In a vibrant vignette, New Orleans rap paragon Lil Wayne champions his hometown's rich musical legacy. Produced by The FADER and Beats By Dre, watch as the Hot Boys prodigy turned Greatest Rapper Alive expresses his undying love for the city that birthed him. Though he's become a bonafide rap phenom, the proud Crescent City native always finds his way back: admittedly, he can't go more than two months without having to return home and soak up the infectious, familiar energy that has fueled much of his career.
Although he reigns as one of NOLA's greats, Wayne confesses that he's had to aim high to be recognized as a renowned contributor to its deep heritage. As creatives continue to expand the sound of New Orleans, Wayne says that its pioneering musicians will remain templates for inspiration — and rightfully so.
"What influenced us was the early New Orleans artists," Wayne said. "We're all just following that fabric, that tradition, and the culture now and it's easy to follow when it's natural."
Credits:
The FADER
Director: Rob Semmer
Producer: Frances Capell
DP: Scott Perry
AC: Matt Guirdy
Steadicam Operator: Steve Acheson
Sound Recordist: Miliken Gardner
Fixers: Jimmy Horn and Gabe Soria
PA: Leicester Landon
Editor: Sam Balaban
Archivist: Andrew Petrilak
Sound Mixer: Eugene Wasserman
Colorist: Kath Raisch at Company 3
BEATS BY DRE
Executive Creative Director: Perry Fair
Head of Production: Michael Refuerzo
Producer: Brittany Cammisa
EVP, Head of Marketing: Jason White
Music Marketing: Kristen Fraser
Archival Footage:
Hot Boys Doc - Courtesy of AV1 Productions / Amir Valinia
New Orleans Exposed - Courtesy of Dontrece Knox / Freddie Mae Films
