He’s a craftsman first and foremost.
With , hit up Elliott Wilson’s TIDAL series Car Test for a conversation about the project. Explaining that Funeral was titled in keeping with his own thematic tradition, Weezy drew a connection between Rebirth, his latest album, and a possible new project called Born Again. Hitting up the “Super Jeep” for the occasion, Wilson opens the door by asking whether Funeral was a more carefree process than Carter V was. “I would agree when you said carefree,” replies Wayne. “More freedom. Everybody knows freedom is a feeling, and that was the feeling. The knowledge knowing that it was coming out.”
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He reveals that while he might eventually grew tired of some of his older material, there are other songs that withstand the test of time — some of which even made it onto Funeral. “These days they don’t do no intro these days,” laments Wayne. “Since it’s so different these days, we don’t have the official album in our hands no more. We don’t want that no more — back in the day we couldn’t wait to get home and get the packaging off that CD.” When Wilson asks whether he’s aiming to bring that feeling back, Wayne has a much simpler answer. “Oh no, I’m old! I still do intros, outros, interludes and skits. I forgot ya’ll don’t do it.”
“Back when we was in Hot Boys, did all the hooks,” recalls Wayne. “Juvie made up all the hooks.” Wilson wonders how Weezy manages to keep the bars sharp, a quality the legendary rapper is quick to attribute to a higher power. “It’s a blessing,” he says. “It’s God’s gift. I’ve been rapping since I was seven.” He also reveals that he finds the validation of his skill “very rewarding,” a testament to his competitive spirit. “I do it for the recognition of the skill.”
