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If “6 Foot 7 Foot” is Tha Carter IV’s version of “A Milli,” “How to Love” is its “Lollipop.” Though not as beloved as "Lollipop," it’s another testament to how much earlier than his peers Lil Wayne began experimenting with things like singing and rapping in falsetto and utilizing acoustic guitar production. The Nicki Minaj-assisted "Knockout" is perhaps the most pop-punk sounding of all the songs on Rebirth- and one of the least offensive to the ears at that. “Knockout” (featuring Nicki Minaj) (2010) “Bend it Ova” (5th Ward Webbie featuring Lil Wayne) (2009)īeing from New Orleans, Weezy always dabbled in bounce-inspired production (especially thanks to Mannie Fresh early on in his career), but there are surprisingly few full-on bounce songs in his discography. The album's would-be second single "Hot Revolver" (a remastered version of which eventually found its way onto I Am Not A Human Being II) takes a full-on plunge into alternative rock with guitar-based production and Wayne singing the entire track. Though "Prom Queen" was the first single from Rebirth, it was still mostly recognizable as a hip-hop song. It’s simply a testament to the fact that Weezy can rap over anything. Pharrell has always had a knack for production that sounds futuristic even in the future- though more abrasive electronic beats have become the norm in contemporary hip-hop, “Yes” still sounds a little out-there even in 2019. Wayne only has a short bridge on “Tiffany Blews,” but the collaboration is of note as it shows Weezy’s budding interest in pop-punk (he also appeared alongside Kanye, Lupe, and a handful of other rappers on Fall Out Boy’s ”This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race (Remix)” the previous year). “Tiffany Blews” (Fall Out Boy featuring Lil Wayne) (2008) Kanye enlists Weezy for another go at electropop, suggesting his experimentation with “Lollipop” wasn’t going to be a one-off affair. “See You in My Nightmares” (Kanye West featuring Lil Wayne) (2008) And for Wayne, “Lollipop” was even more of a departure from his usual sound than 808s was for Yeezy. Though Kanye West is usually credited with popularizing autotune innovation, “Lollipop” predates the seminal 808s & Heartbreak by over six months. “Lollipop” (featuring Static Major) (2008)
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Wayne cranks the reggae-influence to 1000 and doubles down with what he did on “Mo Fire.” “The Only Reason” (Lil Wayne, Sizzler, & T. But unlike Drizzy, whose dancehall-inspired songs can sometimes come across as corny or forced, Wayne sounds just as comfortable here as he would rapping over anything else in the mid-2000s.
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Long before Drake co-opted and applied a Caribbean twinge to his music, his mentor was experimenting with reggae-infused production and rapping in patois. But the deeper you delve into Wayne’s catalogue, the more you start to see that, for better or for worse, he has a storied history of genre crossovers and was making attempts and sounds and styles that wouldn’t be picked up and popularized until over a decade later.īelow, you’ll find a selected history of Wayne’s most diverse crossover efforts.ĭo you have a favorite from the list below, or one that we didn't list? Let us know in the comments. Though Wayne is often celebrated for his influence when it comes to more freeform lyricism, something that isn’t talked about enough is his willingness to innovate in terms of genre and sound (it’s likely that Rebirth tainted people’s perception of him as an innovator in that regard). Regardless of what you think of him, Lil Wayne is undeniably one of the most influential rappers of all time- from Young Thug to Kendrick Lamar, you can hear pieces of his DNA in almost any rapper who came up in the past decade.