possession of a weapon.

March 17, 2010: Bench Warrant Issued

On March 17, 2010, a bench warrant was issued for Lil Wayne after he failed to appear for a final trial management conference in Arizona. At the time, he was already incarcerated on Rikers Island on weapons charges.

April 2010: Weezy Thanx You Website Created

In April 2010, Lil Wayne's friends created a website called Weezy Thanx You, which published letters written by him while incarcerated, offering fans insight into his thoughts and experiences during this period.

May 2010: Contraband Found in Jail

In May 2010, Lil Wayne was found to be in possession of contraband, including an MP3 player, charger, and headphones, by Rikers Island correctional staff.

64GB MP3 Player with Bluetooth 5.2, AiMoonsa Music Player with Built-in HD Speaker, FM Radio, Voice Recorder, HiFi Sound, E-Book Function, Earphones Included
64GB MP3 Player with Bluetooth 5.2, AiMoonsa Music Player with Built-in HD Speaker, FM Radio, Voice Recorder, HiFi Sound, E-Book Function, Earphones Included

June 2010: Engagement Called Off

In June 2010, Nivea decided to end her relationship with Lil Wayne while pregnant with their son, calling off their engagement for the second time amidst Wayne's prison sentence.

June 22, 2010: Guilty Plea in Arizona

On June 22, 2010, Lil Wayne pleaded guilty in Arizona to the drug charges from the January 2008 arrest, leading to a plea deal.

June 30, 2010: Sentenced to Probation

On June 30, 2010, Lil Wayne was sentenced to 36 months of probation as part of the plea deal in Arizona.

November 4, 2010: Release from Rikers Island

On November 4, 2010, Lil Wayne was released from Rikers Island Jail after serving eight months of his one-year sentence.

2010: Relationship with Tammy Torres Ends

From 2009 to 2010, Lil Wayne was in an intimate relationship with glamour model Tammy Torres, which ended in 2010.

March 2011: Deezle Lawsuit Over Royalties

In March 2011, producer Deezle (Darius Harrison) sued Lil Wayne and Cash Money Records over unpaid royalties from the album Tha Carter III.

May 2011: Lauren London Interview

In May 2011, Lauren London gave a radio interview discussing her relationship with Lil Wayne and his role as a father.

June 2011: Play-N-Skillz Lawsuit Over Royalties

Also in June 2011, Dallas producers Play-N-Skillz filed a lawsuit against Lil Wayne, claiming he owed them at least $1 million in unpaid royalties for "Got Money" from his album Tha Carter III.

June 2011: David Kirkwood Lawsuit Over Royalties

In early June 2011, producer David Kirkwood filed a lawsuit against Young Money Entertainment and Cash Money Records, claiming they failed to pay him over $1.5 million in royalties and production services for his work on the album, including songwriting on "Love Me or Hate Me".

July 2011: Done Deal Enterprises Lawsuit

In July 2011, Done Deal Enterprises filed a lawsuit against Lil Wayne, Universal Music Group, Cash Money Records, and Young Money Entertainment, alleging copyright infringement of the song "BedRock" from the album We Are Young Money, seeking $15 million in damages.

August 24, 2011: "It's Good" Leaks Online

On August 24, 2011, Lil Wayne's song "It's Good" (featuring Drake and Jadakiss) was leaked online, containing a response to Jay-Z's diss towards Birdman.

2011: Proclamation of Belief in God

During his 2011 tour in Australia with Eminem, Lil Wayne proclaimed his belief in God before beginning his bracket.

2011: Relationship with Dhea Sodano Begins

From 2011 to 2019, after ending his relationship with Torres, Lil Wayne got involved with Dhea Sodano.

2011: Inspiration from "Keep Ya Head Up"

In 2011, Lil Wayne drew inspiration from Tupac's "Keep Ya Head Up" for his single "How to Love".

October 25, 2012: Emergency Landing in Texas

On October 25, 2012, Lil Wayne's private jet made an emergency landing in Texas due to a medical episode. He was treated for a "severe migraine and dehydration".

November 2012: Taking Seizure Medication

In November 2012, Lil Wayne stated in an interview that he was taking seizure medication on doctor's orders due to recent incidents.

November 2012: Ordered to Pay Quincy Jones III

In November 2012, Lil Wayne was ordered to pay Quincy Jones III $2.2 million due to a lawsuit claiming that he blocked the release of Jones's film The Carter, thereby infringing on its profits.

November 2012: Pusha T Diss on Ludacris Song

In November 2012, Pusha T dissed Lil Wayne and Birdman on a new Ludacris song titled "Tell Me What They Mad For".

2012: Brief Relationship with Dana Lee

In 2012, Lil Wayne briefly dated Dana Lee.

March 14, 2013: Seizures and Hospitalization

On March 14, 2013, Lil Wayne was treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after having seizures on a music video set with Nicki Minaj. He was released early hours of March 13.

2013: Collaboration on "Wowzerz"

In 2013, Lil Wayne and Trina reunited to collaborate for the single "Wowzerz".

2013: Controversy over U.S. flag incident

In 2013, Lil Wayne faced criticism after a TMZ video showed him appearing to step on the U.S. flag. He clarified that it was unintentional and part of a video shoot for his song "God Bless Amerika", aiming to depict the hoods of America behind the flag.

