MTV EMA 2011 :: 06.11.2011 :: Belfast

New Orleans native Michael Dewayne Carter got his start in hip-hop when he was only 12, and has been evolving as an artist ever since: Today, he’s one of the most respected rappers in the game. Lil’ Wayne got his start with the Cash Money Records crew, teaming up with rappers like Juvenile. His first solo album, The Block Is Hot, dropped in 1999, and his star has continued to rise since then. With 2008’s Tha Carter III, he became a bona fide superstar, selling a million albums in a week and garnering four Grammys, including Best Rap Album.

Lil’ Wayne won the Artists’ Choice EMA in 2008. In 2010, the prolific artist released a rock-influenced album, Rebirth, as well as the album I Am Not a Human Being. And after performing at the 2011 VMAs, he released another album, Tha Carter IV.