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Lil Wayne
Biography
The charismatic Southern rapper Lil Wayne began his industry ascendance as one of the Hot Boys, a short-lived all-star group on Cash Money Records. After establishing himself as a successful solo artist, he grew to become a critical favorite, known for his confident boasts, entertainting underground mixtapes, and prolific output. Born Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr., on September 27, 1982, in New Orleans, LA, Lil Wayne grew up in the Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans' 17th Ward. There, he became acquainted with the Cash Money Records collective, which he eventually joined as a teenager. Get It How U Live! (1997), a Hot Boys album also featuring Juvenile, B.G., and Turk, marked Lil Wayne's album debut; at age 18, he was the youngest group member.

A second Hot Boys album, 1999's Guerrilla Warfare, arrived several months before Lil Wayne's solo debut, Tha Block Is Hot. The solo record went double platinum, peaking at number three on Billboard's album chart while spawning a Top Ten hit with the title track. Lil Wayne's second album, Lights Out (2000), failed to match the success of its predecessor, nor did his third album 500 Degreez in 2002. By this point, Lil Wayne was the only remaining Hot Boy on the Cash Money label -- all other members had defected -- and the future didn't seem promising for him or his label.
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