Lil Wayne finally spills the shocking reason he refuses to perform 'Mona Lisa' with Kendrick Lamar
Los Angeles, CA — Lil Wayne, the iconic rapper and Young Money legend, has a vast discography that spans decades. With hits like “A Milli,” “Lollipop,” and “6 Foot 7 Foot,” he’s got no shortage of crowd-pleasers to choose from when crafting a setlist. However, there’s one song that fans have been clamoring for, yet Weezy steadfastly refuses to perform: “Mona Lisa,” his collaboration with Kendrick Lamar from the 2018 album Tha Carter V.
The mystery behind the omission
At a recent concert, as the crowd eagerly awaited the opening bars of “Mona Lisa,” Lil Wayne took a moment to address the audience. Contrary to speculation, this decision had nothing to do with Kendrick Lamar’s recent beef with Drake. Instead, Weezy candidly admitted that the song’s complexity posed a formidable challenge to his memory.
This is the second time I’ve seen this within my last three shows,” Wayne chuckled, pointing to a fan’s sign requesting “Mona Lisa.” “If y’all real Lil Wayne fans, you know I don’t know the lyrics to my shit.” He continued, “You know how hard that fucking song is, girl?” And then, with a mischievous grin, he mumbled a few lines from the track. “I don’t like to rap the words, but I’m going to learn that shit. I got you.
A forgetful genius
This isn’t the first time Lil Wayne has confessed to having a less-than-photographic memory of his own rhymes. During a 2020 episode of his Young Money Radio show, he revealed that he often Googles his own lyrics while writing songs.
If you look in my phone history,” he shared, “with Google history, and you press the letter L, it comes up ‘Lil Wayne Lyrics.’ I literally have to Google my own lyrics to make sure I didn’t say certain stuff before.” Eminem, who joined him on the show, admitted to doing the same thing. “Oh my God! I swear to God I do that too!” Em exclaimed. “Man, that’s funny as hell. I been doing that for the past five years! You be like, ‘Oh, I knew I flipped this before.
The iPhone memo solution
Lil Wayne’s songwriting process has evolved over the years. He no longer writes down rhymes on paper because, as he puts it, he’s “too old and too tired” to squint at a sheet while recording in the booth.
Thank God for the iPhone,” he quipped during an interview on FOX Sports’ Undisputed. “Before, I would have to remind myself all day because I don’t write nothing down. They always think that it’s some type of achievement. No, I don’t write because I’m too old and too tired to be trying to read. You know, they got the iPhone now so I go ahead and record the voice memo.
The Legacy of “Mona Lisa”
As fans continue to request “Mona Lisa” at Lil Wayne’s shows, the song remains a tantalizing enigma—a masterpiece that even its creator grapples with. Perhaps that’s part of its allure—the idea that some verses are so intricate they defy easy memorization. For now, Weezy’s promise to learn the lyrics hangs in the air, leaving fans hopeful that one day, they’ll witness the magic of “Mona Lisa” live.
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