Lil Wayne Revisits Signing Nicki Minaj & Drake: "You Gotta Love [New Music]"

BY Erika Marie 5.6K Views
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Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Drake
The Rap mogul recalls being amazed at Drake's talents and calls him the "ultimate artist," adding, "My homie could do two nights when he hits your city."

He was instrumental and helping Nicki Minaj and Drake turn into superstars, and Lil Wayne is sharing his blueprint on breaking rising stars. Those Young Money Cash Money golden years are untouchable and fans remember when you couldn't go anywhere without being confronted with yet another YMCMB hit. Weezy recently sat down with the I Am Athlete podcast and spoke at end about his love of music and why it's important for Rap veterans to welcome new talent with open arms.

“You can’t be the person that’s saying, I don’t like the new music. You gotta love it," he said. "Learn it, like it, and love it, because you better understand, that’s music. That’s not a certain type of music, that’s music. You got to Apple Music and Top 100s and [it's] them folks right there."

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"Then you got a Drake. He’s music. My goal now, if you want to be the ultimate artist, that’s what I want to be," Wayne added before giving insight into why he decided to add Nicki and Drake's talents to his roster.

“It was just about...I seen potential. That’s when I saw way more than just potential. When Drake’s music was brought to me from the homie [Jas Prince], it was about Rap," he said. "I was like, ‘This dude sound different.’ What I loved about him, he was sounding just as dope as we were. When I say we, I’m talking about the streets and what we came from."

Weezy said he told Drake that he could make anything sound "dope," but Wayne was even more impressed when he heard Drake belting out a hook.

"One day, I heard, ‘[him singing].’ Like, ‘What the f*ck was that?’" he added. "You gotta be the ultimate artist. My homie could do two nights when he hits your city.” Watch Lil Wayne on I Am Athlete below.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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