Few artists ever reach the heights Lil Wayne has, and for the Young Money captain, that is both a gift and a curse. And it's a dilemma that Weezy tackles on "Nightmares of the Bottom," a new track off the New Orleans lyricist's upcoming album Tha Carter IV.
After performing the track for the first time during the taping of his "MTV2 Presents: Lil Wayne Unplugged," set to air Sunday on MTV, MTV2 and MTV.com, the self-proclaimed Martian broke down the song's meaning. "I mean simply, sleeping at the top with nightmares of the bottom," Wayne told' Sway. "Everybody says it's lonely at the top. It is lonely, so I dream, though, and the only thing I dream about is being down there with the people that ain't lonely. Thank God I am alone."
With eight solo albums and more than 10 million records sold, Wayne has tasted too much success to see his stock dip, so for him, a fall back to earth is a definite fear, he admitted.
"And that's simply what it is: nightmares of the bottom," he added before rapping the song's lyrics: "Sleeping at the top/ Nightmares of the bottom/ Everybody wanna be fly, until you swat 'em."
"Lil Wayne Unplugged" features Tunechi performing acoustic versions of his already classic catalog and places Weezy in the same class as hip-hop luminaries Jay-Z, Lauryn Hill and LL Cool J, who also took the unplugged stage.
"Lil Wayne is an amazing choice for Unplugged as he is at hip-hop's forefront — leading a new generation of artists whose appeal spans across music genres and playlists," Amy Doyle, MTV's executive vice president of music and talent, said in a statement. "Lil Wayne's skills, influence, and catalog are a powerful addition to the legacy of artists who have rocked the 'Unplugged' stage."
Don't miss "MTV2 Presents: Lil Wayne Unplugged," premiering Sunday, June 12, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on MTV2, MTV and MTV.com.