Is Lil' Wayne a Good Role Model?

In an interview with Katie Couric, she asks him if he thinks he is a good role model for his fans and he replies,

“’I’m not an example for how people should live their lives.  Never in my life would I ever set out to be an example for people on how to live their lives. If you need an example for how to live, then you just shouldn’t have been born. Straight up. I am a great role model, because I’m only a role model for two, and that’s all. That’s what matters to me - those two. So why don’t you worry about yours, and let them worry about theirs? I got mine.”

This is kind of a vague response.  He says that he only needs to be a role model for his children, but as such a public figure, do we agree with him?  Doesn’t he have a responsibility to his young fans as well?!  For this reason, I have decided to try and answer Katie Couric’s question more thoughtfully.

1.     Yes, he is a good role model

On one hand, Lil’ Wayne is definitely a good role model.  He was an excellent student in school, worked very hard as a young man towards his dreams, found success, and has been able to care for his family.  He believed in himself when no one else did.  He is extremely creative and innovative.  He doesn’t even write his raps down, he just makes them up in his head and then raps them into the microphone.  According to interviews, sometimes he stays up all night recording.  He has developed his own record label, Young Money, and through this record label has been able to help 10 young people become more successful in the music world.  He also took University of Houston and then University of Phoenix online, earning his Bachelor’s Degree.  He is  very public now about how great he feels being sober, and how great it is that his sweat doesn’t smell like marijuana anymore.  He teaches kids everyday that it isn’t cool to do drugs.  He also created a non-profit after Hurricane Katrina to help rebuild his neighborhood.  And he goes into schools to talk to the kids!

2.     No, he is not a good role model

How can Lil’ Wayne be a good role model?  His lyrics are all about having sex and doing drugs.  He even dedicated a song to cough syrup as his lover.  He went to jail for gun possession!  He is also reportedly a member of the Crips! He misses concerts because he is too high!  He had three children by three different mothers in one year.  And he lost his virginity at 11! How can Lil’ Wayne be considered a good role model when he isn’t even caring for the mothers of his children?  He may be off drugs for now, but obviously all of this information is just coming together to show that Wayne has an addictive personality in everything that he does.  Look how many tattoos he has, how many women he sleeps with, how many drugs he does.  The only creative way he uses this addictive personality is by staying up all night rapping, recording a verse on every song he can get his hands on.  But let’s look at the quality of the songs.  Is it good?

3.     Final Decision

I think these girls say it all.  Lil’ Wayne, you are a loser!  I wouldn’t want my kids to listen to you!