Lil’ Wayne – Interview

trading quips with lil wayne!

What’ve you been up to?

Not much, just chilling in New York.

Been working?

Yeah, just did some song for some movie.

What movie?

I don’t know the name, but it’s a revision of The Bad News Bears. The single is called “Hard Ball” with a couple other lil’ hot cats, Bow Wow, Zane, and Sammy.

What’s your take on everyone having lil’ as part of their name now?

I’m sure that’s how they call each other. I’m not trying to say I’m not different, it’s just a game and we just trying to eat. I don’t care what they call themselves, I don’t care if they call themselves Lil’ Wayne 2.

It reminds me of the MC thing back in the day.

Yeah, now everyone lil’. I guess lil’ is the thing to be now.

Back in the day when you were guesting on everyone’s records but didn’t have your own solo album, were you always like, ‘I want to do just Wayne’?

Not really, because even though I was doing that, I was still doing mostly a solo song.

What about when you were just a kid?

That was my attitude. I wanted it to be all about me.

What is the difference between doing your own song solo and having others joining you?

When it’s just me you get more me, more of what I was thinking and how I was feeling it. With somebody else you get a caption of it.

Do you bring it together or write in the studio?

Every day. But if I don’t feel what I wrote or feel something, then I’ll write like that. I’m a pro though. I don’t

Do you want kids getting a message when they hear your songs?

A kid can see the message because I’m straightforward with my raps, but I ain’t trying to be no role model or nothing, because I’m not sending no positive message. My message ain’t positive. You get what you get from it.

Are you conscious about what you write?

Not really. I just write what I’m feeling. Whenever Baby tell me we need a song like this, I’m sure I have some verses for it.

Do you ever go back and listen to your stuff and are like ‘I didn’t know I was thinking about that’?

Yeah, I do that sometimes. I’m like, ‘Damn, I didn’t even know I was thinking about that.’ Sometimes I’ll be listening to some old songs and I’m like, ‘Oh, shit.’

Do you spend a lot of time in the studio?

No time. Baby and them play the studio heavy, but he don’t even call me. I’ll be there and there won’t be no excitement. I just come in and do it in ten minutes. It don’t even make no sense for me to sit in there. I don’t even need to hear the track, just cut the mic and tell me when to start.

What’s it like when others come in and guest?

They just do their thing, but they ain’t that quick. Them new dudes just learning. I’m not about to give them no props.

Is it weird that people think you’re new and only doing it for a couple of years?

I don’t be tripping. I am new to them, but my main focus is the streets, and the streets know me. The world can’t save me, but the streets can. If I ever have to bounce back, it’ll be to the streets. The streets know me.

Do you find you get distinguished because your voice is so unique, kind of like Eazy’s?

Yeah, I do think I get distinguished because of that. It’s good because they put me to the side of all these rappers. I don’t focus on it, but I know people do. It’s gravy.

You can pick you out of a lineup.

For sure.

Can you even tell people how important Mannie Fresh is?

If he quit, I’d quit. That’s how important he is.

He’s the mad professor.

If he quit, I’d never drop another album. I’d just feature on other people’s shit.

Is that all Mannie does all day is make mad beats?

Yeah. Fresh just go in the studio will do like fifteen for a week straight, but once we use those fifteen, he comes back. But he’s a family man so he has to go and do the family thing and then do the track and bounce.

He’s always got something hot.

Everything he do is hot. You got to hear some of the shit that don’t come out.

What about the instrumental album? Was that Mannie flexing?

Not really. Those are just songs we already put out. We’ve got shit that gets turned down because our lyrics and shit.

Universal won’t release it?

(whispers) We won’t say too much about that. (laughs)

That’s what I want to hear.

You know, the lyrics are a little too flagrant.

Who were you listening to as a kid? NWA?

Yeah, and Geto Boys.

Geto Boys were nice.

I was a big Geto Boys fan.

Talk about distinct voices.

I know, right.

Ever see the old school NWA with the clocks?

Yeah, my people got that.

A little before your time.

Way before. (laughs)

Is there anyone you listen to today that you like?

I’m a straight Roc-A-Fella fan. I’m a Jay-Z man. Foxy’s shit is crazy.

Would it surprise you if Jay-Z was talking about you?

Would it surprise me? I mean, I ain’t no bitch, I don’t really get surprised. I’d feel good, it’d be tight. I’m sure those niggas listening to my shit. He even quoted one of my rhymes in his songs, so I know he’s listening.

New Orleans must be flipped for you to live there now.

New Orleans is a small town, so they don’t get too. I know everybody, so it’s just like I’m a cat with a lot of money and be on tv a few times. I blend right in, except the other cats be in Benz’s and I be in a Bentley.

So you’re still loving it down there?

Yeah, that’s home.

Was it great to see the fans around the country?

Hell, yeah. Who wouldn’t it be cool to?

And you have some diehard fans.

You know that.

Do you ever get a chance to chill with the people?

Yeah, sometimes. It’s hard, but sometimes.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?

I don’t know what them dudes’ plans are. I just go with it. They just point me in the direction.

So you never know when you are releasing something?

No. I just move with it.

Do you ever think about the future?

I live for the moment. I get too high and my eyes close quick so I can’t see that far.

+ charlie craine