Time Magazine Compares Lil Wayne To Bob Dylan

In perhaps the most famous American magazine of all, Time, this week's issue includes a full-page article on Lil Wayne, titled "The Best Rapper Alive." Writer Josh Tyrangiel chronicles Lil Wayne's life and times, his expectation-shattering sales of The Carter III [click to read], and a lengthy synopsis of his unique approach to rhyming and releasing catalogue.

Perhaps exposing Wayne to unfamiliar audiences, the writer twice compares the emcee to Folk/Rock icon Bob Dylan. First, the article compares the rapper's raspy tone to sounding "like Redd Foxx covering Bob Dylan." Secondly, and to close, the piece ventures to compare the creative output and approach to the 67 year-old who famously sang "Hurricane," as well as appeared in Wyclef Jean's 1997 video for "Gone Till November." The second-to-last sentence states, "Wayne claims his rhymes are stream of consciousness, but even if they aren't, they sound as though they're hitting the air for the first time, unfolding with an electricity that's - forbid the sacrilege - Dylanesque."

The article, citing Wayne as "the undisputed champ," quotes three of the rapper's songs, including "Dr. Carter," "Don'tGetIt" and "Phone Home" as examples.

The issue, with Mark Twain on the cover, is on newsstands now.