If It Wasn't For Wayne It Wouldn't Be...?

     Lil Wayne is arguably one of the greatest rappers of our time but, how he became a front runner for this title is more complex than having clever rhyme schemes and hit records! Lil Wayne has been actively rapping since 1995 and has been a top dog in the hip-hop community for the majority of his 26 year run. Holding top slots on record billboards surely boosted him to stardom but it was the way he shifted the culture through style and originality that influenced the youth in a way no one could have imagined. 

    It's obvious that Lil Wayne is the father of "Mumble Rap" but I strongly doubt that was his mission! He has admitted that some of his songs he recorded mid to late 2000's he was under the influence of drugs heavily during many recording sessions and it showed in the music. At times fans struggled to make out his lyrics but it seems he was given a pass considering he was at the top of his game with most all of his music charting number 1. Nevertheless the generation of rappers to come took complete advantage of this style of slurring your words in music beyond recognition to mumbling and slurring words over the same style beats to duplicate the sound without the well thought out word play of the rap legend Lil Wayne. Wayne eventually got a handle on the substance abuse and his lyrics are clear and concise as they once were and in y opinion even better than the original Lil Wayne who claimed the crown as the best rapper alive earlier in his career. Still, the mumble rappers had found a way to create a lane for themselves based off the appreciation Wayne's slurred lyrics still did numbers and some how the public bought into it because of how similar it the sound was to Young Money's meal ticket. 

    Lil Wayne's style played greater roles in shaping the culture for the generation to come outside of his music as well. Wayne has accumulated so many tattoos that now his face has been covered as well creating a walking mural tattoo art from his top to bottom. The youth have been getting face tattoos now a days more so out of trends rather than memorials or symbolizing what they represent. There was a time where face tattoos where gang related, from mourning someone close to claiming the identity of a killer. Now it is very common to see a youngster covered in tattoos in the hip-hop community which wasn't the case when Rakim was at the top reigns of rappers. Even the fashion has taken a new turn no one could've predicted. 

    Lil Wayne has promoted skateboarding and Vans a popular shoe for skaters in a lot of his music for at least the last ten years. Very uncommon from an African American man born and raised in the slums of  New Orleans, Louisiana. Lil Wayne reintroduced skating and its style of clothing to the hip hop culture in a way that African American youth has accepted with open arms considering he may have been the most influential rapper of our time.