Lil Wayne Net Worth (Money & Salary)

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Early Life

Born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. on September 27, 1982, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Lil Wayne grew up in the low-income neighborhood of Hollygrove. Despite this, his talents were recognized early. In elementary school, he was placed in the gifted program and participated in the drama club.

At the age of eight, he penned his first rap song, and a year later, Bryan Williams—commonly known as “Birdman”—took notice of him. As the owner of Cash Money Records, Birdman provided Lil Wayne with his first significant opportunity. Carter left freestyle messages on Birdman’s answering machine, which eventually convinced Williams to give him a chance. After contributing to several songs under the Cash Money label, it became evident that music was destined to be Lil Wayne’s career.

When he was 12, tragedy struck as he accidentally shot himself in the chest with a 9mm pistol, requiring an off-duty officer to rush him to the hospital due to the serious nature of the injury. Lil Wayne later revealed this incident was an attempted suicide influenced by his mother’s disapproval of his ambitions as a rapper.

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Initial Success

Lil Wayne’s journey in the music industry truly took off in 1997 when he became part of the group Hot Boys. The group enjoyed significant success, frequently landing on the top positions of the “Billboard” R&B/Hip-Hop charts. By this time he…
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When just 17 years old, Lil Wayne embarked on a solo career with the launch of his debut album, “Tha Block is Hot,” in 1999. Although this debut album certainly positioned him in the industry, his subsequent releases, “Lights Out” and “500 Degreez,” did not build on that initial momentum, putting him at risk of being overlooked.

Mainstream Success

This trend shifted dramatically in 2004 with the arrival of “Tha Carter.” The subsequent album, released a year later, “Tha Carter II,” further marked a significant advancement in Lil Wayne’s career. His lyrics became more sophisticated and mature during this period, and his public persona evolved, highlighted by the growth of his signature dreadlocks. The standout single “Fireman” was particularly significant during this time.

However, the next two years constituted a less productive phase for the rapper. Despite this, he collaborated on numerous tracks with other stars such as Fat Joe, Wyclef Jean, and Ludacris. In 2008, Lil Wayne made a powerful comeback with “Tha Carter III,” featuring one of his all-time hits, “Lollipop.”

A major milestone in Lil Wayne’s career was reached in 2011 with the release of “Tha Carter IV.” Following another lengthy wait, he unveiled “Tha Carter V” in 2018, which enjoyed comparable success. In multiple interviews, the rapper has mentioned that “Tha Carter V” would be his final album, indicating a wish to retire and focus more on his family life.

In 2020, Lil Wayne made his return with the album “Funeral,” which debuted at #1 on the “Billboard” 200, marking his fifth U.S. #1 album. This was followed by the mixtape “No Ceilings 3” and the greatest hits compilation “I Am Music” released in 2023. In an interview from 2023, he hinted that fans might see “Tha Carter VI” released “if not in December, then at the beginning of the year.”

Young Money Catalog Sale

Through Young Money Entertainment, Lil Wayne was instrumental in signing both Drake and Nicki Minaj during their early careers. In July 2020, he sold the Young Money Masters to Universal Music for a whopping $100 million.

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Personal Life

Lil Wayne is a father of four, having welcomed his first child in 1998 when he was just 16. Although he wed the child’s mother, Toya Johnson, the couple divorced in 2006. In 2008, he became a father for the second time with his son Dwayne III, whose mother is a radio broadcaster. A year later, he had another son with actress Lauren London, followed by another child in 2009 with singer Nivea. Between 2014 and 2015, he was in a relationship with singer Christina Milian. He was engaged to model La’Tecia Thomas, but they ended their engagement in May 2020. Later in June 2020, he began a relationship with Denise Bidot, which briefly ended in November 2020 before they reconciled.

In 2008, Carter and Cortez Bryant revisited their former school, McMain Secondary School, encouraging students to design invitations for the gala that introduced the One Family Foundation nonprofit.

Substance Abuse and Health Issues

Carter was reportedly involved in the abuse of a potent substance known as

For several years, Lil Wayne has been associated with a supposed “Lean” addiction. This alleged dependency is believed to be linked to a series of health issues experienced by the rapper, such as seizures that required hospitalization. One particularly severe incident took place in 2017 when Lil Wayne was hospitalized following two rapid seizures. Although these allegations persist, he has consistently rejected any links between a potential substance issue and his seizures. In 2013, Carter mentioned that he has epilepsy.

Controversy

Multiple arrests have occurred involving Lil Wayne. In 2007, he faced charges for marijuana possession and criminal possession of a weapon. A year later, his arrest escalated to more significant charges when Border Patrol apprehended him in Arizona; they discovered his tour bus was carrying weapons and a large assortment of illegal drugs. Consequently, he was charged with possession of narcotic drugs for sale, among other felonies.

In 2010, Lil Wayne was sentenced to one year for weapons-related charges at Rikers Island, followed by 36 months of probation under a plea agreement. Ultimately, he served only eight months of his year-long sentence.

Moreover, Lil Wayne has encountered various legal disputes within the music industry. Accusations of copyright infringement against him stem from several issues with his songs. Additionally, he has been reported for failing to pay royalties to record labels and canceling booked appearances for which he had already received payment.

Furthermore, the rapper has been involved in several highly publicized feuds, having conflicts with figures like Juvenile, Young Buck, Pusha T, and Jay-Z.

Lil Wayne Earnings By Year

• 2007: $12 million
• 2008: $13 million
• 2009: $18 million
• 2010: $20 million
• 2011: $15 million
• 2012: $27 million
• 2013: $16 million
• 2014: $23 million
• 2015: $15 million
• 2016: $14 million
• 2017: $16 million
• 2018: $19 million
• 2019: $20 million
• 2020: $100 million
• 2021: $5 million

Total: $333 million

Real Estate

In 2011, an $11.6 million purchase was made by Lil Wayne for a waterfront residence on a Miami island. He invested millions more into the property, which notably included a roof-deck skate park and an indoor shark tank lagoon. The home was listed for $18 million in 2015 but was ultimately reduced to $12 million before it was sold for $10 million in June 2017. This mansion, spanning 20,857 square feet, is situated on La Gorce, a private island in Miami Beach, featuring nine bedrooms, nine bathrooms, three levels with an elevator, a pool, and a private dock. Here’s a video tour of Lil Wayne’s former La Gorce residence:

A condominium with a recording studio was previously owned by Lil Wayne in New Orleans.

In December 2018, he acquired a new island residence in Miami for $16.75 million. This property was built by a developer who had purchased the 23,000-square-foot lot in 2013 for $4.4 million. Lil Wayne listed this new home for sale in September 2022 for $29.5 million, and it sold for $22.6 million in 2023. Here’s a video tour of that property:

Lil Wayne also purchased a mansion in Hidden Hills, California, for $15.4 million in April 2021.