We like to joke that Lil Wayne‘s prison time was no big deal, but truth: Weezy was without a barber, cognac, and his Young Money posse for a good eight months. Plus, if you’ve ever seen that episode of Law and Order SVU where Stabler attempts to identify with a criminal who is going back to solitary confinement for the second time by locking himself up for a weekend, then you know Weezy’s two weeks of isolation must have been pretty rough, regardless of how many fan letters he had to read.
Needless to say, what Weezy would do once he got out of prison seemed almost as intriguing as what he did on the inside, especially since he was barred from drinking alcohol, ingesting drugs, and associating with any former convicts almost immediately upon released. So how’d it go? Ladies and gentlemen, may I present you with the life and times of Lil Wayne’s first week out of prison.
Thursday
Inmate 02616544L, aka Dwayne Carter, aka Lil Wayne, was released from Rikers Island prison at 8:35 am. Though reports surfaced over night that the rapper’s release would be delayed by a day, he was ultimately freed on time, greeted by his entourage who had come to pick him up in a $300,000 Maybach. Weezy spent his first hours of freedom in a New York City hotel, where he joined a cigar, glass of cognac, plate of fruit, and his new Mac Book Pro, which he used to watch his video for “Steady Mobbin’” and drop incoherent tweets. A pretty normal day if you ask me.
Friday
You can actually understand why Weezy took it easy Thursday evening when considering his itinerary for the rest of the weekend. Friday saw the rapper fly to Arizona, where he was due in court for charges stemming from a 2008 arrest for drug and alcohol possession. Under the terms of his pre-arraigned plea deal, Wayne was sentenced to three years probation and was prohibited from consuming any substance containing alcohol. He was also told he may not associate with any individual involved in criminal activity or anybody that has a criminal record without getting approval in writing from the probation department, reports MTV.
Following his court appearance, Weezy jumped back on the plane and headed to his hometown of New Orleans, where he spent the evening enjoying a Hornets game from his courtside seats.
Saturday
On Saturday, Wayne hit Sin City for a much-rumored guest appearance at the finale of Drake’s “Light Dreams and Nightmares” tour. Wayne’s spot lasted just three minutes and was mostly overwhelmed by cheers, but he did manage to drop a reworked verse of “Miss Me” — “I was gone ’til November, but I didn’t trip ’cause I know he was gonna get ‘em,” Wayne rapped, tweaking his lyrics and pointing to Drake (via) — before thanking the crowd. In turn, Drake looked like a giddy school boy.
Sunday
Weezy’s travels continued Sunday, as he and the rest of the Young Money crew hit South Beach for the rapper’s official welcome home party. Wayne, along with 500 friends and family members — including Nicki Minaj, Drake, Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Jay Sean, and Fat Joe — took to Miami’s Dupont Building and, according to Spin, were witnesses to the following spectacle:
So, yes, Wayne’s presence at his own to-do was relatively modest, but the event itself was totally over-the-top. The former bank’s atrium — a venue already heavy on gold-plated décor — was transformed into something resembling a royal court. Dainty votive tea lights illuminated a space decorated with mirrored tables, red velvet couches, and Philippe Starck acrylic barstools. Reedy females decked out in Louis XIV-era costumery (tight-fitting bodices and heavily-powdered wigs) lingered near the VIP area where Wayne presided.
Spin also reports there was a constant stream of mini hamburger sliders, tuna tartare, and Grey Goose, which should have worked well with Weezy’s alcohol restriction. Also worth nothing is his attire for the evening, you know, because of the cigar.
After his official welcome home party, Weezy hosted a second, more exclusive welcome home party at a local Miami strip club. These particular festivities included 48 bottles of PJ Rose Perrier-Jouët champagne, reports TMZ. He also made it rain…
Monday
After a wild weekend, Weezy took it easy on Monday, but still found time to cut a 20-second video in which he thanked all 14 million of his Facebook friends.
At night, the rapper began what ultimately proved to be a 15-hour studio session.
Tuesday
Weezy’s 15-hour session continued into Tuesday, with Young Money Videographer/DJ Scoob Doo declaring it a moment of “history”: “Wayne picked up right where he left off with a 15-hour recording session of nonstop work. Day two is tonight, and expect more therapy for a game that needs help.”
Of particular significance was the revelation that Lil Wayne was writing down much of his lyrics, something which is relatively foreign for a MC known for rapping on the spot. “He’s writing. He’s writing music now. Everyone knows that Wayne didn’t write before he went in,” explained Young Money president Mack Maine. “[He's been] incarcerated for eight months. You can’t remember eight months of material up top.”
It wasn’t clear what Wayne was working on, but according to MTV, Miami-based production duo Cool & Dre has already supplied him with over 50 beats.
Wednesday
Fresh of an all-day studio session, Weezy awoke Wednesday morning to a paternity suit. According to HipHopDX, a Missouri woman claims that Lil Wayne fathered a child with her granddaughter in 2002. The rapper, who already has four children, will undergo mandatory DNA testing on December 9th.
Thursday
And on the seventh day, he rested.
Update: Looks like we spoke too soon. Per Rolling Stone, Lil Wayne has already finished a new song and is ready to put it out. “We’re trying to put it out, like, tomorrow,” Cortez Bryant, Wayne’s manager, revealed. “We got a crazy song. If not tomorrow, definitely next week.”
