(Photo: via XXL, May 2012)

XXL is going live for its May issue, and the hip hop monthly has tapped none other than Lil Wayne to lead the coverage. Tunechi graces the cover of the magazine's special issue dedicated to the state of live hip hop.
The cover portrait captures the wily emcee up close while in the throes of a performance on stage. Inside, there's coverage of this year's SXSW music conference, which featured performances from rap titans including Jay-Z, Eminem, 50 Cent, Weezy and more. Terry Richardson also shot the raucous hip hop collective Odd Future, who recently welcomed back long lost member Earl Sweatshirt.

Wayne previously covered the rap mag's July/August 2011 to mark the release of his multiplatinum album Tha Carter IV.

You can pick up the live issue of XXL when it hits stands April 24.

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