Lil' Wayne, Superman, Fame

By On September 17, 2008 · 26 Comments · In Celebrities, Music, Uncling

The way things work these days, one day you’re not famous at all, and the next day you’re super-famous.

I realize it doesn’t really work this way – in reality there’s a fan-base built up of a core target audience, and then there’s a roll-out to the mainstream.

Whether it’s planned or not is up for debate, and probably varies on a case-by-case basis.

Anyway, over the past two years I’ve woken up on various days, suddenly aware of who Miley Cyrus, The Jonas Brothers, and Lil Wayne were.

I have no idea how I found out about them, why I knew who they were, or anything, but there they were, and I had a full base of knowledge. Like how all little kids know about Superman.

Small aside – while visiting family earlier in the year, as an experiment, I consciously set out to introduce my nieces to Spider-Man, the Hulk, Superman, and Batman. (They are twins – just over two years old each.)

I needed to verify for sure that humans aren’t born knowing about them, like we are with “breathing”.

Anyway, it worked – they didn’t know, now they do. I also introduced them to a bunch of other phrases they could greet their daddy with.

There was nothing quite like watching my brother walk into grandma’s house and having his two innocent daughters run up to him and shriek, “I WANT A BOYFRIEND!!”

I believe, “What…? No, no, no…” was his exact response.

Yeah, so what really spurred this thought was Lil’ Wayne. I don’t get why everyone says he’s like the best rapper ever, or why he’s talked about in hushed tones like he’s the Godfather or something.

It’s like back a few years ago when Kanye West had one album that had been out for one month, but MTV treated him like Elvis. (He has proven to have longevity, so good for him.)

One thing I will say for Lil’ Wayne, is the guy has a lot of tattoos.

He reminds me of Denver Nuggets guard JR Smith, who I’m convinced went to the tattoo parlor and asked the guy to just scribble all over his arm for seventeen straight hours.

Wow, that aside turned into the rest of the post, but being that my brother and his wife (it takes two people to make a third, I am told) have last night informed me they have another offspring on the way, I am too excited to stay on point!

By the way, I’ve requested I be referred to as just “Brian” as opposed to “Uncle Brian”. Is this unreasonable?

I just remember when I was like 16 or 18 or something-teen, I started to feel dumb still calling my uncles by name with the “Uncle” in front, and I want to save my nieces from having that uncertain moment when you drop it for the first time.

In fact, I distinctly remember the first time I did it, and my brother shooting me this look that was like, “Have you gone mad?! What are you doing!?!”

 
  • The SP

    Only reason you’ve been hearing this best rapper alive stuff is because Lil Wayne calls himself that. Whether or not it’s true I don’t know.

  • The SP

    Only reason you’ve been hearing this best rapper alive stuff is because Lil Wayne calls himself that. Whether or not it’s true I don’t know.

  • admin

    Okay so I just told my neighbor I’m the world’s greatest living rapper and she totally believes me.

  • admin

    Okay so I just told my neighbor I’m the world’s greatest living rapper and she totally believes me.

  • Ted

    Brian, bro, I’m totally down with you dispensing with the Uncle sh!t! I got the same thing from the parents, the “what the hell do you think you’re doing, tampering with the dark matter of the universe!” kind of reaction. I don’t do no Uncle Ted!

  • Ted

    Brian, bro, I’m totally down with you dispensing with the Uncle sh!t! I got the same thing from the parents, the “what the hell do you think you’re doing, tampering with the dark matter of the universe!” kind of reaction. I don’t do no Uncle Ted!

  • The SP

    That’s exactly how it works with Lil Wayne fans too.

  • The SP

    That’s exactly how it works with Lil Wayne fans too.

  • JP

    The Denver Nuggets may not win a playoff series this year, but they will certainly lead the league in tattoos per square inch. Carmelo, Iverson, JR Smith, Kenyon Martin, Chris Andersen, and Anthony Carter all are tatted beyond belief. Is there a more tatted team that you can think of? I think they hold some sort of record.

