On April 24, Lil' Wayne appeared on the popular daytime talk show "The View". Wayne, along with the show's panel - Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sherri Shepherd, Elisabeth Hasselbeck - touches on a wide variety of topics including his upbringing, tattoos, education, his "dependence" on cough syrup and marijuana, along with others. The conversation is very open and Lil' Wayne answers the ladies' questions freely and articulately.
[My favorite part of the show is their brief discussion on Wayne's upbringing and the path his education has taken. I found it interesting hearing how Wayne was a straight-A student in middle school and how he was enrolled in a variety of artistic classes. I also was impressed to hear that he is currently taking psych classes at The University of Phoenix (after efforts to physically take classes at The University of Houston proved impossible). It was also a trip to contrast Wayne's poised, mild-mannered, articulate persona on "The View" with the super energetic, vulgar, hardcore persona Wayne portrays on stage and in his music.
I can't help but think back to Wayne's song, "Misunderstood". Wayne opens the song with the line, "misunderstood ain't gotta be explained/but you don't understand me so let me explain." Wayne often talks about being misunderstood and this interview illustrates that beautifully. Wayne is definitely much deeper and complex than people understand or give him credit for. I love seeing him on a show like "The View" because it gives viewers (and surely people who wouldn't normally listen to his music) an opportunity to see a different side of him and see that Wayne is more than the average rapper. His appearance on "The View" challenges stereotypes that people project on him, rappers, athletes and young black men in general.]
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