Lil Wayne | The Doors To Success

And today we’re exploring the career of legendary hip hop artists and rappers. Lil Wayne. For those new, I have this series on my channel exploring the lives of rap artists focusing on the darker sides of their eyes. Check out my playlist for more videos unpacking this concept. But in a nutshell, DJ Vlad’s 2014 interview with Nori laid it bare. Nori explained the rap game in a way that confirmed our suspicions. That as artists hit the peak of their stardom, they’re presented a series of doors each offering different paths. Door one is the independent grind, hustling solo against the industry’s machine.

Door two, what Nori referred to as the fruity activities tied to humiliation rituals or compromising moments that make you question one’s character. Or door number three, the sacrifice, where rumors swirl about losing someone close to lock in that spotlight. But before we explore The Doors Lil Wayne has seemingly walked through, let’s set the stage with a quick backstory. After all, it’s Weezy F. Baby. Who doesn’t know him already? Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., known to the world as Lil Wayne, was born on September 27, 1982, in the heart of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the gritty Holly Grove neighborhood of the 17th Ward.

This impoverished area shaped his early life, filled with both struggle and resilience. His mother, Jacita Carter, a cook, was just 19 when she gave birth, raised him after his biological father, Dwayne Carter, divorced her when Wayne was only 2 and left the family. Wayne found a true father figure in his stepfather, Reginald Rabbit McDonald, whose memory he honors with a tattoo after McDonald’s tragic death. As an only child, his mother was able to ensure he would excel academically. He was enrolled in a gifted program at Lafayette Elementary School and later attended Eleanor McMaine Secondary School, where he was an honor student and a drama club member, even playing the Tin Man in a school production of The Wiz.

But his path wasn’t without pain. At 12 in 1994, Wayne faced a life-altering moment when he accidentally shot himself with a 9mm handgun, a wound so severe he later revealed it was an attempted suicide. An off-duty police officer, Robert Hubler, saved his life by rushing him to the hospital. By 15, Wayne left Marion Abramson Senior High School to pursue a GED, a decision spurred by his mother’s discovery of a gun in his school bag and his growing focus on music. Music was Wayne’s salvation and passion from a young age. At just 8, he wrote his first rap song showcasing a natural talent that would soon change his life.

In the summer of 91, a 9-year-old Wayne met Brian Baby Williams, better known as Birdman, the founder of Cash Money Records. Birdman saw something special in the young rapper and signed him as the label’s youngest artist. Wayne began his professional career as part of the BGs, a duo with fellow New Orleans rapper BG, then known as Lil Doogie. By 1996, he joined the Hot Boys, a group with Cash Money label mates Juvenile, BG, and Turk. The Hot Boys took the hip-hop world by storm with albums like Get It How You Live and the platinum-selling Gorilla Warfare.

Their single Bling Bling featured on BG’s Chopper City in the ghetto and Wayne’s appearance on Juvenile’s Back That Ass Up became Defining Moments, showcasing his lyrical skills. In 1999, Wayne stepped into the spotlight with his solo debut, The Block Is Hot, which went platinum and marked him as a rising star. Though his next album’s lights out in 500 degrees saw less commercial success, Wayne’s career soared again with his innovative mixtape series. Starting with The Drought in 2003, these mixtapes often released for free online redefined the format and highlighted his relentless work ethic and rapid-fire delivery. By wrapping over other artists’ hip beats and dominating them on their own tracks.

By 2005, Wayne’s influence grew as he became president of Cash Money Records and founded Young Money Entertainment, a label that would launch the careers of superstars like Drake and Nicki Minaj. At this point in Wayne’s career, he was on a serious hot streak with no signs of slowing down. He dropped to Carter II in 2005, marking his fifth studio album, but it was the Carter No. 3, his sixth album and third installment in the Carter series that became his biggest commercial success. The album sold over 8 million copies and earned him his first Grammy wins, including Best Rap Album and Best Rap Song for his smash hit Lollipop featuring Static Major, a key figure we’ll dive into shortly.

But like I said, this was just a quick backstory, the rest for Wayne is history. So without further ado, let’s dive into door number one and let you be the judge of whether or not he went through it or not. By now, I’m sure most Lil Wayne fans have seen those videos and pics of Birdman and Lil Wayne kissing. From that O2 Rap City appearance to Wayne’s comments on BET years later. All the way to that infamous photo floating around the web. It’s no surprise those two are super tight. Birdman calls it a father-son bond, but let’s keep it real.

He ain’t Wayne’s biological pops, so it’s really just two grown dudes smacking lips. Now, I’m just saying, artists often end up doing some wild fruity shit on these labels and somehow it catapults them to new heights. It doesn’t always pan out that way for every artist, but for Wayne, his close tie with Birdman has clearly fueled his career. Even through their messy disputes over money and personal drama, they still stay tight to this day. Now, with a 13 year age gap in Birdman meeting Lil Wayne when he was just 9, there’s always been rumors swirling that Birdman was grooming him.

