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Kanye West and Lil Wayne. One is known as the Louis Vutton Don, the other the Best Rapper Alive. Both artists have managed to cross paths multiple times during their illustrious careers. Their dual influence in hip-hop is indisputable as they currently lead the two biggest crews in the game, G.O.O.D. Music and Young Money, mentoring the likes of Big Sean, Drake, and Nicki Minaj. Kanye and Wayne have achieved so much, and their mutual respect for one another continues to grow.
It's always an event when these two rap titans work together, and their track record of hits—“Barry Bonds,” “Lollipop (Remix)”—are indicative of the pair’s creativity and chemistry. Just recently, Wayne announced that 'Ye will have a hand in his I Am Not a Human Being II, overseeing the album package artwork through his design team, DONDA. While we wait and speculate what ‘Ye’s vision will be for Weezy’s next album, here’s a look at how their relationship has evolved over the years.
Written by Eric Diep (@E_Diep)
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Kanye West Hits the Stage for Lil Wayne's First NYC Performance
Date: July 2007
Wayne's popularity was at an all time high, and it culminated in his debut NYC show at Beacon Theater. It was there that Kanye showed up as a surprise guest, and got the crowd even more amped by performing hits of his own.
But the night took a turn for the worse. Wayne had a run-in with authorities when they searched his tour bus after smelling marijuana and found a .40 caliber pistol. He was arrested for gun possession, and would later plead guilty for the incident in 2009.
Lil Wayne Is Featured on Kanye West's "Barry Bonds"
Date: September 2007
West and Wayne on the same track? You couldn’t deny the creative potential. “Barry Bonds” was their first appearance on wax together with nothing but a minimalist beat and boastful rhymes about their freshness. Graduation only had guest appearances from T-Pain, Wayne, Chris Martin and Mos Def, which meant that 'Ye was only rocking with the best.
Kanye West Shouts Out Lil Wayne on "The Glory"
Date: September 2007
Besides featuring Wayne on Graduation, Kanye also gives him a shout on “The Glory.” After describing himself as “Gnarls Barkley meets Charles Barkley,” he expands on what music the hood prefers. “The hood love to listen to Jeezy and Weezy/And, oh yeah, Yeezy/I did it for the glory.”
They Appear on Fall Out Boy's "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" Remix
Date: July 2007
Fall Out Boy Pete Wentz couldn’t wait to unveil the remix to his band’s song, "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race." A few weeks after a version with just Kanye debuted on FriendsorEnemies.com, a new version leaked out of nowhere. This one was complete with brand-new verses from Gym Class Heroes’ Travis McCoy, Paul Wall, Tyga, Lupe Fiasco, and Lil Wayne.
Wentz recalled the experience of gathering all the verses for the remix for MTV News. "Kanye did his verse and we e-mailed back and forth, Tyga and Trav did their verses together, Paul did it in the bus on tour. And Wayne may have done it in his backyard, it happened so fast," he said.
Kanye West Says Lil Wayne Is Part of His "Time Capsule"
Date: September 2007
Kanye West referred to his mega-successful Graduation as a “time capsule,” asserting that his cultural references and the artists he featured represent the year in which the album was released. He goes into fuller detail in his interview with DJ Booth’s DJ “Z” and later expounded on the point in a late night interview with Jimmy Kimmel.
"I make music as good as possible, but I do reference cultural icons, because I want my music to be a time capsule of 2007. You throw everything in, you know, the Kate Moss reference to the Lil Wayne verse to a T-Pain feature, everything is like, 'This is what’s happenin’ in 2007.' I want my album to be that one – if you’re making a time capsule you have to throw my album in there."
Kanye West Is Featured on Lil Wayne's "Lollipop" Remix
Date: May 2008
The first single from Tha Carter III, “Lollipop,” catapulted Wayne to unprecedented pop star status. The song featured Wayne singing in Auto-Tune and went on to win a Grammy for Best Rap Song in February 2009.
To capitalize on its success, ‘Ye jumped on the official remix alongside Wayne’s new set of bars. In the end, the pair delivered another hot record, with Kanye acknowledging his need to rap well to keep up with a then on-fire Lil Wayne ("You ain't finna murder me like everybody else").
