Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record executive, entrepreneur, and actor. He is regarded by many contemporaries as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, and often cited as one of the greatest rappers of all time. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label. For many years, Lil Wayne was the flagship artist of Cash Money Records, before ending his association with the company in June 2018.

Lil Wayne came out the gate an astonishing prodigy. Born Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr., the New Orleans artist joined Cash Money Records at just nine years old, and went on to form the group Hot Boys with his labelmates Juvenile, Young Turk, and Lil Doogie. He also launched the imprint Young Money Entertainment, making him largely responsible for launching the careers of Drake and Nicki Minaj. From his 1999 debut Tha Block Is Hot to his Tha Carter album series, Lil Wayne positions his clever wordplay and gravelly cackle against steamy, bounce-infused beats; with each release, he reminds the masses just how to make a milli. read more on wikipedia