Lil Wayne often goes unrecognized, and not just for his esteemed status in the music realm.

The acclaimed rapper, a five-time Grammy winner, graced the stage of Wells Fargo Arena on April 11, captivating the packed audience with his rapid-fire delivery of hit after hit. Eschewing lengthy banter, he maintained a brisk pace, pausing only to express genuine appreciation and offer a nod to Caitlin Clark. The performance was a testament to his skill as both a performer and wordsmith.

Weezy performed mixtape hit “Watch My Shoes” to the songs anyone listening to the radio the past two decades would recognize: “A Milli,” “Lollipop,” “Mrs. Officer,” “How to Love,” “6 Foot 7 Foot” and more.

Performing just a portion of each single meant there was never a lull, the crowd constantly cheering and shouting lyrics with ease.

And maybe the crowd at Wells Fargo Arena did so particularly well because Lil Wayne called the crowd “awesome,” saying that although people might tell them that often, the attendees truly were Thursday night.

Here are three memorable moments from Lil Wayne’s concert in Des Moines.

What we learned about Lil Wayne, by Lil Wayne
As the rapper told the crowd, here are three important things to know about him.

One, that we aren’t anything without each other. Two, that, he isn’t anything without us. And three? Once again, he isn’t anything without us.

The humility continued throughout the evening, with the rapper giving a brief “thank you” to the crowd after every song.

 

Let’s appreciate the people behind the scenes
After performing “Rich as F—,” the rapper invited the crowd to show some appreciation.

“I’m going to need you to make some noise for the people you see standing front stage with the yellow shirts on all around this mother—— for keeping this s— together tonight,” he said, referring to the security staff.

“Also, I’m going to need you to make some noise for the people that you don’t get to see for putting this s— together tonight.”

Lil Wayne shows love for Caitlin Clark
It’s not all that surprising that the face of college basketball got name-dropped at another concert in Des Moines fresh off Iowa women’s basketball’s return to the NCAA Tournament championship game — country star Tim McGraw donned a Clark jersey during his show at the Wells Fargo Arena in March.

It’s especially unsurprising knowing that the rapper has been a women’s basketball fan.

Rapper Lil Wayne performs at Wells Fargo Arena, Thursday, April 11, 2024 in Des Moines, Iowa.

In the past year, he praised LSU basketball player Angel Reese and offered her advice in an interview with Taylor Rooks and Bleacher Report.

He also congratulated Clark on social media when she reached 3,000 points in her Iowa career.

Well, the love briefly continued at his concert.

“Y’all know anything about Caitlin Clark?” Lil Wayne teased the crowd.

He called the basketball star “dope” before dedicating the next song, “I’m Single,” to the ladies in the crowd.

 

Who opened for Lil Wayne?
“The Uproar” singer was joined by rapper Cordae, whose debut album “The Lost Boy” was nominated for a Grammy. It was Cordae’s first time performing in Iowa.

Also opening was Australian rockers Selfish Sons. Earlier in the evening, rappers Starda and Iowa’s own Juliano Dock performed, as well as singer Young LA.

 

How old is Lil Wayne?
The rapper is 41 years old. He was born Sept. 27, 1982, according to Billboard.