Over the radio, he soundtracked our coming-of-age while growing up along with us since he was signed to Cash Money Records at the age of 9. He’s proven himself to be one of the most impactful cultural ambassadors of his generation and an undeniable part of the conversation in discussions on the greatest rappers of all time. For millennials, Lil Wayne has always been. But like death and taxes, Lil Wayne will likely always be.
Ask any music journalist who remembers dropping everything (in the middle of SXSW 2013 music week, no less) to cover his most public near-death experience to date in real time. Ask those given the daunting task to prepare a career-spanning obituary that day, as news developed that the iconic New Orleans rapper was put under a medically-induced coma to stop a string of seizures.
Those writers and reporters will likely assure you that the mark Lil Wayne, now 42 years old, has left on popular music is American canon – he’s a global icon, a national treasure. And he’s entering a new era of legacy work with the rollout of his most recent LP, Tha Carter VI – starting with his recent appearance as one of the highly distinguished musical guests on SNL’s 50th anniversary extravaganza.
After conquering the rap world at the highest level, Lil Wayne is claiming his rightful throne in institutional media and the high-culture zeitgeist, realms that have historically excluded rap music.
As he travels the country for the album's supporting tour dates, fans have had mixed reactions to the show. This is not the no-frills Lil Wayne show we’ve come to know over the years – one man, a mic, a notepad and an unbridled rockstar energy that takes up the entire stage in serving album-version fan favorites to an audience frothing at the mouth for them. It’s a singular millennial live music experience.
Tha Carter VI Tour: Built on 20-Plus Years of Carter Classics
Tha Carter VI Tour, however, is a full-fledged production. There’s stage design, musical direction, guest appearances, a full live band – a narrative, even. Last night at the Dos Equis Pavilion, Dallas was ushered into a new chapter of Lil Wayne’s artistry, whether fans were ready for it or not.Tyga opened the show – a B-list alum of Lil Wayne’s Young Money roster, who often tours with his mega-star labelmates like Nicki Minaj (who brought him out at last year’s Pink Friday 2 World Tour stop at American Airlines Center). The rapper performed a set of his old-hat 2010s hits, which did the bare-minimum job of warming up the crowd. Lil Wayne would bring him to the stage again later in the night during “Bedrock,” along with Young Money C-lister, Gudda Gudda.
There was a substantial wait time for stage setup before Lil Wayne went on. Dos Equis Pavilion usually aims to cut sound by 10:45 p.m., especially on a weeknight, in consideration of the surrounding South Dallas residents. But the rapper didn’t take the stage until just before 10 p.m., and the show ran until about an hour over. With an estimated net worth of $170 million, any noise ordinance fines from the city would be a drop in the bucket for the rapper.
When the lights went down, an enormous stage set illuminated the front facade of a historic New Orleans brownstone with a full band riser on the roof. The sign on the front stoop read, “Tha Carter Building.” A dispatch voice rang out, warning of a nefarious criminal activity in the rapper's home city. The tone was set for a cinematic experience, and the crowd went wild when the GOAT walked out through the front door to greet them.
Wayne eased his fans into the set with some new material and faithful versions of his blockbuster hit singles like “Got Money” – a turn-of-the-millennium time capsule from the very first bar, “I need a Winn-Dixie grocery bag full of money right now to the VIP section.” It’s hard to believe that subsequent generations even know what a Winn-Dixie grocery bag is.
Once the audience was strapped in for the ride, they were taken on an unfamiliar journey. In an almost variety-show-style format, the performance was split into varying segments. Breaking up by Lil Wayne’s runs, some featuring his endearing affinity for playing novice-level electric guitar, he spent time showcasing a brand new roster of Young Money artists.
Wayne’s newest mentees include rapper Jay Jones, bilingual artist Allan Cubas and metal vocalist Lucifena. He’s also turned Young Money into a family business with the addition of his youngest son, Neal Carter, to the label’s team of talent. Neal, who raps under the name Lil Novi, turned 15 years old this month and is the spitting image of his father. The family resemblance is shockingly uncanny.
Though the rookie class made a strong showing, they were blown out of the water by the strongest of the bunch. Domiio, formerly known as Drizzy P, is an absolute shoe-in to be the next Lil Wayne-bred superstar (the same way Drake and Minaj launched their careers).
The young Pennsylvania native boasts a deliciously smooth high-octave singing voice reminiscent of songstress Dej Loaf’s signature honey-dripping vocals. As a double threat, Domiio was the only rapper on stage all night who could even hold a candle to Lil Wayne. He ended his short run of songs with a 48-bar freestyle that had the audience roaring in awe.
Wayne did well balancing new material from Tha Carter VI, his catalog of Top 40 hits (some with creative new arrangements – like a dark, bass-y, brooding version of “Every Girl in the World” and added guitar parts to “She Will”), and deep album cuts.
But the highlight of the night came when he called another guest performer to the stage, referring to himself in third person as “Mixtape Wayne,” before diving into some of his most obscure old mixtape verses. A packed arena of fans went nuts, having never before imagined the opportunity to see the icon perform past independently released verses from radio hits of yore like “Swag Surfin,” French Montana’s “Pop That,” or Lil Twist’s “Addict.”
One aspect of Lil Wayne’s live set has remained unchanged—he ends every single song with a sincere “Thank you” and a wide, bright flash of the most sweetly genuine and sparkling bejeweled smile you’ll ever see. He still reminds the audience multiple times throughout the show that he will never forget that he’s nothing without them.
Lil Wayne is not flipping the script on his fans. He’s elevating his artistry, and it’s time. You can still count on Mr. Carter to give the people what they want, what has always been of Lil Wayne. But he’s operating at his highest level in presenting the most curated product of his career, and that’s what makes Tha Carter VI Tour a must-see.
