Lil Wayne put on a performance of a lifetime when he reunited with the Hot Boys for the 2024 Lil’ WeezyAna Fest. The seventh annual event held in his hometown of New Orleans marked the first time the group has performed together in over two decades. It was broadcast live by Twitch and Prime.
The Young Money head honcho, Juvenile, Turk and B.G. treated fans with performances of their hit records like “Bling Bling.” Big Tymers and NCAA basketball champion Flau’jae Johnson also graced the stage. But as much as the show was a means for Wayne to pour back into the Crescent City community, it also served as an opportunity for him to receive his hard-earned praise.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell presented him with a proclamation declaring Feb. 6 and 7 as Dwayne “Lil Wayne” Carter Day as well as a key to the city. “This is your city saying to you [that] you matter for generations to come,” Cantrell said. On Instagram, where she shared a carousel of images from the event, she wrote, “Lil Wayne has redefined Hip Hop and last night, we celebrated his incredible impact on the City of New Orleans and beyond. Congrats, Lil Wayne, you are our true hometown hero and Son of the City!”
Also on hand for the occasion was Master P. The No Limit Records founder was recently appointed to serve as the Entertainment Ambassador of the city ahead of New Orleans hosting the 2025 Super Bowl on Feb. 9. “I know y’all seen the Hollywood Walk of Fame [but] on Feb. 6 on Canal St. we starting the NOLA Walk of Fame, and you the first one,” he told Wayne while holding up an honorary plaque. “We gonna celebrate the greatest of New Oreleans when it comes to music, and you know I know about music… We bout to shut the city down. Feb. 6 and 7, it’s gonna be Lil Wayne day… So, this love here, y’all. It’s us against the world,” said the businessman.
The “A Milli” rapper appeared overcome with gratitude as the honors were bestowed upon him. But while addressing the crowd, he circled back to the Super Bowl controversy that saw Kendrick Lamar selected to headline the Apple Music halftime show in September. Wayne previously revealed he was hurt by the decision and that, like his fans, he too hoped he would be a shoo-in for the big day. “I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown and for automatically mentally putting myself in that position like somebody told me that was my position,” he said in a video posted on his Instagram page.
During Lil’ WeezyAna Fest, he explained that the moment would have been a full-circle one and an opportunity to make good on a goal to one day perform at the Super Bowl in front of his mom. “I worked my ass off to get that f**king position, and it was ripped away from me, but this motherf**king moment right here, they can’t take that, man,” he said. “They can’t take that from me.”