Joy Bonfield-Colombara, a budding artist from southeast London, found herself grappling with the hefty £9,500 annual tuition fees at the Royal College of Art. Just as she contemplated withdrawing from her studies due to financial strain, a serendipitous opportunity arose.

An email arrived from a mutual acquaintance of Lil Wayne, expressing interest in commissioning a special birthday gift for the rapper. Joy, also known as Joy BC, seized the chance to craft a striking necklace for the celebrated artist. Crafted from 18-carat gold and adorned with two diamonds to mirror Lil Wayne’s signature teardrop tattoos, the necklace swiftly garnered attention after Lil Wayne was spotted wearing it on television.

The undisclosed sum for the commission, described only as “thousands,” proved to be a significant windfall for Joy, significantly alleviating her university financial burdens. Reflecting on the unexpected turn of events, Joy expressed her initial disbelief upon learning of the commission’s recipient. Her deep-rooted admiration for Lil Wayne’s music from her formative years further underscored the surreal nature of the collaboration.