Lil Wayne Laughs For Letterman, Cries For Couric As Grammys Near

Before he takes the stage in front of an audience of millions at this Sunday's Grammy Awards, Lil Wayne gave a sneak preview of what Americans can expect from the dread-locked, grillz-wearing rapper by reading the Top 10 list on last night's Late Show With David Letterman. The "Reasons I'm Looking Forward to the Grammys" countdown itself wasn't that funny, with "Number eight, I'm nominated in the category of 'Littlest Wayne'" probably the most LOL of the bunch.

Overall, the Top 10 list would've been a lot better had the newly rocking rapper used Auto Tune as he counted down to Number One. We hate to poke fun at Weezy, but the definite highlight is Wayne's obvious inexperience using teleprompters, accidentally reading the "Pause" cue following "I get to hang with the Jonas Brothers. Have you seen those guys? They're adorable." (Or, as the commenters are telling us, in hip-hop lingo saying "pause" is meant to deflect any gay implications, which is news to us.)

Wayne will make a startling different television appearance this Sunday as one of Katie Couric's interviewees during her pre-Grammy special. (Watch a clip after the jump). We learn early that Wayne has been obsessed with bowling since he was 16 and even owns four custom-made balls, but the tears come out when Weezy talks about Hurricane Katrina, his deadbeat dad and his addiction to cough syrup. While Wayne insists that he's no longer addicted to the drank, the rapper stands by his marijuana. "I will stand up for weed any day," Wayne says before trying to convince every confused middle-ager in America that he smokes for medicinal purposes like soothing migraines rather than recreationally. "I'm a rapper and that's who I am, Miss Katie," Weezy says, "And I am a gangsta, and I do what I want. And I love to smoke."

Couric will also interview Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and many more stars prior to this Sunday's Grammy Awards. Of course, keep it tuned to Rolling Stone's Grammy hub for your fix of all-access coverage of this year's star-studded ceremony.

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Song Stories

“Weird”

Hanson | 1997

Accomplished tunesmith Desmond Child co-wrote "Weird" with the three brothers that make up Hanson. Credited for dozens of cuts, including songs by Kiss, Cher, Bon Jovi and Aerosmith, Child told Rolling Stone that "Weird" holds a special place in his heart, "because it's about being different--and I grew up poor, I grew up being Latin, I grew up being gay, and now I'm fat!" The song was included on Hanson's 1997 album Middle of Nowhere, which sold more than ten million units.

More Song Stories entries »

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