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Charismatic Southern rapper, Lil Wayne, and his rise to super stardom. Wayne began his industry ascendance as one of the Hot Boys, a short-lived Cash Money Records all-star group. After establishing himself as a successful solo artist, he grew to become a critical favorite, known especially for his entertaining underground mixtapes. A pair of popular 2005 mixtapes further established Wayne as a dexterous freestyle rapper and helped garner additional interest in his music among listeners who weren't part of the usual Cash Money constituency. By the end of the year, Wayne's reputation was such that Tha Carter Vol. 2, his next Cash Money album, debuted at number two on Billboard's album chart upon its December release, and did so without the benefit of a smash hit or the productions of workhorse Mannie Fresh, who had left Cash Money. With his southern charm and soft spoken voice, Lil Wayne is takin' over hip hop.
Lil Wayne