Many rap fans have wondered if Jay Z and Lil Wayne are related, since they both share the Carter surname. The answer is no, they are not blood-related, but they do have a complicated and competitive relationship in the music industry.
The Carter Connection
Jay Z’s real name is Shawn Corey Carter, while Lil Wayne’s real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. They both adopted their stage names from their fathers, who were also named Carter. However, there is no evidence that their families are connected in any way.
According to ABTC, Lil Wayne and Jay Z met because of their shared profession and are good friends. They have collaborated on several tracks, such as Lil Wayne’s “Mr. Carter” from his Tha Carter III album, and Jay Z’s “Hello Brooklyn 2.0” from his American Gangster album.
The Carter Competition
Despite their friendship, Lil Wayne and Jay Z have also been rivals in the rap game. They have both claimed to be the best rapper alive, and have taken subtle and not-so-subtle shots at each other over the years.
Complex has compiled a history of their frenemies relationship, which includes:
- Lil Wayne rapping over nine Jay Z songs on his mixtape The Prefix in 2004, after Jay Z announced his retirement.
- Lil Wayne paying respect to Jay Z on his song “Bring It Back” in 2004, with the line “Best rapper alive/Since the best rapper retired.”
- Lil Wayne considering signing to Jay Z’s Def Jam label in 2005, but ultimately staying with Cash Money and starting his own imprint, Young Money.
- Lil Wayne comparing himself to Jay Z on his song “Dough Is What I Got” in 2006, with the line “When it comes to this recording/I must be LeBron James if he’s Jordan/No, I want rings for my performance/I’m more Kobe Bryant of an artist.”
- Jay Z dissing Lil Wayne on his song “H.A.M.” in 2011, with the line “Really you got baby money/Keep it real with ns/Ns ain’t got my lady money.”
- Lil Wayne responding to Jay Z on his song “It’s Good” in 2011, with the line “Talkin’ ’bout baby money? I got your baby money/Kidnap your b****, get that ‘how much you love your lady?’ money.”
The Carter Collaboration
Despite their beefs, Lil Wayne and Jay Z have also shown support and admiration for each other. They have praised each other’s skills and achievements, and have helped each other out in times of need.
Capital XTRA reports that Lil Wayne surprised his fans by revealing his favorite rapper of all time on Twitter in 2020. He wrote: “My fav rapper of all time is Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter! Period!”
MSN also reports that Jay Z helped Lil Wayne pay his taxes in 2018, when he was facing financial troubles. Lil Wayne thanked him on stage, saying: “There’s people like JAY-Z. He helped me when I was really, really, really down. Really, really, really down.”
Conclusion
Jay Z and Lil Wayne are not related by blood, but they are related by rap. They have a complex history of friendship and rivalry, collaboration and competition. They are both legends in their own right, and they both respect each other as Carters.
