Lil Wayne “Lollipop” hit #1

Lollipop Lil Wayne with Static Major

Writer(s): Dwayne Carter, Stephen Garrett, Darius Harrison, Jim Jonsin, Rex Zamor, Marcus Cooper (see lyrics here) Released: March 13, 2008 First Charted: March 29, 2008 Peak: 15 US, 5 RR, 110 BA, 16 RB, 26 UK, 10 CN, 32 AU, 23 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 15.0 US, 0.4 UK, 15.54 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 549.72 video, 428.85 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Rapper Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. (stage name: Lil Wayne) was born in 1982 in New Orleans. He got his start at 12 years old when he was signed by rapper Birdman to Cash Money Records. He released his first studio album, The Block Is Hot, in 1999. It reached #3 on the Billboard album chart and went platinum. His commercial peak came in 2008 with Tha Carter III, his first #1 album and an eight-time platinum seller. Four singles from the album reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Three of those hit the top ten – which he’d never done before as a lead artist (he did guest on Destiny’s Child’s #3 hit “Soldier”). The lead single, “Lollipop,” (an “ode to oral sex” SF) went all the way to #1. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) named it the best-selling digital single worldwide in 2008. WK It was also the top-selling ringtone of the decade. SF The track features vocals from rapper Static Major, who died unexpectedly from a medical procedure at age 32 on February 25, 2008, sixteen days before the song’s release. WK He had previously written songs for Aaliyah, including “Rock the Boat” and “Try Again.” SF Wayne credited Static with the song, saying “It was all his idea. He brought the song to me with his vocals already on there, the beat was already done and I just laid my vocals to it.” SF When “Lollipop” topped the charts, it marked the eighth time a song reached #1 posthumously. He is featured in the video for “Lollipop” and the final frame says “In memory of Stephen “Static Major” Garrett. WK The song prominently uses auto-tune, which has been attacked by some as a pitch correction tool that makes people sound like they can sing who can’t sing. However, producer Jim Jonsin said Lil Wayne used it more as an effect. He’s “not just singing through some thing and it makes his voice sound perfect. The way he used it…he was singing all crazy with weird melodies that no one really does.” SF Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Lil Wayne SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 6/22/2023.