Major moments throughout the night were when hometown hero and rap extraordinaire Lil’ Wayne received the Key to the City during his annual Lil WeezyAna Fest on November 2, 2024. Given by Mayor LaToya Cantrell, it just made physical his huge contribution to music, further heart to his hometown. Thousands packed the Smoothie King Center in celebratory mode, with Gauthreaux’s career serving as a beacon for New Orleans musical legacy.
Receiving the Key to the City is a lifetime of cultural influence and an indelible bond to the city of New Orleans, one that Lil Wayne-who was born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.-is proud to represent through work.
The mayor of the city, Cantrell, even referred to him as “a true ambassador of New Orleans culture.” As for Lil Wayne himself, this was a defining moment and emotional one: “I worked my a** off to get that position… And it was ripped from me. But this here, they can’t take away from me,” he said while receiving thunderous applause from fans.
On this note, the Mayor announced that the 6th and 7th of February will be known as “Lil Wayne Day,” to honor the contribution the rapper has done to make this world a place of art. It is nights of reflection on what Lil’ Wayne had done to the music world and how he shaped the particular culture of New Orleans.
It has also been announced that Lil Wayne will be inducted into the New Orleans Walk of Fame as its first member on February 6, 2025, in a newly planned landmark bound for those who irrevocably changed the culture in the city. This sets Lil Wayne in the annals, as a front runner, eternally commemorating his contribution with the rest of the legends in New Orleans.
Adding to the accolades, New Orleans Entertainment Ambassador and hip-hop legend Master P brought Career Achievement honors to Lil Wayne further solidifying his legacy as not only a producer and music executive but one who has helped raise New Orleans’ profile in the music industry. Master P praised the journey of Lil’ Wayne and his effect on music, most specifically bringing the New Orleans sound into the notice of the world.
That wasn’t all. The Lil WeezyAna Fest went on to have an electric reunion with the Hot Boys, comprised, of course, of Lil Wayne, Juvenile, BG, and Turk, with special appearances by Mannie Fresh and Rob 49. A reunited show many had been waiting so long for was a reminiscent milestone in how the group had influenced hip-hop and southern rap. Since its founding in 2015, Lil WeezyAna Fest has grown from a music concert to a cultural event that symbolizes the resilience of New Orleans musical heritage, so it would appear immediately after Hurricane Katrina.
