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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CAU chapter.

The distinguished Grammy award-winning artist Lil Wayne celebrated his birthday this past Sunday. Dwayne Micheal Carter Jr. (born on Sept. 28, 1982), has been known as one of the most prominent and influential artists of the hip-hop genre. Over the course of his 25-year long career, Carter has influenced a myriad of artists. Musicians such as Drake, Nicki Minaj, Young Thug and the entire Young Money group have expressed their gratitude and appreciation for Lil Wayne since their debut in the music industry. 

Dwayne Micheal Carter Jr., also known as Lil Wayne, began his career in 1995 when he signed with Birdman’s Cash Money Records label. He was the youngest member on both the label and in hip hop group Hot Boys. Carter caught the attention of listeners with his no-profanity verses and catchy punchlines. 

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Carter released his solo album Tha Block Is Hot in 1999, a year before the expiration of Hot Boys. Once the album was released, it sold 229,000 copies the first week and claimed the #3 spot on the Billboard 200 chart. Within the first 10 years as a solo artist, Carter released five studio albums that have greatly contributed to his “legend” status in the hip-hop world. His critically acclaimed and Grammy award-winning album Tha Carter III featured some of his worldwide hits, including “A Milli”, “Mrs. Officer”, and “Lollipop”. 

In 2009, Carter formed the hip-hop group Young Money that accounted for the success of Nicki Minaj, Drake, Tyga and more. 

His discography is filled with original songs and popular features from 2 Chainz, Destiny’s Child, Chance the Rapper and Drake to name a few. 

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Lil Wayne has won over 70 awards during his music career. On his 38th birthday, he received an outpouring of love as his friends, family and fans celebrated his genius contributions to the hip-hop world. 

“More life to the man that gave me everything I have!!! My GOAT…” Drake said via Instagram.

“You were the first mixtape I heard. You got me my first Grammy. You got me my first number 1. From childhood through fatherhood, always been there for me. Happy Bday to the greatest,” Chance the Rapper said via Twitter

“When I started f*** with you, I became the first millionaire in my family ever. That’s a blessing…” 2 Chainz said via Twitter

 

Check out the “Lil Wayne: A Millionaire’s Dream” playlist here:

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6SuxctC1lLJzzTJ0dF0fVk?si=02x3A3UyRlycXvurol1nFw

Apple Music https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/lil-wayne-a-millionaires-dream/pl.u-…

you are what you listen to
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I am Jalondra Jackson, a multiform arts and culture writer, curator and enthusiast. Currently, I am a Junior studying Journalism and Business Administration at Clark Atlanta University. My portfolio is influenced by the ever-shifting industry of art and the underrepresented areas in the arts. I began this journey by serving as a content writer for Her Campus CAU and my university’s newspaper, The CAU Panther.