Decades into the rap game, Lil Wayne shows no sign of slowing down. It appears he’s caught a second wind and plans to officially reintroduce himself, aiming to make “more history” before reuniting with his fellow Hot Boys. This move signals a return to form for the mixtape icon, whose underground catalog includes the DJ Drama-assisted “Dedication 2.” Notable tracks from this mixtape include “Cannon,” “SportsCenter,” “I’m The Best Rapper Alive,” and “Where Da Cash At.”
This week marks 18 years since the release of “Dedication 2,” as acknowledged on the official Young Money X page. Recognizing his trailblazing history as one of the best rappers around, Lil Wayne made his intentions clear on X (formerly Twitter) by declaring, “More history to make.”
Soon after the tweet was posted, fans began speculating that new music from the “Go DJ” lyricist was on the horizon. Vibe notes that Lil Wayne wasn’t trying to mislead fans. He indeed has a project coming, evidenced by its lead single, the Young Thug-assisted “Bless.”
This solo project comes amid news of an additional venture that has been years in the making. The highly anticipated return of the Hot Boys to the rap arena is finally happening. The group, comprised of Lil Wayne, Juvenile, Turk, and BG, are reuniting for a new album. “Hot Boys [are] back together. What [are] you talking about put the Hot Boys back together? Show y’all ain’t keeping up with sh*t,” Juvenile said last week in a video. “Turk gonna be with me tonight. I’m gonna be with BG next week. Me, Wayne, Turk, and BG, all of us gonna be on stage in New Orleans with Mannie Fresh and Birdman. And we already started working on a Hot Boys album. Any other fking questions? Keep on askin’ put the Hot Boys together. Have some fkin’ patience.”
The forthcoming Hot Boys album will be the collective’s fourth effort, following 1997’s Get It How U Live!, 1999’s Guerrilla Warfare, and 2003’s Let ‘Em Burn. Vibe also noted that Juvenile’s reference to being onstage with Mannie Fresh and Birdman served as a promotion for the Hot Boys’ performance at the annual Essence Festival in July.
Outside of the Hot Boys, Wheezy has remained musically relevant over the last few years. In November 2023, he teamed up with 2 Chainz for the collaborative album “Welcome 2 Collegrove,” featuring an all-star guest list including Usher, 21 Savage, Rick Ross, Benny The Butcher, and Fabolous. Two months earlier, Lil Wayne released his 17th mixtape, “Tha Fix Before Tha VI,” featuring Jon Batiste, Cool & Dre, Fousheé, Euro, TheNightAftr, and a posthumous appearance by DMX.
Solo projects and group reunions aside, Lil Wayne’s “feature killer” status remains intact, contributing to “Splash Brothers” with French Montana and Rick Ross earlier this year, as well as the “How We Roll” remix with Ciara and Chris Brown, and “Big Dog” with Benny the Butcher last year.
Capping off his recent work is “Brand New,” a new song where Lil Wayne rhymes alongside Tyga and YG. The tune, a reimagining of Rhymefest and Kanye West’s record of the same name, samples Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings’ “The Dap Dip.”
With his consistent output of music, it should come as no surprise to fans that Lil Wayne has a full schedule for 2024, with seemingly more on the way. After all, history waits for no one.