Those pics and videos sure don’t help quiet that narrative. Then again, Birdman addressed this a few times, like on Tim Westwood TV in 09 saying Fast forward to 2021 on Revolt’s Big Facts podcast. He was asked about those same clips and pics, and here’s what he said. However, However, no matter what Birdman says, his actions always speak louder. And there’s nothing more telling than that one time when he demanded security to bring some dudes on stage while the Hot Boys had a little intermission trying to set up a twerk contest with some ladies.

Look, if you ask me, it all feels pretty sus. But no matter his undeniable hits, it seems clear to me at least that Lil Wayne opened this door to success. But hold up, aside from that weird relationship those two got going on, we gotta dive into Lil Wayne’s rock phase. After dropping Rebirth in 2010, a rap-rock experiment, many still call his worst album, Wayne swerved hard from his usual sound. His fashion started shifting too. And keep in mind, back in 2011, things weren’t nearly as out there as they were now. So when Wayne rolled up in leopard print skin-tight women’s jeggings, it set off a media frenzy.

Folks were speculating, and even back then, people like myself were saying it’s a part of the industry’s twisted games or some sort of humiliation ritual. But that itself is pretty tame compared to what Wayne’s rap game offsprings like Young Thug and Playboy Cardi have been caught up in. Both dudes, heavily inspired by Wayne, keep landing in some questionable moments. Like I said in my recent Kanye West video, sometimes you don’t need any geometry to decode what’s really going on with these artists. But for door number two, we’ll definitely need to crunch some numbers. Now, this one’s pretty interesting, and before folks jumped to say it couldn’t possibly be true, especially since Wayne and Static Major didn’t have much of a relationship before the Carter III, only bumping into each other here and there at different studios, the numbers sure seemed to tie the success of Wayne’s sixth album to the death of the legendary songwriter, artist, and producer, Static Major.

For those who don’t know Static Major, his influence still echoes in R&B and hip-hop. And later joining the R&B group Playa. Mentored by Jodeci’s DaVante Swing, he adopted the name Static Major, inspired by Dr. Dre’s You Better Recognize, and crafted iconic tracks like Genuine’s Pony, Aaliyah’s Rock the Boat, and Destiny’s Child’s Billz Billz Billz. His innovative R&B, hip-hop, and pop fusion defined Aaliyah’s self-titled album. In 2008, Static’s vocals on Lil Wayne’s Lollipop elevated the Carter III to Diamond Status, earning a Grammy and marking a pivotal collaboration. Unfortunately for Static though, he would suspiciously pass away at the young age of 33, just before he could earn his first ever Grammy award.

Let’s return to New Year’s Eve of 2007, where things get a little strange. Before the world would have the word Lollipop stuck in their head for the next few years, Static was in the studio with Lil Wayne as he was working on the Carter III, with Static telling Wayne that he needed a pop song for the album and played him Lollipop. And according to Static’s business manager, Louise West, Lil Wayne told them quote, Hold the presses, he found his first single. Before you know it, Static Major and Lil Wayne were in Las Vegas, shooting the video for the song that took Lil Wayne from rap legend to pop status, catapulting him into the mainstream with the help of Static Major’s skillfully crafted lyrics that were also simple yet extremely catchy and memorable.

Filmed at the Gavin Maloof residence on 27 Eagles Landing Lane and the Las Vegas Strip, the two are seen living the high life. With Static’s hands on the pulse for hit records, both him and Wayne were confident that the song was going to be a major hit. Not only for Wayne, but also gives Static the recognition he needed to catapult his career into the mainstream, as he was gearing up to release his first solo album, Supper Time. When the video shoot for Lollipop wrapped up in Las Vegas, Static flew home and performed at a Valentine’s Day cabaret last February at the Melwood Arts Center, organized by Dwan Bibb, co-owner of Big Don and MJ Entertainment, and a childhood friend of Static Major.

Static complained about being a little sick at the time, explaining that he had been trying to shake a cough since the Lollipop shoot, Bibb remembers. Nonetheless, he was pumped about performing in front of a hometown crowd. Unknowing to his family and friends, Static’s performance at the cabaret would be his last. A week after the cabaret, the studio hermit, who was known to spend hours writing and harmonizing, was forced to cancel an entire day’s session. The cough he complained about earlier was persistent in getting worse. With a hoarse voice, Static called home to his wife, complaining about dizziness and aches.

He told Avanti he was unable to open his right eye and had been bedbound for most of the day. Static reluctantly went to DeKalb Medical, a hospital located in Decatur, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. There he told Avanti, doctors said he had acid reflux, he returned to Louisville, still wary about checking in for medical treatment. The article talks about Static’s fear of hospitals, derived from the loss of his sister Melinda, and how Static was convinced the hospital had something to do with it. A quick side note, Static after departing from Death Jam Records signed with Blackgrounds Records in the early 2000s, owned by Barry Hankerson.

