WHO IS HIP-HOP??

The 77 Best Lil' Wayne Songs of 2007

Rap needs a leading man, always has. An artist against whom all others are measured. Securing the spot requires a keen combination of skill, marketability, controversy, and luck. That Dwayne "Lil Wayne" Carter would become that man was never a sure thing. As a member of the Hot Boys, he didn't much stand out, and his early solo career remains easily overlooked. He's not traditionally handsome. He's from the South, and it's been easy, for some fans and critics, to not give the South its due.

But Lil Wayne possesses an unquantifiable charisma. And he's the perfect artist to own this time, when album sales are bunk and only sheer bombast and constant reinvention reign supreme. He's a symbiote attached to this rapidly changing game - as it moves, he moves. Since the formal announcement of his dominance - his fourth album, Tha Carter (Cash Money, 2004) - no MC has been so fierce, so alluring, so present.

His predecessors in greatness arrived in different ways. At the end of the '80s, as hip hop began to find its voice, Rakim embodied power and precision-packed heat. At the same time, Ice Cube was galvanizing the hip hop world with radical social sensibility. The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur emerged with different gifts - humor and gritty storytelling, respectively - to take the crown. In the years following Biggie and 'Pac's tragic murders, Jay-Z, a true formalist, carried hip hop into its new-money era, and Eminem translated hip hop for pop America.

This year Wayne has hit his stride, releasing an almost unfathomable amount of music. It seems that every morning a new mixtape, freestyle, or feature has popped onto the Web, turning the mediocre meanderings of any number of artists into must-listens. Wayne does so easily, without ceremony over his craft or attitudinal tics - just a trust in his wildly malleable croak, a voice that has become unparalleled in recognizability, and an odd fascination with the absurd. Wayne calls himself an alien, raps in French, sings from his knees, plays guitar (badly), and records endlessly. Because he knows this is his moment. He is what he says he is: The Best Rapper Alive. Hear, hear!
1. DJ Khaled feat. Akon, T.I., Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Baby, and Lil Wayne - "We Takin' Over" from We The Best (KOCH)
Sure, it's only one verse - but what a verse. Cleverly slotted last on the song, it opens with such verve - "I am the beast / Feed me rappers or feed me beats!" - it demands repeat recitations.

2. "Dough Is What I Got" from DJ Khaled's Da Drought 3
Officially wrestling the crown from Jay-Z on his own shit, Wayne reimagines "Show Me What You Got" as a lyrical battering ram. "I must be LeBron James if he's Jordan," he says. The baton has been passed.

3. "Prostitute Flange" from The Empire's Tha Carter 3 Sessions
The most unconventional and feeling moment of Wayne's career, in which he declares his love for a woman, who "was a prostitute." Vulnerable and virile at once.

4. "Ride For My Niggas" from DD3
Resurrecting the beat from Mike Jones' "Mr. Jones," this is Wayne's most anthemic moment. A rallying cry for his movement, he raps, "Fuck your hospital, Young Money, we the illest."

5. "Live From the 504" from DD3
Still doing more with the gifts of others, Wayne rips Young Dro's "Shoulder Lean." In a dazzling daze, he famously spit this freestyle on BET's Rap City.

6. "La La La" from The Empire's Tha Carter 3 Sessions
Initially tabbed as the first single for The Carter 3, this is Wayne's bid for pop success. Children's voices tra-la-la while Wayne pays thanks to his native Hollygrove Projects.

7. "Black Republican" feat. Juelz Santana from DD3
This is unadulterated glee - the verses are less than writerly, but there's so much joy in the interplay between these old friends it's indisputably fun.

8. Swizz Beatz feat. Lil Wayne, R. Kelly, and Jadakiss - "It's Me, Bitches (Remix)" from One Man Band Man (Universal)
As unhinged a guest spot as he's done, Wayne spits faux French, affects a reggae patois, and turns the phrase "jump-off" into some sort of homonym mindfuck. Unforgettable.

9. Lloyd feat. Lil Wayne - "You" from Street Love (The Inc./Universal)
Always a master of the arresting R&B guest verse, this is the best of Lothario Weezy. Lloyd owes Wayne a debt of gratitude for making him relevant.

10. "Upgrade U" from DD3
More shades of Jay-Z imitation and adulation here as Wayne weaves around the Beyonce track of the same name. Metaphors abound: "Big stacks, my pockets on creatine!" he exclaims.