    BTW, a comment on Lil Wayne and rappers’ lyrics in general. He/they seem to talk about how much money they have quite frequently (guessing 70%-80% of their lyrics). What exactly did they rap about when they weren’t rich? Maybe they still rapped about how rich they were? Is it a self-fulfilling prophecy? Should I make one of these song, perhaps?

  • JP

    The Denver Nuggets may not win a playoff series this year, but they will certainly lead the league in tattoos per square inch. Carmelo, Iverson, JR Smith, Kenyon Martin, Chris Andersen, and Anthony Carter all are tatted beyond belief. Is there a more tatted team that you can think of? I think they hold some sort of record.

    BTW, a comment on Lil Wayne and rappers’ lyrics in general. He/they seem to talk about how much money they have quite frequently (guessing 70%-80% of their lyrics). What exactly did they rap about when they weren’t rich? Maybe they still rapped about how rich they were? Is it a self-fulfilling prophecy? Should I make one of these song, perhaps?

  • Jim

    Yes, it’s unreasonable for a 3-year-old to call you Brian. Before I was married or had kids, I didn’t like my nieces and nephews calling me Jim instead of Uncle Jim.

    Now that I have 3 of my own, they call their aunts and uncles Aunt Karen, Uncle John, etc.

    Why? Because you seem to have some wisdom to impart and you’re related to your nieces and nephews. Having them give you the honorific of “Uncle Brian” seems appropriate.

    And if that’s what their parents want, go with it.

  • Jim

    Yes, it’s unreasonable for a 3-year-old to call you Brian. Before I was married or had kids, I didn’t like my nieces and nephews calling me Jim instead of Uncle Jim.

    Now that I have 3 of my own, they call their aunts and uncles Aunt Karen, Uncle John, etc.

    Why? Because you seem to have some wisdom to impart and you’re related to your nieces and nephews. Having them give you the honorific of “Uncle Brian” seems appropriate.

    And if that’s what their parents want, go with it.

  • justin

    rappers on mtv rap about money and girls, plus gangster things they never did while growing up in middle class neighborhoods
    mc’s talk about life, from woman to philosophy to the future, to peeing on someones steps.. the lesson being; dont listen to rap, listen to hip hop

  • justin

    rappers on mtv rap about money and girls, plus gangster things they never did while growing up in middle class neighborhoods
    mc’s talk about life, from woman to philosophy to the future, to peeing on someones steps.. the lesson being; dont listen to rap, listen to hip hop

  • kwame

    Lil’ Wayne is a little bit different from the Kanye West case because Wayne has been rapping for 14 years and over that time period he has had several mainstream hits and was considered famous (yes, in the mainstream sense) long before this year.

  • kwame

    Lil’ Wayne is a little bit different from the Kanye West case because Wayne has been rapping for 14 years and over that time period he has had several mainstream hits and was considered famous (yes, in the mainstream sense) long before this year.

  • admin

    Jim I would say that the assumption I have wisdom to impart may be where your theorem needs recalculation.

  • admin

    Jim I would say that the assumption I have wisdom to impart may be where your theorem needs recalculation.

  • admin

    Wait where is this “pee on steps” song? Was that Jay-Z?

  • admin

    Wait where is this “pee on steps” song? Was that Jay-Z?

  • Bryan

    My niece and nephew call me Bry Bry instead of Uncle Bryan. That wouldn’t look nearly as cool spelled with an i, though.

  • Bryan

    My niece and nephew call me Bry Bry instead of Uncle Bryan. That wouldn’t look nearly as cool spelled with an i, though.

  • Boney

    I searched “pee on steps” on itunes and nothing came back.

  • Boney

    I searched “pee on steps” on itunes and nothing came back.

  • Sandy Dover

    You thought calling your uncles and aunts “Uncle Whoever” and “Aunt Whoever” was stupid as a teen? Really? But they’re your elders (!)

  • Sandy Dover

    You thought calling your uncles and aunts “Uncle Whoever” and “Aunt Whoever” was stupid as a teen? Really? But they’re your elders (!)