During a recent appearance on the All the Smoke podcast hosted by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Lil Wayne was asked to rank Nicki Minaj among the all-time female MCs. Without hesitation, he boldly declared, "Ain't nobody fucking with Nicki. They come after." Nicki Minaj, upon hearing Lil Wayne's words, took to Instagram to share clips from the interview and reciprocate the praise.
She called Lil Wayne the greatest rapper of all time, stating, "I'll give you a dollar if you can find a lie. When the greatest rapper of all time believed and still believes in you. I sure did lean on your confidence and you sure were ALWAYS there."
In addition to their mutual admiration, Lil Wayne discussed his discovery of Nicki Minaj and the specific requirements he had when signing artists to Young Money during the All the Smoke interview.
He revealed his desire for a New York female artist who had her own distinct style, distinct from artists like Foxy Brown and Lil' Kim. When he first heard Nicki's unique voice and her ability to change it up, he knew she was something special.
Lil Wayne shared, "And when I heard, Nicki was sounding like me. She was changing her voice up, I was like, 'Okay.' Like, I ain't never seen this. This rare. New York female artists, I had to keep telling 'em, 'Yo, don't do that, don't say that.' Nah? Alright, cool. And you ready to talk this weird shit, this crazy shit like me too? Let's go. You perfect."
Reflecting on his decision to sign both Drake and Nicki Minaj to Young Money in the late '00s, Lil Wayne expressed his excitement and pride. While he couldn't have predicted their incredible success, he was primarily motivated by wanting them to realize their full potential. Lil Wayne recognized that they relied on his confidence in them, much like veterans on a team, and he made sure to always be there for them.
Lil Wayne's unequivocal support and Nicki Minaj's unwavering appreciation for his belief in her talent and uniqueness have solidified their bond as mentor and protege. The dynamic duo continues to make waves in the music industry, leaving an indelible mark on the rap scene.
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