“I was into Missy Elliott before I even knew there was a Jay-Z,” stated Lil Wayne.

Lil Wayne, a record executive and rapper, admits in an interview for the season finale of UNCENSORED on Sunday night, which features the legendary female vocalist Missy Elliott, that he was an admirer of Missy Elliott long before he became acquainted with JAY-Z.

Wayne reportedly stated, “I was into Missy Elliott as a child prior to Jay-Z; in fact, I was unaware of the existence of the Jay-Z family at the time.”

Wayne further asserts:

Indeed, and you are aware that the reason you were capable of conveying ideas that I intended to convey via rap is because of this. You elevated it from mere appreciation to love. And your words truly piqued my interest. Furthermore, at the time I purchased the CD, I was completely unaware that you were in fact spewing. You are aware of my point. You are aware that I always spew that verse at you. I used to pay close attention to you and Cee-Lo Green for this reason.

Elliott subsequently inquires about the professional ramifications that Wayne’s groundbreaking album Tha Carter III has had on his trajectory. He responded as follows:

“I believe that was the first time we noticed—at least for me, it was at that moment that I began to genuinely comprehend that recognition and begin to appreciate it—appreciating and cherishing it. From what I have gathered from conversations with individuals on the street and what I have heard from other artists, the confidence was, in fact, quite high.

“In the past, musicians would peruse the contents of Billboard magazine in order to stay informed about current events. I, like B.G., was a juvenile. That no longer holds true, as Lil Wayne has stated.Upon the release of Tha Block Is Hоt, I distinctly recalled thinking, “I am speechless with gratitude to God.” The first week’s sales amounted to approximately 114,000 to 95,000 units, which can be likened to the effect of selling one million units.