Lil Wayne

Lil Wayne (born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.) is one of the most prolific and influential rappers in hip-hop history. Signed to Cash Money Records at age nine and releasing his debut album at sixteen, Wayne built a reputation as a relentless recording machine and versatile lyricist. He writes all of his own rap verses — often freestyling and refining lyrics in the booth rather than on paper — giving him near-total lyricist credit across his catalog. His 2008 magnum opus Tha Carter III sold over one million copies in its first week, won the Grammy for Best Rap Album, and cemented his status as one of the greatest rappers alive. His lyricist-to-composer ratio is a defining characteristic: he owns his words entirely while typically collaborating with external beat producers.