As a fan first, I'm thankful for your health and the freedom of you being able to leave the game "on two feet and never knees in the dirt". I don't even want to contemplate the thought of you retiring, although if anyone deserves a seat on the throne it is you sir. Several trends and sounds in hip hop were never officially hot until you cosigned it with your approval. At the the rapid pace music is moving today, the art and skill put into is lost and rappers like yourself get underappreciated. A Lil Wayne song, from any year is always the common ground and sing along song at any social event. There isn't a number we can place on your influence it's only seen in the masses of people. Your legacy won't be understood the same by every individual person, which is unfortunate. The Wayne I know taught a young boy from Arkansas what a metaphor was before school, the Wayne I grew up listening to made it okay for Jay Z records to get a listen, other than “Big Pimpin”, honestly. But if you aren't from the south then maybe you wouldn't understand that. The people that you have worked with in the music industry speaks volumes about your character because they are all major figures in the public eye. From Drake, to Curren$y, to Titty Boy (2-Chainz) you have inspired people who have inspired even more people! Southern cities like Atlanta, Houston, Memphis and New Orleans had a huge impact on the spread of the southern culture early throughout the world via music. The transition to becoming Lil Wayne, the best rapper alive wasn't easy, more so for you than any rapper ever. The list of competition in the state of Louisiana was impressive on its own. Silk the shocker, Juvenile, and even Master P. Louisiana was full of MCs that had respected flow. Tune wanted to be an icon more than just great, so you separated yourself and stopped writing your music. A fundamental of music was completely gone from your skill set and you turned it into an incomparable career. 1.5 million Records sold in one week for the Carter III. Even after the album leaked. In the world of all downloads that we live in that is something that will never be done again. I applaud you, and my personal message Is, do what makes you happy regardless the outcome! #FREEC5