Lil Wayne's world: Rapper and his catchphrases reign

New Orleans rapper Lil Wayne is headlining KUBE 93's Summer Jam on the heels of his platinum-selling "Tha Carter III" album. Barely anyone goes platinum anymore; almost zero rappers accomplish it.

You know Lil Wayne, right? Of "bling bling" fame? Who coined "make it rain"?

Those Wayne phrases describe gaudy jewelry and throwing money at strippers, but very un-Wayne people use them all the time. Soccer moms say "bling bling." Stockbrokers "make it rain" at Whole Foods.

How did it become a Lil Wayne universe? For the past two years, the prolific rapper hammered the Internet with hundreds of free songs, ambitious lyrical feats that ably backed up his frequent "I am the best rapper alive" statements.

And now, YouTube videos of 12-year-old white kids impersonating Wayne are not uncommon. In one, a would-be mini-Wayne dons trademark indoor sunglasses, sidles up and drapes a bandanna over a microphone just like Wayne does. Then he rocks back and forth and recites one of Wayne's famous BET "Rap City" freestyles off a hand-scrawled sheet of notebook paper. His 4-foot friend nods in back of the rec room, arms crossed, pretending to be Wayne's label's boss, Cash Money Records CEO Bryan "Baby" Williams.

Sales of "The Carter III" should be viewed partly as investment in music, but also in the cult of Wayne. That's why he's platinum, and why he gets top billing for Sunday's Summer Jam: Most of the audience members probably use at least one Wayne-ism daily.

Andrew Matson: 206-464-2153

or amatson@seattletimes.com