Lil Wayne “immersed” himself in the guitar so he could play the instrument in a music video.
In an interview for Rolling Stone, the rapper recalled how he decided he needed to learn the guitar prior to filming the video for “Leather So Soft,” a track from his and Birdman’s 2006 album Like Father, Like Son.
“I learned how to play it. Once I learn anything, I’m gonna try to be the best at it and I’m going to go hard. And immerse myself into it,” he said. “Once (I’d) learned those three, four strings, I ended up on stage at the Country Music Awards with Kid Rock (in 2008). I didn’t know what I was doing.”
As for his rap career, Lil Wayne – real name Dwayne Carter Jr. – noted that he is still inspired by the likes of Michael Jackson and Missy Elliott.
“When it comes to performance, it was always – and it will always be – Michael Jackson. Then, when it comes to the artist, I always paid a lot of attention to Missy Elliott and JAY-Z. What it was about Missy, she was outside the box… She gave me that push as far as who I am as an artist and the things I say,” the 40-year-old praised.
In addition to making music, Lil Wayne also serves as the chief executive of his label Young Money Entertainment.
Reflecting on working with artists such as Nicki Minaj and Drake, the star explained how he looks for people who have the same work ethic as he does.
“I work profusely. It’s unhealthy how I work. I look for drive… With Nicki, what she genuinely always had, she forgets she’s a woman and Nicki. You forget it at a certain point in her raps,” he shared. “Drake, it was, I had to make him sing. He thought that it would take away from him as a rapper. Even though he didn’t want to, that’s genuine, and you can’t break that.”
