Winnipeg just got a surprise shoutout from none other than Lil’ Wayne in his new collaboration with Chance the Rapper, titled Tree. The track, which dropped this week, rides over the smooth, soulful beat of India.Arie’s classic Video, bringing nostalgic vibes while delivering sharp lyricism. Midway through the song, Lil’ Wayne slips in a reference to Winnipeg, putting the Canadian city unexpectedly on the hip-hop map.
The shoutout can be heard at the 3 minute mark of the song, which references Winnipeg’s cold weathers. In hip-hop cold is the slang term for very good.
“Blow a p*und like I’m Jenny Craig, I’m cold as Winnipeg”
While Winnipeg might not be a typical name-drop in mainstream rap, this isn’t the first time the city has caught the ear of major artists. Snoop Dogg famously mentioned Winnipeg during a freestyle on tour, and Ghostface Killah referenced the cold winters of the city in a live show years ago.
Surprisingly, Lil’ Wayne has never performed a solo show in Winnipeg. The closest he’s come was a stop in Edmonton during his ‘I Am Music’ tour. Hopefully, this recent shoutout sparks a future tour date for hip-hop fans in Winnipeg.
