Carter v. Carter: Lil Wayne and Jay-Z's Complicated History
A timeline of Weezy and Hov's love-hate relationship.
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Carter v. Carter: Lil Wayne and Jay-Z's Complicated History - Why does this all sound familiar? We all remember that Lil Wayne threw shots at Jay-Z on "I'm Good," off Tha Carter IV, calling him "p---y," threatening to "take him out" and even vowing to kidnap Beyoncé. And now he dissed Jay and Ye's duo, The Throne, at the YMCMB pre-Grammys party this past Saturday (Feb. 11). But how did it come to this? Just three years ago, the two rap titans were cheesing on stage together at the Grammys during their performance of T.I.'s "Swagga Like Us." But their on-again, off-again rapport goes back years, through a roller-coaster ride of subliminal on-wax disses, dope collabos, interview insults and mutual praise. Click on for an in-depth history of Jay-Z and Lil Wayne's love-hate relationship. —Alex Gale (Photos: Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup; Fa...
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"Bring It Back" - Jay repeatedly boasted he was “the best rapper alive” on 2003’s The Black Album, which he had claimed would be his last. The following year, in this track on Wayne’s 2004 star-making Tha Carter, Weezy claimed the title for himself, but gave Jay-Z props at the same time, rhyming repeatedly, “I’m the best rapper alive, since the best rapper retired.” (Photo: Cash Money Records)
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"Soldier" - Reportedly due to Jay-Z’s suggestion, Destiny’s Child and Hov’s wifey (and future Weezy kidnapping vitcim?) recruited Wayne for this hit 2004 single. Oh how times change.(Photo: Columbia Records)
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“Best Rapper Alive” - Wayne dropped the retirement disclaimer the following year, bragging he was the best rapper alive — period — in this aptly titled track from his classic Tha Carter II. Many fans wondered if Jay would take offense.\r\r(Photo: Cash Money Records)
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Lil Wayne Almost Signs to Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam - If anything, the braggadoccio actually ended up sparking Jay's interest as a businessman. In 2006, when his initial contract with Cash Money was expiring, Lil Wayne considered inking with Hov, who was then president of Def Jam. The two reportedly discussed a deal, but Weezy ended up sticking with his home team, despite the fact that he said Jay-Z was “my idol.” "It was very, very tough," a humble Wayne told MTV later. "But you know, I'm a loyal dude, I stick with the fam. But I hope we can do something in the future with my fam and his fam… From [age] 15, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 to Reasonable Doubt, all that, I was like [Jay-Z's] the dude. Then he built his team, and who don't want to be down? You could hate all you want, but I know you want to be down… I haven't made my mark yet; I haven't met that time period yet. I h...
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Complex, December 2006 - Later that year, when Jay-Z ended his pseudo-retirement with 2006’s Kingdom Come, he said he was “hip hop’s savior” on the title track. Wayne, who had in many ways filled the void Hov left, felt slighted. “I'm better than him. I'm 24 years old... I'm 13 years deep with five albums and 10 million records sold,” he told Complex magazine. "I don't like what he's saying about how he had to come back because hip hop's dead and we need him. What the f--- do you mean? If anything it's reborn, so he's probably having a problem with that. You left on a good note, and all of the artists were saying, 'Yo, this is Jay's house. He's the best.' Now he comes back and still thinks it's his house... It's not your house anymore, and I'm better than you."(Photo: Complex Magazine)
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Weezy Doubles Down - Wayne defended his Complex comments in a phone call to New York's Hot 97 FM, alluding to his deal-that-wasn't with Roc-A-Fella. "I want people to just look at it like that dude who came out of college that was supposed to get drafted by the No. 1 team, which was Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam," he told DJ Absolut. "They passed on me and now I'm with a good team and a good coach, and of course on every interview I'm gonna cut down the team that didn't pick me."(Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images)
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"Watch What You Say"\r - Jay stayed mum about Wayne’s trash talk — until “Watch What You Say,” off of T.I.’s 2007 T.I. vs. Tip album. Rumors spread that Hov was addressing Weezy when he rapped, "I hear you baiting me lately / I've been doing my best just to stay hater-free / Still...watch what you say to me / Sooner or later I take you up on your offering / Put you all in your place / Like I'm replacing your father / You're talking to the author / The architect of the Blueprint / My DNA in your music, motherf----- / Watch what you say to me."\r\r(Photo: Grand Hustle/Atlantic Records)
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“Hello Brooklyn 2.0” - If there was still any tension between the two after Weezy’s apology, it seemed to be put to rest on “Hello Brooklyn 2.0,” one of the few guest appearances on Jay’s 2007 American Gangsta album and the pair’s first time on record together. (Photo: Roc-A-Fella Records)
Photo By Photo: Roc-a-Fella Records/ Roc-a-Fella Records
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"Mr. Carter" - Jay returned the favor and more by appearing on “Mr. Carter,” off of Wayne’s breakthrough Carter III, which launched Weezy into the superstar stratosphere. In the song, Hov even calls Wayne “my heir,” telling “Young Carter,” “I took so much change from this rap game, it’s your go.”
