Day 303: “Runnin’” feat. Shanell – Rebirth, 2010

If we buy the premise that Rebirth embraced the idea of the rock star as an emotionally vulnerable figure, “Runnin’” is unabashedly its emo high water mark, down to the 2006 Myspace beanie and wallet chain look Wayne rocks in the video. There’s been a lot of discussion of artists like Lil Uzi Vert representing a new emo wave in rap, but Lil Wayne paved the way. It doesn’t get much more bleeding heart than these melodies or these lines:

Yeah I’m runnin’ out of time
I’m runnin’ out of space
Feel like I’m runnin’ round
But I’m runnin’ in place
We all in the race
I’m just another sprinter
If there’s no finish line
Then who’s the real winner?

Sometimes, shit sucks, and you need to pour out your soul in the most blatant way possible. Lil Wayne is and was no exception. Listen to more emo Lil Wayne.

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