A Lil Wayne/Kanye West Mash-Up Appears on Mardi Gras Mixtape
Date: May 2008
West’s “Flashing Lights” inspired many remixes from a number of artists. On DJ Cinema’s Mardi Gras mixtape, he mashed up an unreleased Wayne verse with ‘Ye’s verse from the "My Drink n My 2 Step" remix and Jay-Z’s from “Success.” Although unofficial, it offered a glance at what things may have been like if Wayne had really signed with Rocafella, as he was rumored to be considering, during a brief moment of free agency before he resigned with Cash Money.
Lil Wayne and Kanye West Headline Summer Jam 2008
Date: June 2008
A few weeks before Wayne dropped Tha Carter III, he headlined Summer Jam 2008 with West. Weezy was first to hit the stage. He ran through hits “A Milli,” “Duffle Bag Boy,” and “Pussy Monster.” Kanye made a brief cameo to perform his verse on Wayne's “Lollipop” remix, then took the stage for his own full set.
Kanye West Produces Two Tracks on Tha Carter III
Date: June 2008
Lil Wayne's Tha Carter III had two placements from Kanye West, with the beats for “Comfortable” and “Let the Beat Build.” Kanye didn’t contribute any verses, but his productions were standouts on the record, and Wayne shouted West out on both songs.
Kanye West Surprises Lil Wayne at Virgin Mobile Festival
Date: August 2008
The Virgin Mobile Fest was a two-day concert with a loaded line-up: Bob Dylan, Iggy and the Stooges, Lil Wayne, Foo Fighters, Nine Inch Nails, and Kanye West. West was supposed to close out Sunday with his headlining set, but wanted to surprise Wayne earlier in the day. He jumped on stage to perform his verse from the “Lollipop” remix and the crowd went crazy.
Both Are Featured on T.I.'s "Swagga Like Us"
Date: September 2008
T.I. rounded up the trendsetters of hip-hop on “Swagga Like Us” from his highly-regarded album, Paper Trail. ‘Ye and Weezy traded Auto-Tuned rhymes with Jay-Z and Tip. The single became a certified anthem.
Kanye West Brings Lil Wayne on Stage at BET Hip-Hop Awards
Date: October 2008
The 2008 BET Hip-Hop Awards were a notable occasion because Wayne and West competing against each other as two of the nominees for Best Hip-Hop Artist. While West ended up taking the award, he didn't let Wayne leave empty-handed. He brought the Young Money rapper on-stage with him during his acceptance speech.
“Standing here with my dog, Wayne. My fiercest competition. You scare me, man. Every time you spit, man.” He also congratulated Wayne’s accomplishment of selling one million first-week copies of Tha Carter III.
Lil Wayne Is Featured on Kanye West's "See You in My Nightmares"
Date: November 2008
808s & Heartbreak was an emotional and experimental rollercoster for West. However, it didn’t compromise his ability to make a compelling album. On “See You in My Nightmares,” West called on Wayne for a duet about pain and break-ups. Both artists piled on the Auto-Tune, adding an emotive sense of heartache to the critically acclaimed album cut.
They Bring Swagger to the 51st Grammy Awards
Date: Feburary 2009
A clearly pregnant M.I.A. and the rap quartet of T.I., Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne ran through “Swagga Like Us” for the first time on live television.
Both Are Featured on Rick Ross' "Maybach Music II"
Date: April 2009
Both West and Weezy have a strong relationship with the Telfon Don. On what we've previously deemed the best “Maybach Music” song, the two fit in perfectly on Rozay’s lavish sequel from Deeper Than Rap.
Both Are Featured on Drake's "Forever"
Date: September 2009
Drake’s original version of “Forever” only featured an extended verse by Wayne, but the official single was a much bigger event. The single would eventually feature rap heavyweights Kanye and Eminem and become a massive crossover hit. Weezy also dropped a sharper verse than his previously leaked one. Every MC showed up on the Boi-1da beat, sparking debates over who bested who.
