History of Lil Wayne in Timeline
Lil Wayne, born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., is a highly influential American rapper considered one of the greatest of all time. Hailing from New Orleans, he was signed to Cash Money Records at the young age of eleven after being discovered by Birdman. He became the label's flagship artist until his departure in 2018.
September 27, 1982: Birth of Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., known as Lil Wayne, was born in New Orleans on September 27, 1982.
1991: Meeting Birdman
Lil Wayne met Bryan "Birdman" Williams in the summer of 1991, who became his mentor.
1993: Discovered by Birdman
At age 11, Lil Wayne was discovered by rapper Birdman and signed to Cash Money Records in 1993.
1994: Accidental Shooting
Lil Wayne suffered a near-fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1994.
1994: Formation of the B.G.'z
Lil Wayne formed the duo the B.G.'z with Cash Money labelmate B.G. in 1994 and released their album "True Story".
1995: Formation of the B.G.'z and True Story Release
After recovering from his injury, Lil Wayne and B.G. formed the B.G.'z and released "True Story" in 1995.
1997: Hot Boys Formation and Debut
The Hot Boys formed and released their debut album, "Get It How U Live!", in 1997. Lil Wayne, at 14, was the youngest member.
1997: Formation of the Hot Boys
Lil Wayne, B.G., Juvenile, and Turk formed the Hot Boys in 1997, releasing their debut album "Get It How U Live!".
April 1999: Bling Bling and Chopper City Release
"Bling Bling", featuring Lil Wayne, was released on B.G.'s album "Chopper City in the Ghetto" in April 1999.
November 2, 1999: Release of Tha Block Is Hot
Lil Wayne's debut solo album, "Tha Block Is Hot," was released on November 2, 1999.
December 1999: Tha Block Is Hot Platinum Certification
"Tha Block Is Hot" was certified platinum by the RIAA in December 1999.
1999: Mainstream Success of the Hot Boys
The Hot Boys achieved mainstream success with their album "Guerrilla Warfare" and the single "Bling Bling" in 1999.
1999: Release of Tha Block Is Hot
Lil Wayne's debut solo album, "Tha Block Is Hot," was released in 1999 and became a commercial success.
December 19, 2000: Lights Out Released
Lil Wayne's second studio album, Lights Out, was released on December 19, 2000. Though certified gold later, it didn't achieve the same success as his debut, with critics pointing to his lyrical immaturity.
2000: Release of Lights Out
Lil Wayne's second album, "Lights Out", was released in 2000.
June 2001: Lights Out Certified Gold
In June 2001, Lil Wayne's album "Lights Out" was certified gold by the RIAA, approximately six months after its release.
August 2002: 500 Degreez Released
Lil Wayne's third album, 500 Degreez, was released in August 2002. It featured contributions from the Hot Boys and Mannie Fresh, and achieved gold certification, but it did not reach the commercial success of his debut.
March 2003: Release of Let 'Em Burn
The Hot Boys' compilation album "Let 'Em Burn" was released in March 2003.
2003: Release of 500 Degreez
Lil Wayne released his third album, "500 Degreez", in 2003.
2003: Release of Let 'Em Burn
The Hot Boys' album "Let 'Em Burn", a compilation of unreleased tracks, was released in 2003.
June 29, 2004: Tha Carter Released
On June 29, 2004, Lil Wayne released his fourth studio album, "Tha Carter." This marked a noticeable improvement in his rapping style and lyrical content, and also introduced his signature dreadlocks.
2004: Release of Tha Carter
Lil Wayne released his fourth album, "Tha Carter," in 2004, which was critically acclaimed.
December 6, 2005: Tha Carter II Released
Tha Carter II, the sequel to Tha Carter, was released on December 6, 2005, without Mannie Fresh's involvement. It sold well, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200.
2005: Founding of Young Money Entertainment
Lil Wayne founded Young Money Entertainment in 2005.
2005: President of Cash Money and Young Money Founder
In 2005, Lil Wayne was appointed president of Cash Money Records and subsequently founded his own label, Young Money Entertainment.
2005: Release of Tha Carter II
"Tha Carter II", Lil Wayne's fifth album, was released in 2005.
2006: Guest Appearances and "Make It Rain"
Throughout 2006, Lil Wayne made notable guest appearances on various singles. His collaboration on "Make It Rain" with Fat Joe was particularly successful and later earned a Grammy nomination.
2006: Dedication 2 and "Georgia Bush" Released
Lil Wayne released the mixtape "Dedication 2" with DJ Drama in 2006, featuring the socially conscious track "Georgia Bush," which criticized President George W. Bush's handling of Hurricane Katrina.
2006: Like Father, Like Son Released
In 2006, Lil Wayne and Birdman released their collaborative album, "Like Father, Like Son."
July 2007: Arrest and Jail Sentence
Lil Wayne was arrested and later sentenced to 8 months in jail in July 2007 for criminal possession of a weapon.
December 18, 2007: Tha Carter III Delay and The Leak Initially Planned
Initially, "Tha Carter III" was scheduled for a 2007 release, but leaks led to its delay. "The Leak," an album featuring leaked songs, was planned for December 18, 2007, before being changed to an EP.
December 25, 2007: The Leak EP Released
"The Leak" was released digitally as an EP on December 25, 2007, containing five songs.
2007: Steps Down from Management
By late 2007, Lil Wayne stepped down from the management of both Cash Money and Young Money, handing over Young Money's management to Cortez Bryant.
2007: Da Drought 3 Released
In 2007, Lil Wayne released "Da Drought 3," a mixtape available for free download, which garnered significant media attention and critical acclaim.