The uncle of late R&B singer Aaliyah, who died in a mysterious plane crash, remembers Static helped contribute a lot on one of her big albums, so it appeared that Static had experienced his fair share of tragic losses during his short life. Now, with things getting worse at home, Static’s wife Avanti convinced Static to check into the nearest hospital. So on February 25, 2008, Static was in the care of Baptist Hospital East, and after a number of tests, was diagnosed with a rare condition called myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disorder with hallmark symptoms of muscle weakness and fatigue.

Doctors recommended a procedure called plasmapheresis, a treatment similar to dialysis that removes toxins from the blood, using an implanted catheter as a central line through the neck and into the chest area. This is where things got real murky. Static expressed immense pain after the insertion of the catheter, but one of the nurses failed to acknowledge Static’s concerns. At this time, none of Static’s family was there, as he had just requested his wife to return home to grab specific things he’d prepared on a list, only for Avanti to receive a call from Static’s mother that he’d just passed out.

Trying to think optimistically, Avanti hoped it was just out of his fear of hospitals, but by the time she arrived, Static was without a heartbeat and officially dead. His family was extremely suspicious of the nurses and doctors involved, and in later dispositions, nurse Diane Richards, who performed on Static that day, recalls that when the catheter was placed, he did express discomfort, quote, this hurts, this hurts too much, there’s something wrong in my organs, which was unusual. She recalls performing an x-ray to ensure it was placed correctly. However, later, Chief Surgeon Dr. Dean J.

Wickl informed nurse Richards that it was indeed in the wrong place, and instructed her to remove it, and it was during the removal process when Static began losing consciousness by the time it was fully removed, he passed out, and sadly, wouldn’t regain consciousness. Months after Static’s passing, his wife would file a lawsuit against Baptist Hospital East and Dr. Dean J. Wickl, who recommended and administered Stevens’ treatment. The suit alleges that medical negligence on the part of the hospital and doctor caused Stevens’ death, and demands a jury judgment for compensation and punitive damages, along with costs associated with pain and suffering.

With his music career projecting to soar, especially after the success of Lollipop, his earning potential was bound to be huge. However, it turned out that only Wayne would get to bear the fruits of the two’s labor. Exactly 17 days after Static passed away, the music video for Lollipop premiered on BET, and much like Static predicted, the song was a smash hit, helping Wayne achieve some of the biggest accolades of his career, despite already being in the game for 10 years up until that point. So without further ado, let’s get into the numbers.

Static Major died on February 25th, 2008, emphasis on the 25th as the word death equates to 25. Next, we know he died at the young age of 33. In numerology, this number holds Major’s significance, so much so that I made a whole video on it for those that want to know more. But in this case, notice how his age of death aligns with the value of his first name Steven, and the most pure cipher. But here’s where Lil Wayne’s connection starts to show in the numbers. Static Major died 107 days from his 33rd birthday.

Notice Lollipop, the song that helped both him and Wayne earn their first ever Grammy Award, equates to 107. And if you’ve seen my videos before, you know we talk about how this number connects to the phrase ritual sacrifice. But what are the odds that the label Static Major was signed to, Black Ground Records, also equates to 107? Remember, that’s the same label that signed R&B legend Aaliyah. Now if that didn’t convince you, what are the odds that Static Major died 107 days before the release of the Carter III? The album he helped propel to the top, and like you saw a second ago, it ties to all of these very relevant words.

To really hammer it home, Lollipop premiered to the world on March 13th, the 73rd day of the year, matching with the phrase sacrifice and ritual sacrifice. While on the number 73, notice Static died 7 months and 3 days, like the number 73, from what would have been Wayne’s 26th birthday. To further stamp why I believe this tragic loss was likely a sacrifice for Lil Wayne’s career, the title of his best-selling album, released the same year, equates to 67 and 86, like Human and Blood Sacrifice. The numbers certainly seem to point to a particular culprit, and with the way things played out in the real world for the two’s lives, I can’t help but feel there is more that meets the eye with his death.

By February 8th, 2009, about a year after the loss of music legend Static Major, he was posthumously awarded a Grammy, which Wayne accepted on his behalf on the 39th day of the year. Notice his stage name, Static Major, equates to 39. Lastly, remember the solo project I brought up earlier, Supper Time? Well, unfortunately, it never got to come to light, but I did find it strange that it held the value of 56. Aligning with the day of the year, Static Major died. Well, as always, I’m leaving it up to y’all watching. Was Static Major’s death just a tragic case of hospital negligence, or was there something deeper at play? Did the industry try to dim his shine to keep Wayne’s light blazing? The numbers sure make it look that way, but that’s just my two cents.

For now, that’s all I got. And look, as much as I vibe with Lil Wayne’s countless classics, I’m convinced he, too, like many other artists, walked through those infamous doors to success on his rise to stardom. If y’all enjoyed this video and want to see how hip-hop legend Kanye West also fell victim to these same doors, click the video on the screen, and remember to hit that like button. It really boosts these videos and the algorithm, and it’s a free way to support your boy if you dig in these long-form, in-depth breakdowns.

So drop your thoughts in the comments, share the video, and most importantly, subscribe, man. It’s been your boy, Scripp, and I’m outta here. Peace. [tr:trw].