11. Ja Rule feat. Lil Wayne - "Uh Oh" from The Mirror (The Inc./Universal)
More thanks necessary, as Wayne turns this electrifying heater into the comeback Ja so desperately needed.

12. "Promise" from DD3
In what sounds like a creepily sweet advance toward Ciara, whose song of the same name is used for the beat here, Wayne opens his heart and asks for her hand. Fascinatingly weird and honest.

13. "I Feel Like Dying" from TCS3
Even stranger and scarier, this is Wayne's drug moment. Over a chipmunk loop whimpering "Only when the drugs are done, I feel like dying," Wayne muses in regard to all manner of narcotic trips. He says he'll "eat a star" - and we believe him.

14. "Help" from TCS3
Is this the cry for relief that could only follow "I Feel Like Dying"? Not quite, as Wayne brazenly jacks 1965 The Beatles track for a double-time boasting session.

15. "Did It Before" from TCS3
Another possible Carter 3 cut produced by Kanye West. Over what sounds like vintage A Tribe Called Quest, Wayne pulls off a weirdly captivating exercise of he said/she said back-and-forth about who got with who, when, and why.

16. "Pray To The Lord" from Big Mike's The Drought Is Over 3 (Who Is The Predator)
The most openly messianic moment of the year for Wayne, begging forgiveness for his sins. "I can't go to hell, cuz I'd take over," he utters casually.

17. Birdman feat. Lil Wayne - "Championship Pop Bottles" from Five Star General (Cash Money)
Recalling the best moments of their underrated 2006 album Like Father, Like Son (Cash Money), Wayne and Baby are at their braggadocious and brilliant best.

18. Kanye West feat. Lil Wayne - "Barry Bonds" from Graduation (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)
Surprisingly outshined by West at times here, it's almost refreshing to hear Wayne take a back seat. He dominates with bombast so often, we forget laying in the cut suits him, too.

19. "Something You Forgot" from TCS3
"I know I fucked up, I admit I fucked up." More signs of Wayne's under-acknowledged emotional side; here he yearns for a lost lover over an ecstatic Heart sample.

20. "Zoo" feat. Mack Maine from TCS3
Weird and wonderful use of negative space from Rockwilder on this spare shooting range. Wayne and his protege take aim with punchlines, punchlines, punchlines.

And the rest...

77. Fall Out Boy feat. Gym Class Heroes, Tyga, Paul Wall, Skinhead Rob, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne - "This Ain't a Scene, It's An Arms Race (Remix)" from mixtapes

76. "Target Practice" from mixtapes

75. "How You Like Me Now" from TC3S

74. "What He Does" from TC3S

73. Enrique Iglesias feat. Lil Wayne - "Push" from Insomniac (Interscope)

72. "King Kong" from DD3

71. DJ Khaled feat. Lil Wayne, and Baby - "'S' On My Chest"
from We The Best (KOCH)

70. Cool Kids feat. Lil Wayne - "Getting It" from DJ Benzi's Get Right Radio

69. Wyclef Jean feat. Akon, Nia & Lil Wayne - "Sweetest Girl"
from The Carnival 2 (Sony)

68. Twista feat. Lil Wayne - "Whip Game Proper" from Adrenaline Rush 2007(Atlantic)

67. "White Girl" from TDIO

66. "Swizzy (Remix)" from DD3

65. Playaz Circle feat. Lil Wayne - "Duffle Bag Boyz" from Playaz Circle's untitled forthcoming album (DTP/Def Jam)

64. Timbaland feat. One Republic, Bun B & Lil Wayne - "Apologize (Remix)" from mixtapes

63. "I'm a Beast" from TC3S

62. "Beat Without Bass" from TDIO

61. "Outro" (Disc 2) from DD3

60. Gym Class Heroes feat. Lil Wayne "Viva La White Girl (Remix)"
from mixtapes

59. Fabolous feat. Lil Wayne - "Diamonds" (Original Version) from Mixtapes

58. DJ Khaled feat. Young Jeezy, Juelz Santana, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Lil Wayne, and Dre - "Brown Paper Bag" from We The Best (KOCH)