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Vibe, September 2008\r - Jay again embraces Wayne in this interview with Vibe — but also kind of sons him a bit at the same time: “You should embrace the next generation. In hip hop, you always fight the next person coming because that peson wants your spot,” he said. “He first approached me as a fan. When he felt like he was close enough, he was like, ‘Maybe I can take his head off’ [laughs] — which is natural. I think he really is a fan of mine. I think he really loves the sh-- that I’ve done. But as a person, as a competitor that’s only natural. There was a time when Kobe was like, I think I can take Mike. I admire that in a way.…The public has him in line next, and for me to say he’s not in line next would be foolish. That’s what the public says, so why not?”\r\r(Photo: Vibe Magazine)
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"Swagga Like Us" - Weezy F. Baby and S Dot Carter joined forces again on T.I.’s 2008 smash “Swagga Like Us,” which also featured Kanye West. The four superstar MCs linked up triumphantly to rock the song at the Grammys the following year, sporting tuxes and dubbing themselves the Rap Pack. Can it be that it was all so simple then?(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Photo By Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
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Birdman Jumps In\r - Things seemed to be all gravy again between Jay and Wayne until Birdman, CEO of Cash Money Records and Wayne’s adopted father, stepped in. "I don't think [Jay-Z] is the number one MC in no kind of way," he told Tropical TV. "Wayne's the best. He do the most and he make the most money. I don't think no n---- in the business make more money than us. How can you be the best if you don't make the most money? And you don't do the most? Lyrically, come on man, be for real, can't nobody f--- with Wayne... If you number one and you ain't getting no money it don't mean nothing." Damn — it was all good just a week ago.\r\r(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
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On “H.A.M.,” the first leak off of Kanye West's and Jay-Z’s Watch the Throne, Jay replies to Birdman’s boast in pretty certain terms: “I’m like really half a billi n---a / Really you got baby money / Keep it real with n---as / N---as aint got my lady money.” Note the play off Wayne’s “A Milli.” The plot thickens.\r\r(Photo: Roc-A-Fella Records)
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Birdman Responds - With the industry buzzing over Jay’s alleged swipe at Birdman and Weezy, the Cash Money CEO took to his Twitter account. "We gonna keep spending 'baby money' ...billionaire minds stay tuned," Birdman tweeted back in February.(Photo: Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)
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Birdman Disses Hov — Again\r - Bigging up the upcoming collaborative album by Drake and Wayne, Birdman took shots at Jay and Kanye, who had just released their own much-hyped Watch the Throne. “It’s older versus younger,” Baby said. “I listened to a few songs [off Throne] and it feels like an older feel to me. I think with Drake and Wayne, they young. They young cats. You got 23 and 28. Then you got Jay-Z and them, who are older and really on their way out the game. Then you got Wayne and Drake and them, who are still youthful to the game.”\r\r(Photo: Brad Barket/PictureGroup)
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"I'm Good" - Wayne took over the Internet this week with “I’m Good,” featuring Drake and Jadakiss. Though he doesn’t name names, Weezy goes straight for the jugular, and it’s pretty obvious who he’s talking about: "Talking 'bout Baby money/I got your baby money/Kidnap your b----, get that how much you love your baby money / I know you fake, n---a / Pressure breaks, n---a / I'll take you out, that's a date, n---a." Once again it’s on. Will Hov respond? Will Beyoncé? Will Birdman keep throwing shots from the side? Stay tuned.(Photo: Brad Barket/PictureGroup)