Lil Wayne has a very honest answer for not performing “Mona Lisa,” the song he recorded with Kendrick Lamar. However, it’s not for the reason one may expect.
Why Doesn’t Lil Wayne Perform “Mona Lisa” Featuring Kendrick Lamar at Concerts?
On Tuesday (June 4), blog LilWayneHQ shared some fan-filmed footage of Lil Wayne at a recent concert. In the clip, Lil Wayne takes a pause from the action to address the crowd after a fan requested that he perform “Mona Lisa,” his 2018 cut from Tha Carter Vfeaturing Kendrick Lamar.
While some may be quick to speculate that the track’s omission from Wayne’s concert sets may be due to Weezy’s decades-long affiliation with Kendrick’s nemesis, Drake, the 6 God has nothing to do with it. Wayne simply can’t recall the verses.
“Hey, to my people in the front,” Lil Wayne is heard saying in the video below. “Listen, this the second time I seen this within my last few shows. Somebody had a sign that said ‘Mona Lisa.’ I’m not sure if that means you want me to perform it. If you’re real Lil Wayne fans, then you know I don’t know the lyrics to my s**t.”
Wayne then refers to the complexity of the acclaimed collab with K-Dot. “You know how f**kin’ hard that s**t is, y’all. I don’t like to rap the words, so… But I’ma learn that s**t. I’ma learn it. I got you. This is for her and for the ‘Mona Lisa’ lovers. This ain’t ‘Mona Lisa’ but this for y’all,” he adds before breaking into “Steady Mobbin” with Gucci Mane.
Read More: Drake Deletes All Posts About His Rap Battle With Kendrick Lamar From Instagram
Lil Wayne Has Forgotten Plenty of His Own Lyrics in the Past
While Lil Wayne does not refer to the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef at all, any true Weezy stan knows his apprehension towards performing “Mona Lisa” should come as no surprise. Wayne has proven multiple times that he can be notorious for forgetting his rhymes.
In 2019, he famously forgot his lyrics to “In This House” featuring Gucci Mane live on stage in Milwaukee, which happens to be another joint from Tha Carter V. Similarly, in 2021, when Fox Sports’ Darnell Smith was reciting a line he enjoys from 2008’s “Lollipop (Remix),” the New Orleans icon, forgot he even wrote the bars.
Read More: Here Are Rappers Who Forgot Their Lyrics During Performances
Check out the video below to watch Lil Wayne explain exactly why he wouldn’t perform “Mona Lisa” featuring Kendrick Lamar.