57. "Put Some Keys On That" from DD3

56. "Boom" from DD3

55. "Crazy" from DD3

54. "I'm Raw" from TDIO

53. "Pussy MVP" from TC3S

52. "I Know the Future" feat. Mack Maine from TC3S

51. "N.O. Nigga" from DD3

50. "New Cash Money" feat. Brisco from DD3

49. MIMS feat. DJ Unk, Twista, R. Kelly, Lil Wayne, and Marques Houston - "This Is Why I'm Hot (Remix)" from mixtapes

48. "Back On My Grizzy" feat. Currency from DD3

47. "Diamonds & Girls" feat. Currency from TC3S

46. "Time For Us to Fuck" from TC3S

45. Shop Boyz feat. Lil Wayne - "Party Like a Rockstar (Remix)" from TDIO

44. "I'm Blooded" from DD3

43. "Don't Stop, Won't Stop" feat. Nikki Menage from DD3

42. "Microphone Fiend" from Big Mike's Addicted to the Game 4

41. Fat Joe feat. T.I., R. Kelly, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, and Baby - "Make It Rain (Remix)" from mixtapes

40. "Dipset" from DD3

39. "World of Fantasy" from TC3S

38. "My House" Feat. Currency from TDIO

37. "We Takin' Over (Remix)" from DD3

36. "Forever" from DD3

35. "Killing Me" from TDIO

34. "Seat Down Low" from DD3

33. Bentley Fonzworth feat. Pimp C, and Lil Wayne - "C.O.L.O.U.R.S."
from Kanye West's Can't Tell Me Nothing mixtape

32. "Walk It Out" from DD3

31. "President" from DD3

30. "Tell Me You Need Me" feat. Bun B from TDIO

29. "Scarface" from TC3S

28. "Screwed Up" from TDIO

27. "I Can't Feel My Face" from DD3

26. Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne, and Juelz Santana - "Poppin' (Remix)"
from mixtapes

25. "Dipset 2" from DD3

24. "Get It Shawty" from TC3S

23. "Dear Lord" from TDIO

22. "Get High, Rule The World" from DD3

21. Devin the Dude feat. Lil Wayne, Bun B - "Lil Girl Gone" from Waitin' To Inhale (Rap-A-Lot)
­WHAT (More) I CAN SAY??


skelly!!!!! i see you my dude your boy black aka nard

DA DROUGHT4!!!

DA DROUGHT IS NOT OVER WEEZY IS @ IT ONCE MORE THIS SHIT IS CRACK SON FOR REALS BUT I GOT SOME SHIT WEEZY SAID ABOUT (JAY-Z AN Pharrell ) ITS SOME WHAT OLD BUT YOU CAN READ IT IN HES OWN WORDS IIGHT





Here it is folks, what you’ve all been waiting for. Our December-January cover with Lil’ Wayne and Travis Barker. In addition to exposing Lindsay Lohan, revealing Pussycat Doll Nicole, and taking a look at Hollywood strippers, this issue is sure to raise the ire of a few Hip Hop notables as Lil’ Wayne goes off and takes shots at Jay-Z, Young Buck, and BAPE wearing Pharrel. Check out some highlights from the interview but you’re gonna have to buy the magazine to read all the shit talking. Hits newsstands December 12th.

He had some words for Jay-Z:
“I don’t like what he’s saying about how he had to come back because hip hop’s dead and we need him,” he says. “What the fuck do you mean? If anything it’s reborn, so he’s probably having a problem with that. You left on a good note, and all of the artists were saying, ‘Yo, this is Jay’s house. He’s the best.’ Now he comes back and still thinks it’s his house. But we fucked bitches in your bed already. It’s not your house anymore and I’m better than you.”

We asked if he thinks he’s better than Jay-Z:
“Who don’t? [to friends in the background] Ay-yo, am I better than Jay? [friends laugh and nod]. I ain’t got nothing to do with who he is. I’m better than him, though. I’m 24 years old… The dude’s like…? It’s scary. I’m 13 years deep with five albums and 10 million records sold.”

On the infamous photo of he and Baby kissing:
”I don’t fault nobody for misunderstanding. I don’t understand a lot of shit. Baby walked in the crib one day and was like, ‘Everybody’s doing this black mob shit. When I see you niggas, this is what we’re gonna do.’ And that’s why you’ve probably got a picture of me because I stuck with everything that man said. But every nigga’s done that. I’ve done kissed [Juvenile and B.G.]. No homo. Pause.”

On Pharrell and the Clipse:
”I don’t see no fucking Clipse. This is a fucking legend you’re talking to right here. How many years them niggas been around? Who the fuck is Pharrell? Do you really respect him? That nigga wore BAPE and y’all thought he was weird. I wore it and y’all thought it was hot. What I gotta go in the store and say, ‘I like these colors but I can’t buy them because other rappers wore them?”