Lil Wayne Reveals Disdain for the Big Apple: ‘I Don’t Like New York’

Ask Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, and they'll tell you how New York City's "streets will make you feel brand new." Lil Wayne begs to differ, and in a recent interview with MTV, he explained why he rarely, if ever, finds himself in an "Empire State of Mind."

"Flat out: I don't like New York," Weezy said, restating a well-known opinion that stems from his 2007 gun arrest outside of the city's Beacon Theater. The rapper subsequently served a year at Rikers Island, so it's fair to say his Big Apple experiences have been pretty rotten.

But they haven't all been bad. Last week, Wayne made a guest appearance at Nicki Minaj's free show at Roseland Ballroom, and he won't front like he didn't have fun.

"Last week was awesome," he told MTV. "I think everything happens for a reason. When people say that, you're not supposed to leave it at at that: 'Everything happens for a reason.' I believe everything happens for a reason, and then you make the most of that reason. I think we made the most of it last week."

Wayne once revealed that he would never perform in New York City following his arrest unless he was given "U2 money" to put on a show.