By Sheryl Nance-Nash
Some call Lil Wayne one of the greatest rappers of this generation. Next month, he’ll resume the spotlight when he walks away from an eight-month prison sentence for criminal possession of a weapon. It seems he has the power to keep going, going and going. Maybe he’s letting the world in on his secret with the release of his latest album, I Am Not a Human Being. Is he really Superman of the music industry?
“First and foremost, he is a veteran, able to sustain his longevity and maintain his street credibility,” says Darrell Miller, a former singer/performer and co-chair of the entertainment practice at the Los Angeles law firm of Fox Rothschild. “He hasn’t lost his edge. More importantly, he continues to have critical acclaim.”
That acclaim translates to many, many dollars. In fact, Forbes Hip-Hop Cash Kings for 2010 listed Wayne as number four out of 20, with earnings of $20 million, which includes the sale and licensing of master recordings, concerts, tour merchandise sales, endorsements and songwriting.
With so many one-hit wonders in today’s industry, what’s Lil Wayne’s secret?
The answer: he made hip-hop history with the release of his sixth album in 2008, The Carter III, which sold more than a million copies its first week. It has been certified triple platinum by the RIAA and earned him four Grammy Awards, including Best Rap Album.
Born Michael Dewayne Carter, Jr. and raised in New Orleans, his career started at age 12 when a friend introduced him to Cash Money Records Co-CEOs and brothers, Ronald “Slim” Williams and Brian “Birdman” Williams. In 1993, Lil Wayne formed a duo with label mate B.G. and released the underground EP True Stories. Four years later, the duo formed the group Hot Boys with Juvenile and Turk. Their debut album, Get It How You Live, sold more than 500,000 copies. More importantly, the album persuaded Universal Records into making a lucrative distribution deal with Cash Money, according to Lil Wayne’s official website.
In 1999, he made his debut as a solo artist. The Block is Hot sold more than two million units. But it was the release of Tha Carter series that solidified Lil Wayne’s place among hip-hop’s elite class. Since 2007, he has been selected as “Hottest MC in the Game” numerous times by MTV; ranked “Rapper of the Year” by The New Yorker, and “Workaholic of the Year” by GQ. In 2008, he became the first hip-hop act ever to perform at the Country Music Association Awards alongside Kid Rock.
