Lil Wayne Listens To This Classic Artist To Calm Him Down Before Shows

BYGabriel Bras Nevares3.5K Views
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 22: Lil Wayne performs onstage during the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Festival at T-Mobile Arena on September 22, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images)

It's kind of surprising to learn about this Weezy ritual, but it shouldn't be; after all, who doesn't get down with a little bit of soul?

Even though Lil Wayne has an incredible career behind him, and a path forward that hasn't finished, he still gets nervous before performances. Of course, this is natural and normal for people to experience, and you'd be correct in assuming he has a way to handle these reservations. However, you might be taken aback by what Tunechi- who is still releasing great new music- needs to cure his stomachaches and anxieties. Moreover, he revealed as such while speaking with boxer Terrence Crawford on his Apple Music show, Young Money Radio. Unsurprisingly, what keeps Weezy in check and confident is exactly what he does that gets him so jittery: music.

"I put on Anita Baker," Lil Wayne surprisingly expressed, naming the classic soul legend as the only artist whose work can get him out of that nervous zone. Perhaps you expected a hip-hop companion or some other musician, but there's nothing like some Rapture. "She take the pain away. I told her to her face too, and she said I’m not the first person to tell her that. I looked [at her] dead in the eyes and told her, ‘I get a very strong stomach ache and I’ve been getting it since day one. Before I go on stage, there’s nothing that works but you.’

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Lil Wayne Thanks Anita Baker For Helping Him With Pre-Show Nerves: Watch

"‘I just put it on shuffle," Lil Wayne continued. "Don’t matter what the song is. When your voice come through, my stomach ache go away.’ She goes, ‘You not the first person to tell me that.’ I go, ‘See, you know I ain’t lying, then.’ She’s a beautiful hell of a woman." This is praise that plenty of other artists have for the New Orleans legend, including fellow Louisiana icon Master P.

Meanwhile, the No Ceilings MC doesn't let his nerves get in the way of amazing concert appearances. For example, he recently blew The Game's mind with a guest freestyle while onstage at a recent Fugees concert. Just goes to show that anxiety can always be overcome, and that Anita Baker is really that woman. For more news and the latest updates on Lil Wayne, come back to HNHH.

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About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started in 2022 as a weekend writer and, since joining the team full-time, has developed a strong knowledge in hip-hop news and releases. Whether it’s regular coverage or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to search for the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him the most is finding pop culture stories of interest, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip-hop and its contemporary output. Specifically, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing, and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. As a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up-to-date with the archipelago’s local scene and its biggest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie, and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced multiple short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on a variety of genres and musical figures. Hardcore punk and Go-go music defined much of his coverage during his time at the George Washington University in D.C. His favorite hip-hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.