In the last 12 months, our reigning Man of Next Year emerged as the most prolific, most compelling, and most bizarre voice in music. Lil Wayne is hip-hop’s ace in the hole, but is he working with a full deck?

By Kris Ex; Photographs by Piotr Sikora

Hence “The Best Rapper Alive.”

Lil' Wayne: Yeah, I stated that. Thank God there’s actually no award for the best rapper alive, because two things: either niggas would be mad that I’m actually getting the best rapper alive award and I said I’m the best rapper, or I’ll be mad that niggas are getting my award.

You’ve been going at Jay a little hard lately—

Lil' Wayne: Nah, I haven’t went at Jay at all, not once. Not once. What do you mean going at him?

Well, you have—

Lil' Wayne: Because to me, I’m from New Orleans and if we go at a nigga, somebody dies—either me or them. That’s what we call going [at someone]. I’m from the murder capital and I stress that everywhere. I told the hip-hop police that in New York when they brought me to jail after that show, and start asking me questions about Jay-Z and 50, I’m like, “Dude, I’m from New Orleans, the murder capital. I’ma die with this on me [points to tattoo tears]. It don’t go nowhere. These don’t come out.” I’m real with that. We don’t beef over wax. I promise to God, and He knows: We will kill you. When I have beef, you’ll be asking me this same question but they’ll be checking you at the door and all that type of shit. You’ll have to get searched. I’ll be in prison, basically.

So you would do it yourself? Because you’re saying—

Lil' Wayne: You’d expect me to pay somebody to do it? You supposed to be able to do anything in this world. That’s what Martin Luther King told me. He ain’t never put a specific on what to [do]. He said you can do anything. “Kill” falls under that. What I’ma pay a nigga for if I won’t do it? If I got beef with you, nigga—if I have beef with you, why would I send him to do it? You don’t know him. Niggas might have beef with me, but I ain’t got beef with nobody. But the moment I do, they gone. And that’s on my life.

Wouldn’t doing it yourself put you in danger of losing the family and friends that you mean so much to and that mean so much to you?

Lil' Wayne: I’ve done so much they don’t even need me to do anything for them but love them the way I do. And you can’t stop love, not even with bars nor handcuffs. You can’t stop love with a casket. And I’m rich and wealthy with love. All that other shit goes to the dogs.

Do you think it’s possible for you to get into rap battles without getting into beef?

Lil' Wayne: A rap battle isn’t important; it holds zero percentage to the game, or at least the game I play in. It has no percentage because I will devour anybody. Remember back in the day it was like Biggie, ’Pac, and Jay [who were considered the best]? Then it was Biggie, Jay, Em. Then it was like, “Y’all can’t leave out Andre 3000!” Then he started moving up the ladder and then he got out that bitch he was so cold. Like, you can’t compare that shit, he’s too cold. That’s something else. That’s where I’m at with it. Right after I tear you up with your bars, right there I’ma do the rock shit, get on my guitar.

So do you honestly think you’re a better MC than Jay?

Lil' Wayne: I think I’m a better MC than anybody who’s an MC. I don’t think I’m a better MC than anybody who was an MC. The dude that is an MC right now, I’m better than that one. But Jay-Z, I ain’t better than Jay-Z, never will be, ’cause Jay-Z is Jay-Z and better is an opinion. And even in school they told you opinions wasn’t shit. Home // CELEBRITIES // COVER STORY // Lil Wayne