LaRussell Addresses Backlash After Lil Wayne Criticism

LaRussell has been at the center of an online debate after the Roc Nation rhymer spoke about Lil Wayne’s legacy during a recent interview. In a recent The Truth Hurts, appearance, LaRussell talked about the impact Weezy had on him as a teen, while also acknowledging that he began to look at the iconic rapper differently as he got older. 

"I've seen the negative that he contributed to the community. And I have to look like, 'Man, what are the songs where he really talked about something and gave?'" LaRussell said of Lil Wayne in the now-viral clip. "Out of a thousand-song catalog, it's minute on this end," he continued. "Man, 'Tie My Hands.' One of the greatest records ever. If I hug you once, but I slap the s**t out you a thousand times, your affinity for me, you're probably gon' remember me for this."

After receiving criticism from Wayne fans and others across social media, LaRussell shared the full footage of his complete take on Wayne — while blasting fans and the media for stoking controversy. 

“FULL CONTEXT!!! CASE CLOSED!!! WRAP IT UP!!!,” tweeted the rapper. “THE MEDIA WILL HAVE YOU MAKING AN ENEMY OUT OF THE HERO!!!

“WEEZY I LOVE YOU!” he tweeted, before adding, “GOOD DAY LOSERS”

In the longer clip, LaRussell is seen giving Wayne props as a major influence and inspiration ← while also being honest about his criticisms. 

"Then I found Lil Wayne,” he says. “One of the homies put me on Wayne, and it was like, bars. I used to have a notebook, bars. So, there's two introductions to Wayne. There's an introduction to Wayne that's through culture and your parents that you have no merit in. And then there's an introduction when you get to dive. Mines, I think it was like, Da Drought 2. And that was my reintroduction. Man, Dedication mixtapes, Da Droughts. I just got immersed. This was pre-No Ceilings. I love Wayne so much. But I understand how someone could be like, 'Man, this isn't the Wayne that I remember.'"