A recent article in Complex asserts that Lil Wayne has made such an impact on the musical landscape, even his worst album has become highly influential.
Wayne’s seventh studio album Rebirth, released in 2010, was billed as a rock album, and it did reach No. 1 on both the Top Rap Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, so whether it was the enigmatic artist’s least satisfying output is up for debate. But there’s an argument to be made that Wayne’s experiments with sound on Rebirth—along with his stylistic expression of rapper as rock star—paved the way for the current crop of young hip-hop stars. Listen to the music of Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott, Lil Yachty and Migos, and Wayne’s influence is obvious.
As the newest resident performer signed to the roster at dominant hip-hop force Drai’s Beachclub & Nightclub, Wayne will be visiting Las Vegas more frequently. Dropping a full set from the rooftop of a hotel on the Vegas Strip is, after all, a pretty rock star thing to do. Lil Wayne at Drai’s at the Cromwell, May 27.