Lil Wayne Pays Tribute to 5th Ward Weebie
Lil Wayne is celebrating the life of 5th Ward Weebie.
In the wake of his death, the Young Money rapper penned an emotional tribute to the New Orleans bounce icon. “Still haven’t been able to find to words to express how I feel,” Weezy posted on Instagram alongside a photo of Weebie. “RIP to a true New Orleans legend @5thwardweebie.”
The rapper, born Jerome Cosey, died Thursday after being hospitalized. His publicist Johnathan Thomas told CNN that Weebie had a “heart attack which turned into emergency heart surgery and ultimately heart failure.” He was 42 years old.
Weebie, who released his debut album Show the World in 1999, was a pioneer of the bounce movement with songs like “Let Me Find Out” and “Fuck Katrina,” which was released in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. He collaborated with Drake on “Nice for What” as well as Lil Wayne on “Bend It Ova,” and performed at Lil WeezyAna Fest in 2015.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell released a statement following his passing. “He was an iconic personality, a New Orleans legend, and a beloved friend,” said Cantrell. “He was the Bounce King, who showed us how to move, how to love, and how to bring passion and humanity to everything we do. New Orleans has lost a cornerstone of our culture. Our City will not be the same without his voice and his spirit.”
Others including Questlove and Solange also paid tribute to him on social media.