July 2014: Rumors of Dating Christina Milian

In July 2014, it was rumored that Lil Wayne was dating singer Christina Milian, with whom he attended the ESPY Awards.

December 4, 2014: Album Release Delayed

On December 4, 2014, Lil Wayne announced that Tha Carter V would not be released on its expected date due to his conflict with Birdman and Cash Money Records, who were refusing to release the completed album. He expressed feeling like a "prisoner".

December 2014: Pusha T's Tweet Encouraging Wayne to Sign with G.O.O.D. Music

In December 2014, during the feud between Lil Wayne and Birdman, Pusha T tweeted encouraging Lil Wayne to sign with G.O.O.D. Music, also insulting Birdman.

2014: End of Relationship with Karrine Steffans

From 2007 to 2014, Lil Wayne dated model Karrine Steffans on and off, relationship ended in 2014.

2014: Final Reconciliation

In 2014, Lil Wayne and Juvenile fully reconciled, leading to Juvenile re-signing with Cash Money Records.

January 2015: Lawsuit Against Birdman and Cash Money Records

In late January 2015, Lil Wayne sued Birdman and Cash Money Records for $51 million, marking a significant escalation in their ongoing conflict.

January 20, 2015: Sorry for the Wait 2 Release

On January 20, 2015, with the release of Sorry for the Wait 2, Lil Wayne continuously dissed Birdman and Cash Money Records throughout the mixtape.

August 2015: Split from Christina Milian

In August 2015, Lil Wayne and Christina Milian split after collaborating on multiple singles, videos, and concert dates.

June 2016: Seizures During Flight

In June 2016, Lil Wayne had two seizures during a flight from Wisconsin to California, forcing an emergency landing in Omaha, Nebraska.

October 11, 2016: Release of "Gone Til' November"

On October 11, 2016, Lil Wayne's memoir of his experience in Rikers Island, titled "Gone Til' November: A Journal of Rikers Island", was released.

Gone 'Til November: A Journal of Rikers Island
Gone 'Til November: A Journal of Rikers Island

2016: Purchase of Player's Rep. Sports Agency

In 2016, Lil Wayne purchased Player's Rep. Sports Agency and became Young Money APAA sports, hiring NFL's first female sports agent, Nicole Lynn.

2016: Statements critical of Black Lives Matter

In late 2016, Lil Wayne made controversial statements about the Black Lives Matter movement, expressing a lack of connection and suggesting his wealth and white fanbase indicated black people are valued in the United States.

September 3, 2017: Hospitalization in Chicago

On September 3, 2017, Lil Wayne canceled a Las Vegas show after having a seizure and being hospitalized in Chicago, where he was brought after being found unconscious in a hotel room.

December 2019: Announcement of GKUA Ultra Premium

In December 2019, Lil Wayne announced his own cannabis brand under the name of GKUA Ultra Premium.

2019: Relationship with Dhea Sodano Ends

From 2011 to 2019, Lil Wayne was in a relationship with Dhea Sodano, which ended in 2019.

2019: Collaboration on "Situation"

In 2019, Lil Wayne and Trina collaborated on the single "Situation" and remain on good terms.

May 2020: Engagement Called Off

In May 2020, Lil Wayne called off his engagement to model La'Tecia Thomas.

October 29, 2020: Meeting with President Donald Trump

On October 29, 2020, Lil Wayne posted an image with President Donald Trump to Twitter, stating that they met to discuss criminal justice reform and Trump's Platinum Plan.

November 2020: Reported Breakup with Denise Bidot

In November 2020, Lil Wayne and Denise Bidot reportedly broke up over Wayne's endorsement of Donald Trump but shortly after reconciled.

December 12, 2020: Guilty Plea to Federal Firearms Charge

On December 12, 2020, Lil Wayne pleaded guilty to a federal firearms charge in Florida after being arrested in December 2019 for transporting a loaded handgun on his private jet from California.

January 19, 2021: Pardoned by President Trump

On January 19, 2021, Lil Wayne was pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump on his last full day in office, effectively nullifying the federal firearms charge against him.

2021: Homage to Lauryn Hill

In 2021, Lil Wayne and rapper Calboy paid homage to Lauryn Hill on their single "Miseducation".

2021: "Green and Yellow" Second Version

In 2021, Lil Wayne released a second version of his song "Green and Yellow", requested by the Green Bay Packers, updating it with the current roster.

January 2022: Final Breakup with Denise Bidot

In January 2022, Lil Wayne and Denise Bidot broke up again.

June 2023: Memory Problems Acknowledged

In June 2023, Lil Wayne acknowledged that he was having trouble remembering his songs due to memory problems caused by his epilepsy.

January 27, 2024: Reunion with Birdman

On January 27, 2024, Lil Wayne and Birdman reunited during a studio session, signaling the end of their nine-year feud.

October 18, 2024: Dating LeahAngelie Murphy

On October 18, 2024, Lil Wayne began dating chef LeahAngelie Murphy.

November 2024: Key to the City and NOLA Walk of Fame

In November 2024, during the Lil WeezyAna Fest, Lil Wayne received a Key to the City from New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Master P also announced the creation of the NOLA Walk of Fame and presented Wayne with a fleur-de-lis plaque.

2024: US Open Invitation

In 2024, Lil Wayne, a fan of Jelena Ostapenko, was invited to the US Open and thanked Ostapenko, who attended Drake's tour featuring him.