Drake and Lil Wayne have produced some of our favorite tracks of the last few years. As label-mates and friends, their close-knit relationship has been well-documented, ranging from multiple song shout-outs to sitting together courtside at NBA playoff games.
With Birdman confirming a collaborative album between the two just days ago—and their latest collabo “She Will” hitting the net last week—we decided to dive deeper into this mutual man-crush. We’ve sifted through all the fuzzy stuff—man-dates and bro-hugs included—to bring you A History of Drake & Lil Wayne’s Bromance. Sit back and catch up on this touching tale of rap friendship.
RELATED: The 100 Best Lil Wayne Songs
Written by Julian Pereira (@Broadway_Jay).
When Drizzy Met Weezy
Drake Raps About How Wayne Made Him Happy On “Ransom”
Date: 2008
Lyric: “Weezy told me just write every single thing you need down/And he got it for me, and I'm as happy as I can be now.”
Complex says: How much would you pay to see the list of things Drake asked Wayne for? What are the chances it included a Maybach, a record deal, and streetcred?
Lil Wayne Raps Drake’s “Money To Blow” Verse During 2008 MTV VMA Performance
Lil Wayne Says He And Drake Make Magic Together On “Ignorant Shit”
Date: February 2009
Lyric: “Drizzy Drake what the lick read/We make magic boy, Roy and Siegfried.”
Complex says: If Kanye and Jay-Z compare themselves to Dwayne Wade and LeBron James, you’d think these two could think up a better duo to compare themselves to than these guys.
Lil Wayne Boasts About Drake’s Hit-Making Capabilities On “Money To Blow”
Date: August 2009
Lyric: “We pop it like champagne bottles but we never shook/And we gon’ be alright if we put Drake on every hook.”
Complex says: Drake’s radio-ready choruses have been money in the bank for YMCMB. Most of that money has ended up on the floor of various strip clubs, but Wayne’s foresight about Drizzy’s hooks carry the team was dead-on.
Drake Says There Will Never Again Be Anyone Like Lil Wayne In Hip-Hop
Drake Calls Wayne His Hero & Mentor
Drake Speaks On Missing Lil Wayne, Wears Shirt With His Face On It
Drake Speaks On His Relationship With Wayne On “Fireworks”
Date: May 2010
Lyric: “Wayne put me right here, that's who I get the paper with/I hope that my success never alters our relationship”
Complex says: Lauryn Hill once said, “It’s funny how money changes situations,” and it might be the realest shit she ever wrote. So many duos—from EPMD to Organized Konfusion—have let the money and fame get the best of them. For the time being, YMCMB is a hip-hop empire built in the image of Wu-Tang, Death Row, Roc-A-Fella and others. Let’s hope they don’t end like those did.
Drake Says It Ain’t No Fun If Wayne Can’t Have None On “Show Me A Good Time”
Date: June 2010
Lyric: “Understand girl, we fam girl/Can't get me right and not do Wayne.”
Complex says: So...Drake won’t have sex with a girl unless she agrees to have sex with Wayne too? That’s a bit creepy.
Before Going To Prison, Lil Wayne Places Confidence In Drake On “Miss Me”
Date: June 2010
Lyric: “Damn, I'll be gone till November/Fuck it I ain’t tripping, I know Drizzy gon' kill 'em”
Complex says: Let’s not forget this bromance is two-sided. Weezy’s embrace of his Canadian rapper friend on “Miss Me” was like a passing of the torch. Drizzy did kill ‘em, but it wasn’t in a way that would’ve made them cellmates.
Drake Expresses His Excitement About One Day Making An Album With Lil Wayne
Date: June 2010
What happened? When DJ Envy said he talked to Birdman about the possibility of a Drake and Lil Wayne collaborative album, Drake said it’s one of the things he’s most excited for in his life.
Complex says: The way Aubrey starts cheesing whenever Lil Wayne’s name is mentioned is something out of a movie. The name of that movie is My Girl I Love You Man (Drake is clearly the Paul Rudd of this rap shit).