Lil Wayne

Rapper If New Orleans–born original Hot Boy Lil Wayne (Dwayne Carter) calls himself the best rapper alive, you can’t blame him. Signed to Cash Money Records at the age of nine, he’s put in more work than most rappers could ever imagine. Weezy has collaborated with everybody from Destiny’s Child to Gym Class Heroes. Known for his furious work ethic, Wayne has churned out dozens of mixtapes that help him build a loyal fanbase. The prolific platinum-selling MC proved his mettle on his sixth solo album, The Carter III, which sold over a million copies in one week and won a 2009 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. Since then Wayne launched the Young Money movement, championing new talents like Drake and Nicki Minaj.