Earlier this week while talking to MTV in Las Vegas at the Magic Convention (he was unveiling his new shoe with Supra), Lil Wayne said that he “flat out” doesn’t like New York. He wasn’t all hyped up, he wasn’t saying it with extreme conviction and/or hatred…he just simply said he’s not a fan of the Big Apple. Myself being a NJ native…which by default pretty much makes me a New Yorker since I work there, hang there, date there, etc…didn’t think twice about it. Wayne’s personal opinion holds no bearing on my life. Birdman came out the next day to co-sign his “son’s” feelings, but he wasn’t really saying anything bad either. He just basically said whatever Wayne dislikes, I’ll dislike it too. That’s a loyalty thing, that’s not an F NYC thing.

Those that know me are going to think I’m riding the Young Money bandwagon as I have great relationships with many of the roster, but this has NOTHING to do with that. To be fair, however, I’m going to break down exactly WHY Wayne was wrong for what he said, but also, why you should cut him some slack. Thank you to Hot 97 programming director Ebro for help with the songs! In honor of “FOH Fridays” on the Hot 97 morning show, check out my 4 by 4 list.

Marisa Mendez

Why Wayne Is Wrong

1. NYC Is The Birthplace of Hip-Hop
That genre of music you make money in, you make a living in, you have 10 bathrooms you can sh*t all day in…that’s hip-hop, and that was born and raised in NEW YORK. You can’t bite the hand that has fed you from a platinum spoon coated in diamonds over the past 10+ years. Forget what that lame ass NY senator thinks, I want to know what Kool Herc thinks. What does he have to say?

2. Nicki Minaj, Jae Millz, Cory Gunz
Your darling Nicki Minaj, the one woman that single-handedly brought back female rappers and opened up the doors for so many others. The woman that you recruited in 2007 after you saw her on a New York-based DVD, The Come Up. The woman that has brought multiple platinum plaques to the Young Money team…she’s from New York. Jamaica, Queens to be exact. Those other guys you signed, Cory Gunz and Jae Millz? The BX and Harlem, respectively! You have a heavy New York presence on your own roster! And they’e been rocking with you since DAY ONE. How could you play your own artists like that?

3. You Got Hot Again From New York Artists
I know you came out in the late 90’s. You put out 6 albums before 2006, and they all have a certification, whether platinum or gold. But not only was this when records were SELLING, they’ve also had time to marinate and sell over the past decade. Not discrediting you in ANY way, but I’m just saying…you were never as hot as you started to get in late 06/07. And you know who you can thank in PART for that? SO MANY New York artists! Thanks to Ebro at Hot 97, here’s a list of the songs Wayne has put out since 2006 that were in heavy rotation, aka did very well for him. Notice how many New York artists are part of this? I bolded them, just in case!

2006
Jay Z and Wayne – Show me what u got (rmx)
Cam’ron and Wayne -Touch it or Not
Fat Joe /f Wayne – Make it Rain
Swizz Beats – Its Me Bitches (rmx)

2007
Playaz Circle- Duffle Bag Boy
The Bad Side – Juelz f/ Wayne
Hello Brooklyn – Jay Z /f Wayne
Uh-Oh – JaRule /f Lil Wayne
Pop Bottles – Birdman /f Lil Wayne

2008
Lollipop- Lil Wayne
A Milli – Lil Wayne
Mrs. Officer – Lil Wayne
Mr. Carter – Lil Wayne /f Jay Z
I-m so Paid – Akon /f Lil Wayne

2009
Always Strapped- Birdman /f Lil Wayne
Bedrock – Young Money
Every girl- Young Money
Money to Blow – Birdman /f Wayne and Drake
Successful – Drake /f Lil Wayne
I’m Goin’ In – Drake /f Lil Wayne
Steady Mobbin – Lil Wayne f/ Gucci Mane

2010
All I do is Win -Khaled
6ft, 7ft – Lil Wayne ft. Cory Gunz
Miss Me- Drake /f Lil Wayne
9 Piece – Rick Ross /f Wayne
Right Above it – Drake /f Lil Wayne
Fire Flame – Birdman /f Wayne
No Love – Eminem /f Wayne

2011
She Will – Drake /f Wayne
Look at me now – Chris Brown
Khaled – I’m on One
John – Lil Wayne /f Ross
The Motto – Drake /f Wayne

4. You’re A Public Figure! Choose Your Words Better
You’ve been in this game for too long to not know that your words will be taken and dissected by millions, seconds after leaving your mouth. You’re one of the biggest rappers/entertainers of our generation! You know this! So if your gripe is with the legal troubles you’ve had and even maybe the lack of fun activities you feel are here (LOL), SAY that. Don’t generalize New York as a whole. This is what has people offended, and could have been completely avoided, had you just been more specific.

Why I Totally Feel What Wayne Was Saying

1. Wayne Has Been Harassed By Cops Before Multiple NY Shows
Back in 06/07, I was just a college student (shout to Montclair State University!) and a fan. I loved concerts, I loved Lil Wayne, so I went to every show he had in the area that I had the time to hit. This only happened to be like 2. LOL. Both times, he came to the stage late and he wasn’t happy. He had been harassed by the hip-hop police outside the venue and almost didn’t make his own shows. This happened both in his July 2007 concert in Manhattan (the one he was arrested after) and his Newark, NJ show in Feb. 2008. In fact, Jim Jones couldn’t even get in to the 07 show because cops gave him so much trouble. (Wayne told us all this upon hitting the stage). Rob Markman from MTV actually dug up footage of Wayne being searched and expressing his disdain, all the way in 07. We weren’t up in arms then! Why is now any different?

2. He Did A Bid In NY
Why would you have fond memories of a place you spent the worst time of your life at? This was Wayne’s first jail bid, and he went from living it up on a daily basis, to being locked down in a little cell by himself with nothing but a radio and a few other things. To compare, I still can’t listen to songs from 2007 (I had a breakup and was like, uber depressed) without being in a bad mood because I associate it with my bad mood back then. In other words, I don’t like the songs. It’s not to say they’re bad songs, it’s not to say the artists are wack artists…it’s MY personal association with something, thus developing my OWN personal opinion! Everyone is entitled to one!

3. He’s Had Issues With The Main Radio Station In NY
Wayne has had issues with Hot 97 for a while, on and off. In fact, in the Carter I, he wrote “F*ck Hot 97” in the album notes! And it led to his music not being played there for some time, naturally. They then were on much better terms, and Wayne did multiple Summer Jams in between then and this year, when the infamous Nicki Minaj situation happened. As an artist, of course you want your music played on the number one urban station in the number one market in the country. A big reason artists even come to some cities is to do radio promo and/or shows. If he’s having issues with both…again, why would he like it?

4. He Didn’t Say He Doesn’t Like NYC’s PEOPLE
New Yorkers, Wayne never said he doesn’t like YOU. He generalized, yes, but we have more common sense and street smarts than anywhere else…we know what he meant! It’s like we’re looking for a reason to attack. If someone said they didn’t like the color blue and that’s your favorite color…are you going to be really offended and mad at them too?!

In Conclusion

In conclusion, Wayne SHOULD come out and CLARIFY what he meant. He owes it to the people, being the influential public figure that he is. He shouldn’t APOLOGIZE, because it’s no one’s fault but their own if they misconstrued what he meant. Until Wayne says differently (from how I interpreted this), that’s how I feel!