Lil Wayne is a young rapping sensation with the New Orleans, Louisiana, USA-based Cash Money Records label. As a member of the platinum supergroup, the Hot Boys, his distinctive nasal rapping complemented the varied styles of the more experienced members, B.G., Juvenile and Young Turk. The quartet released "Get It How U Live It!!" in 1997, racking up sales of more than 400,000 units without any national exposure. Cash Money's national distribution deal with Universal Records the following year helped exposed the Hot Boy$' sophomore collection, "Guerrilla Warfare," to a wider audience.

Lil Wayne made his solo debut in 1999 and came out of the gate with a huge hit, the title track of his platinum-certified album, "Tha Block is Hot."

No one can match the quick wit, lyrical dexterity or down-home Southern charm of Lil Wayne. He is one of the few hardcore reality-rappers that can write rhymes without profanity. When he blesses the microphone, Lil Wheezy, as he is affectionately known in New Orleans, drops words so full of game and street wisdom, that he makes a person wonder how a young boy learned so much game.

"I look at life like an older person," explains the young rapper. "I think five or ten years older because of who I've been with all my life." Born and reared in the 17th Ward community of Hollygrove, a place riddled with violence and poverty, Lil Wayne struggled to do right, but increasingly found himself attracted to the lure of street life. It wasn't long before he put school on hold, where he was a good student earning decent grades, to take up hustling fulltime. Fortunately, he stayed out of big-time trouble.

His second album was 2000's "Lights Out," followed by "500 Degreez" in 2002. In 2004 he released his solo album, "Tha Carter."

Notable songs include --

Years active: 
   ..90s, ..00s

Born:
   Sep 27, 1982
      ..in Louisiana
         ..in New Orleans

Based:
   ..in Florida
      ..in Miami Beach