New Orleans artist Lil Wayne is widely considered one of hip-hop’s best lyricists and has been at the forefront of the genre for over two decades. Since his arrival in the early 2000s, the emcee (real name Dwayne Carter) has stunned listeners with his versatility and has produced some classic tracks.
Unlike many artists who came and went during the 2000s, Carter had an unfathomable work rate and, since 2002, has released 29 mixtapes, with his last being 2023’s Tha Fix Before Tha VI. Aside from his mixtapes, the icon has managed to produce 14 studio albums, five EPs and three compilation LPs he has released since.
Under the wing of the Cash Money executive and Louisiana mogul Birdman, Lil Wayne received his own imprint label, Young Money, and the rhymer quickly began recruiting some of the most prominent hip-hop artists today and has since become a multi-millionaire business tycoon as a result.
Concerning singles, Carter has collaborated with the best in the business. From Jay-Z to Drake, Eminem and Snoop Dogg, there isn’t an icon Lil Wayne hasn’t hit the studio with. No matter who he’s working alongside, Carter always creates magic.
However, some of his best songs often go under the radar and are underappreciated. Lil Wayne has produced many hidden gems buried in his hefty discography, ready for discovery by those looking to find them. Below, you can see our top five most underrated Lil Wayne songs of all time.
The five most underrated Lil Wayne songs ever:
5. ‘Mona Lisa’ – Lil Wayne ft Kendrick Lamar, Tha Carter V, (2018)
This legendary track appeared on Lil Wayne’s 2018 project Tha Carter V, the last instalment of the rapper’s Carter album series. Made by the Grammy award-winning producer Infamous, the song is the eighth cut on the 26-track project and is the longest, coming in at 5 minutes and 24 seconds.
For this song, Carter called upon the esteemed LA lyricist Kendrick Lamar, who the previous year released his critically acclaimed project DAMN. ‘Mona Lisa’ wasn’t released as a single yet managed to debut at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Infamous produced the instrumental of the track in 2014, yet it took four years for Lil Wayne to finally bring it to life.
4. ‘Mr Carter’ – Lil Wayne ft Jay-Z, Tha Carter III, (2008)
Released as a promotional single, ‘Mr Carter’ saw what many consider the two best lyricists of all time rap verses back to back with no holding back. Produced by DJ Infamous and Drew Correa, the track drew on the surname the two rappers both share and was a no-brainer collaboration for Wayne.
Appearing at number two on Tha Carter III’s tracklist, ‘Mr Carter’ sets the tone for what many consider Lil Wayne’s best album. Although the track only peaked at number 62 on the Billboard Hot 100, the platinum-certified promotional single is a hidden gem that sees the clash of titans.
3. ‘Roger That’ – Lil Wayne ft Nicki Minaj & Tyga, We Are Young Money, (2009)
Released through Lil Wayne’s legendary Young Money label, ‘Roger That’ appeared on the 2009 compilation project We Are Young Money, which was executively produced by the Louisiana icon.
‘Roger That’ is a raw, unfiltered song that showcases pure lyricism. Featuring Nicki Minaj and Tyga, the song was released as the third single of the group’s album, and the single sat comfortably at number six on the Billboard Rap Songs, with many fawning over Minaj and her brazen verses. A highly underrated song.
2. ‘Bedrock’ – Lil Wayne ft Young Money, We Are Young Money, (2009)
This track was also featured on We Are Young Money and was the first exposure much of the world had to Nicki Minaj, Drake and Tyga. The single just missed out on the top spot, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and was a Wayne-led posse cut that has stood the test of time.
The track reached number nine on the UK Singles Charts and was Minaj’s first top-ten appearance. Kane Beatz produced the seven-times platinum single, and its accompanying music video debuted on the highly popular primetime BET show 106 & Park.
1. ‘She Will’ – Lil Wayne ft Drake, Tha Carter IV, (2011)
Lil Wayne and Drake are among some of the most successful MCs of all time concerning record sales and respect within the culture. Released in 2011, ‘She Will’ saw the two Young Money giants for a melodic, downtempo rap track showcasing the best of both artists.
It was Carter’s second highest-charting song as a lead artist, behind 2008’s ‘Lollipop’. The T-Minus beat was initially offered to Drake and Rick Ross, but Drake handed it to his Young Money peer Lil Wayne so they could create magic. Shooting up to number three on the Billboard Hot 100, the single was overshadowed upon release by Lil Wayne’s lead single ‘6 Foot 7 Foot’. However, it is undoubtedly a classic.