2007: Acclaim and Recognition
In 2007, Lil Wayne received substantial critical acclaim, being named "Hottest MC in the Game" by MTV, "Rapper of the Year" by The New Yorker, and "Workaholic of the Year" by GQ. His verse on DJ Khaled's "We Takin Over" was highlighted as his best of the year by Vibe magazine.
2007: Numerous Guest Appearances and Collaborations
In 2007, Lil Wayne continued his string of guest appearances, collaborating with artists like DJ Khaled, Playaz Circle, and Wyclef Jean, achieving chart success with several singles.
March 18, 2008: Tha Carter III Delayed Release Date
"Tha Carter III" was delayed to March 18, 2008 after numerous recordings were leaked.
June 10, 2008: Tha Carter III Release
On June 10, 2008, Lil Wayne released "Tha Carter III," which sold over one million copies in its first week, a feat not seen since 50 Cent's "The Massacre" in 2005.
July 14, 2008: Tha Carter III Certified Double Platinum
On July 14, 2008, the RIAA certified "Tha Carter III" double platinum.
October 2008: Tha Carter III Re-Release Announcement
In October 2008, Lil Wayne announced plans to re-release "Tha Carter III" with new tracks.
November 11, 2008: Performance at Country Music Association Awards
On November 11, 2008, Lil Wayne became the first hip-hop act to perform at the Country Music Association Awards, playing "All Summer Long" with Kid Rock.
2008: Performances and Awards in 2008
Throughout 2008, Lil Wayne had a busy year with performances at various events like the Voodoo Experience, Virgin Mobile Music Fest, MTV Video Music Awards, Vanderbilt University, and the BET Hip Hop Awards, where he received 12 nominations and won eight awards including "MVP".
2008: Release and Success of Tha Carter III
Lil Wayne's sixth album, "Tha Carter III", was released in 2008 and became a massive success, selling over one million copies in its first week. It included hit singles like "Lollipop", "A Milli", and "Got Money".
2008: Rolling Stone Recognition
In 2008, Lil Wayne was recognized as "Best MC" by Rolling Stone magazine, further cementing his growing influence in the hip-hop world.
2008: Grammy Nomination for "Make It Rain"
"Make It Rain," Lil Wayne's collaboration with Fat Joe from 2006, received a Grammy nomination in 2008.
January 27, 2009: "Prom Queen" Debut
On January 27, 2009, the single "Prom Queen" debuted.
February 7, 2009: Appearance on Late Show with David Letterman
On February 7, 2009, Lil Wayne presented the Top Ten List on the Late Show with David Letterman.
April 7, 2009: Planned Release Date for Rebirth
April 7, 2009, was the initially planned release date for "Rebirth," though it was delayed.
April 24, 2009: Appearance on The View
On April 24, 2009, Lil Wayne appeared on The View to discuss his GED and past addictions.
July 29, 2009: America's Most Wanted Music Festival
Lil Wayne's "America's Most Wanted Music Festival" tour began on July 29, 2009.
September 2009: VH1 Behind the Music and MTV Movie Awards
In September 2009, Lil Wayne was featured on VH1's Behind the Music and was a presenter at the MTV Movie Awards.
December 3, 2009: "On Fire" Release
On December 3, 2009, the single "On Fire" was released.
December 23, 2009: Release of We Are Young Money
On December 23, 2009, Lil Wayne released the compilation album "We Are Young Money."
2009: Tha Carter IV Announcement and Plans
In 2009, Lil Wayne hinted at and later confirmed the upcoming release of "Tha Carter IV," initially planned for late 2009. There were discussions about packaging it with "Rebirth," but ultimately they were released separately.
2009: Grammy Nominations and MTV Man of the Year
In 2009, Lil Wayne received eight Grammy nominations and was named MTV's Man of the Year. He won Grammy Awards for Best Rap Solo Performance, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, and Best Rap Song. "Tha Carter III" also won Best Rap Album.
February 2, 2010: Release of Rebirth
On February 2, 2010, Lil Wayne released "Rebirth," his sixth solo studio album.
May 24, 2010: We Are Young Money Certified Gold
On May 24, 2010, "We Are Young Money" was certified gold by the RIAA.
September 27, 2010: Release of I Am Not a Human Being
On September 27, 2010, Lil Wayne released his eighth album, "I Am Not a Human Being," on his 28th birthday, while incarcerated.
2010: Release of Rebirth and Incarceration
Lil Wayne's album "Rebirth" was released in 2010. Later that year, he began serving an 8-month jail sentence. "I Am Not a Human Being" was released during his incarceration.
2011: Release of Tha Carter IV
"Tha Carter IV" was released in 2011 following Lil Wayne's release from prison.
September 27, 2012: Billboard Hot 100 Record
On September 27, 2012, Lil Wayne became the first male artist to surpass Elvis Presley with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100.
2013: Release of I Am Not a Human Being II
Lil Wayne released "I Am Not a Human Being II" in 2013.
2015: Release of Free Weezy Album
"Free Weezy Album" was released in 2015.
June 2018: Departure from Cash Money Records
Lil Wayne departed from Cash Money Records in June 2018, after many years as their flagship artist.
September 2018: Suicide Attempt Revelation
In September 2018, Lil Wayne revealed that his 1994 gunshot wound was a suicide attempt.
2018: Release of Tha Carter V
After delays and label disputes, "Tha Carter V" was released in 2018.
2020: Release of Funeral
Lil Wayne released his thirteenth studio album, "Funeral", in 2020, which became his fifth number-one album.