Kanye West Greets Lil Wayne at NBA All-Star Game
Date: February 2011
Last year, the NBA All-Star Game was filled with celebrities such as Jay-Z, Diddy, John Legend, and more. On separate occasions, Wayne and ‘Ye were spotted enjoying the game with their entourages. They later crossed paths for a brief and friendly exchange.
Kanye West Shouts Out Lil Wayne at 2011 VMAs
Date: August 2011
At the 2011 MTV VMAs, Katy Perry and Kanye West won Best Collaboration for their sci-fi inspired video, “E.T.” During their acceptance speech, West used the time to give a few shout-outs to Wayne, Chris Brown and Busta Rhymes for their monstrous single, “Look at Me Now," which he and Perry beat in the category.
Both Spend Christmas Day Courtside at the Lakers Game
Date: December 2011
Most already know that Wayne is a sports fanatic. Last year, for the first Lakers home game at the Staples Center, he was in attendance, as was Yeezy. The two gave daps and greeted one another, before pausing for a photo op.
Lil Wayne Is Featured on Kanye West's "All of the Lights (Remix)" Leak
Date: March 2011
Kanye West’s “All of the Lights” was an unimaginable posse cut featuring contributions from Rihanna, Elton John, Kid Cudi, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Fergie and several more artists.
There was also a lot of buzz about the remix and who it would feature. Karen Civil was able to get a rough cut featuring Lil Wayne, Drake and Big Sean on it. The official version was never formally released.
Lil Wayne Fires Shots at The Throne
Date: February 2012
Earlier this year, Tunechi held an YMCMB pre-Grammy party at Paramount Studios. To cap off his announcement of signing Christina Millian, Wayne decided to kick a freestyle for the audience. Not one to avoid controversy, he aimed a few lines at the Throne—Kanye and Jay-Z. “I met a red-bone, I took the girl home/I asked her what she wanna watch, she said, ‘Surely not The Throne.'"
Lil Wayne Says Kanye West Is the Most Stylish Rapper
Date: June 2012
Despite his recent launch of and obsession with Trukfit, in a recent interview with The Showbiz 411, Wayne admitted that he doesn't think of himself as the most fashionable rapper. He instead praised the Louis Vutton Don. “If I had to consider someone the most stylish rapper out there I would definitely say that would be Kanye West.”
Lil Wayne Raps Over G.O.O.D. Music's "Mercy" on Dedication 4
Date: August 2012
G.O.O.D. Music’s “Mercy” dominated the airwaves before the release of the label's compilation, Cruel Summer. Like most of the year's popular instrumentals, Wayne rapped over "Mercy" on his DJ Drama-hosted mixtape Dedication 4. Nicki Minaj joined to add a slew of one-liners—including her infamous (and sarcastic) Mitt Romney endorsement.
Kanye West Is Announced as Designer of Lil Wayne's I Am Not a Human Being II Packaging
Date: November 2012
Lil Wayne is prepping the follow-up release to his I Am Not a Human Being album. After premiering his "No Worries" video on MTV, he sat down with Sway to discuss I Am Not a Human Being II.
Some key takeaways from the interview were that he's set a concrete release date for February 19. He also confirmed tracks with Juicy J and talked about production from Cool & Dre and David Banner. However, what intrigued fans the most was West's involvement, who volunteered to design the album packaging.
“He didn’t do any music on this album but ‘Ye is actually packaging my album. You probably gotta ask him because it was his idea. I was just like ‘okay, do whatever,’ because I don’t do nothing but rapping. You can ask all the people that work with me, they’ll tell you ‘man, he don’t do nothin’ but the music,’ that’s all I do man. That’s all I know about.”
Kanye West and Lil Wayne Perform for DJ Khaled's Birthday
Date: November 2012
DJ Khaled held a big birthday bash over the Thanksgiving holiday at LIV Miami. Many of his closest affiliates came out to celebrate with him. Busta Rhymes, N.O.R.E., Diddy, and French Montana were just a few of the stars in attendance.
West and Wayne both made appearances and performed songs for the packed audience. ‘Ye went into “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” and “Jesus Walks,” while Weezy performed his new hit “No Worries.”
