| "Mona Lisa" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Lil Wayne featuring Kendrick Lamar | |
| from the album Tha Carter V | |
| Released | September 28, 2018 |
| Recorded | 2015 |
| Length | 5:24 |
| Label | |
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| Music video | |
| "Mona Lisa" on YouTube | |
"Mona Lisa" is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne featuring fellow American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on September 28, 2018, as the eighth track off of Wayne's album Tha Carter V .
Infamous, the producer of the track, began work on it in 2014. [1] He considered leaking the track after a few years, but refrained from the action when he heard Tha Carter V was being released. [2] Former Pharma-CEO and convicted felon Martin Shkreli shared part of the song in 2017 on streaming app Periscope. [3]
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The track has the longest duration out of any track on the album, with a length of 5:24. [4] At 0:20 of the track, a sample of Wayne's 2008 hit, "Lollipop," is used.
Lil Wayne's song "Mona Lisa," featuring rapper and songwriter Kendrick Lamar, narrates the story of their interactions with a seductive stranger, "Mona Lisa," otherwise referred to as "Liz."
Kendrick is the first to appear in the song intro to let the listener know a story is about to be told. Wayne's verse followed, and he started sharing his side as a tough gangster and co-conspirator, lured by Liz, a captivating seductress. Wayne's verse depicts what transpires when one becomes allured by a stranger, telling a tale of passion, exploitation, and danger. Kendrick's feature in Verse 3 responds to Wayne's perspective, giving the view of Liz's boyfriend and enumerating his actions to show that he loves and cares about her.
The track received critical acclaim. Kevin Goddard of HotNewHipHop called the track a "lyrical onslaught", and said that Wayne and Kendrick had "slick flows & witty metaphors". [5] Israel Daramola of Spin called the track a "fascinating story of deceit and lust". [6]
The track debuted at number two behind Maroon 5 and Cardi B's "Girls Like You" on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the highest-charting song from the album. [7]
| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) [8] | 42 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [9] | 7 |
| Lithuania (AGATA) [10] | 26 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [11] | 39 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [12] | 36 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company) [13] | 21 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 [14] | 2 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [15] | 1 |
| US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard) [16] | 1 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA) [17] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, and widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. Born and raised in New Orleans, he was discovered by hometown rapper Birdman in 1993 and signed with the latter's record label, Cash Money Records, at age eleven. He emerged as the flagship artist of the label in the following years until his departure in June 2018.
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American rapper Lil Wayne has released 286 singles including 19 promotional singles. Lil Wayne attained his first singles chart entry in 1999 as a featured artist on Hot Boys member Juvenile's single "Back That Azz Up", which peaked at number 19 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 and became a top ten hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts. Wayne later released his debut solo studio album Tha Block Is Hot in November 1999. Its title track and lead single, which features B.G. and Juvenile, reached number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lights Out followed in December 2000 and produced the singles "Get Off the Corner", "Everything" and "Shine". "Way of Life", the lead single from Wayne's third studio album 500 Degreez, peaked at number 71 on the Hot 100 and became a top 20 hit on the Hot Rap Songs chart. In 2004, Wayne was featured on the single "Soldier" by American girl group Destiny's Child, which became his first top ten hit on the Hot 100 and enjoyed commercial success internationally.
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"Tha Block Is Hot" is the debut single by American rapper Lil Wayne, and features fellow American rappers B.G. and Juvenile. It was released on October 23, 1999 via Cash Money Records as the lead single from the former's debut solo studio album of the same name (1999). Recording sessions took place at Cash Money Studios in Metairie, Louisiana. Production was handled by Mannie Fresh with executive producers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Birdman.
"New Freezer" is a song by American rapper Rich the Kid featuring fellow American rapper Kendrick Lamar, released on September 26. 2017. Written alongside producer Ben Jayne, it was released as the lead single from Rich the Kid's debut album The World Is Yours (2018). The original version featured A$AP Ferg and MadeinTYO. A$AP Ferg revealed in 2019 that Lamar agreed to feature on the track on the condition that he would be the only feature.
"Don't Cry" is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne featuring fellow American rapper XXXTentacion. "Don't Cry" was released as the second single from Lil Wayne's twelfth album Tha Carter V. The song uses vocals recorded by XXXTentacion prior to his death on June 18, 2018. It debuted and peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it became the second-highest charting song from the album and in XXXTentacion's discography.