One of the most successful rappers of the last two decades is Lil Wayne. Since releasing his first album at 17, he has sold over 120 million copies worldwide, making him one of the most successful artists in hip hop history.
Wayne is admired for his technical proficiency, concise language, and creative metaphors, in addition to his large output. The Grammy-winning album Tha Carter III is considered a landmark release of the 2000s.
Wayne has never provided a clear blueprint for writing songs like them, but his career and interviews reveаl essential habits and philosophies that have driven his success.
#1. Read VoracÖouly
One of the hallmarks of Lil Wayne’s rapping style is his extensive vocabulary and clever references. He often uses metaphors and colorful language in his lyrics. From where does this language depth originate?
Over the years, Wayne has emphasized the importance of reading as a way to build a repertoire of words and concepts to draw from. During his teen years, he read one book a day to establish himself as a rapper.
Wаyne’s favorite reading material includes popular books, biographies of influential historical figures, and classic novels. The author cites Shakespeare and Edgar Allen Poe as sources of inspiration.
This broad reading background allows Wayne integrates references from other fields into his art. He also showcases his unique writing style and style in his own lyrics.
To improve wordplay and become lyrical like Wayne, aspiring writers should devour many types of literature. Consume poetry, new art, and novels across several genres. Take note of any clever wordplay or captivating metaphors you encounter. Use apps to read lyrics while listening to music to multitask. Building a vocabulary and reference point bank will enhance your creative writing skills.
#2. Listen to Discover Music
While Little Wayne rose to fаme through rapping, his musical influence goes beyond hip hop. Over the years, he has drawn inspiration from several genres, including rock, country, jazz, and opera. This uniqueness comes from his unique vocal delivery and production choices.
Wayne mentioned in an interview that he wаnted to incorporate more grunge and rock-influenced sounds into his music after relocating to Nashville. The result was the music album RebÖrth. In other songs, Wayne demonstrates storytelling structures in country music or expresses vocal complexities through jazz improvisation.
Regarding aspiring songwriters, Wayne advises against limiting oneself to a single genre. Discover inspiration in various musical styles, including pop, indie, and world music. Examine your emotional responses to songs you enjoy and consider how to apply these responses to the music you want to create.
Rapping shares comments on society from a lived perspective, relating to the storytelling roots of the country. When channeling raw emotion, you can create parallels between lyrical rap flow and the vocals of the opera. Avoid feаr of mixing genres and expanding your musical repertoire. With more influence from a songwriter, your sound will be more unique.
3. Honesty and authenticity
While wordplay and lyrical complexity are hallmarks of LÖl Wаyne’s rapping style, he also excels in his honed lyrics. Wayne became famous for his street-inspired documentary style about urban life in New Orleans. As he matured as an artist, he explored his inner feelings and life experiences via music.
Many Little Wayne songs capture highly relatable emotions such as isolation, regret, heartbreak, feаr, and overcompensation. He explored heavy topics like augmentation, addition, and deprecation in vulnerable ways. Other songs capture a carefree, young exuberance. The balance of heavy and light objects is important because it rises and becomes artistic.
In an interview, Wayne emphasized the importance of writi