Lil Wayne says Nicki Minaj’s influence on women in hip-hop is greater than some artists are willing to admit.

The Young Money founder discussed Nicki Minaj’s legacy during an appearance on DJ Drama’s Gangsta Grillz Podcast. Although the interview was recorded in 2023, the complete conversation was officially released this week.

During the rare long-form interview, Lil Wayne reflected on his career, the state of hip-hop and the artists whose impact continues to shape the culture.

When the conversation turned to Nicki Minaj, Wayne credited his longtime collaborator with changing the landscape for women in mainstream rap.

“I believe she’s responsible for a lot of artists we see out here that probably won’t admit that,” Lil Wayne said.

His comments suggested that several women rappers have benefited from the path Nicki Minaj created, even if they do not publicly acknowledge her influence.

Nicki rose to global fame after signing with Young Money and appearing alongside Wayne on several major collaborations. Since then, she has become one of the most commercially successful and influential women in hip-hop history.

Nicki Minaj’s influence on female rap has remained a frequent topic among fans, critics and other artists.

Supporters have credited her with helping women rappers regain a stronger presence in mainstream hip-hop during an era when few female artists were consistently dominating the charts.

Her music, fashion, animated delivery and ability to move between rap and pop have also influenced a younger generation of performers.

Wayne’s latest remarks add to the ongoing conversation about whether newer women rappers give Nicki Minaj enough recognition for her impact.

Lil Wayne played a major role in introducing Nicki Minaj to a wider audience after bringing her into the Young Money roster.

Their partnership produced collaborations including “High School,” “Truffle Butter,” “BedRock” and “Seeing Green.”

Despite both artists building separate careers and legacies, Wayne and Nicki have continued to publicly praise each other over the years.

Wayne’s comments on the Gangsta Grillz Podcast showed that his respect for Nicki Minaj’s influence has not changed.

Elsewhere in the interview, Lil Wayne discussed whether he would participate in a Verzuz battle.

The rapper said he had little interest in the performance series because he did not believe the format would produce a competitive matchup for him.

Wayne appeared confident that his extensive catalog of solo records, mixtapes, features and collaborations would be difficult for another artist to challenge.

As fans continue debating his comments about Nicki Minaj and Verzuz, Lil Wayne is also looking ahead to the next chapter of his career, including the anticipated release of Tha Carter VII.