There has a lot of hype and media surrounding the upcoming MTV Unplugged Special showcasing the catalog of Lil Wayne. Interestingly enough, even with his extensive catalog that he has more than enough material to cover the time frame needed, it seems as though Wayne wanted to solidify himself in Hip-Hop history by paying homage to the legendary lyricist 2Pac by reciting a verse, covering a song from him.
MTV News recently sat down with Lil Wayne and inquired about his upcoming Unplugged special that the entire world is hyped about."I knew because this is my 'Unplugged,' I said, 'I want to do some kind of tribute to one of those great artists,' " Wayne explained to us of why he chose to perform the fallen MC's 1996 single "Hail Mary." "It's just something about 'Pac and I.”
“I picked that second verse, 'Penitentiaries is packed with promise makers,' and I was like, 'That whole verse is just perfect — they never realized the precious time that they wasting.'”The hit single ‘Hail Mary’ appeared on 2Pac/Makaveli’s album ‘The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory. Even though 'Pac finished the album before he was fatally gunned down on September 7, 1996, the album itself wasn't released until after his passing. ‘Hail Mary’ has been covered several times by various rap artists, including Eminem, 50 Cent and Busta Rhymes, who actually remade the song together in 2003 as a diss targeting then archrival Ja Rule. The iconic song has never been covered by Wayne, well at least until now.
At press time, Lil Wayne’s MTV Unplugged special has been set to premiere on Sunday, June 12. Keep posted to 24hourhiphop.com for more updated news on the MTV Unplugged special showcasing Lil Wayne.