With three tweets on September 3, Lil Wayne announced what may be his retirement from recording music. In believing his announcement to be based in truth, it’s time to acknowledge why he’s easily one of popular music’s most game-changing artists and likely to get a ton of spins at Decades. In taking rap music from being driven by the radio, pop charts and concerts to being pushed by the internet and the club, he opened the door for the future of music and changed the industry forever.

There’s video footage of Lil Wayne getting turnt in New York City nightclubs at the age of 13. Southern rap broke all of the industry’s established rules, but in Lil Wayne being signed to Cash Money at 13 and earning millions of dollars as a rapper by 16 by being featured on Juvenile’s “Back Dat Azz Up,” B.G.’s “Bling Bling” and releasing his own single “Tha Block Is Hot,” Lil Wayne arguably broke them best. Weezy was already well along his way to iconic status long before he could vote, drink or drive. However, let’s be clear that part of what makes Wayne a superstar is that it’s highly likely he was already doing two of the three activities listed long before his 18th birthday.

By the time Wayne was 21, he was four albums and 11 released singles into his solo career and releasing the Mannie Fresh-produced single “Go D.J.,” which was his second top 10 rap release. Between 2005-2008, Wayne’s output continued to be significant to the point where amazingly enough, he had sold nearly 10 million singles without ever having any of them crack Billboard’s Top 10.

Between the release of his albums The Carter II and The Carter III, Wayne released seven internet-only mixtapes. The thus appropriately nicknamed “Mixtape Weezy” released some 150 tracks on non-mainstream album material in three years, songs that became classics to a new generation of music consumers who were more likely to download music on the internet for free than to purchase an album in a retail store. Amazingly enough, Wayne’s biggest selling album was 2008’s The Carter III, the one that came after his mixtape-driven hiatus, but as a testament to his internet-driven fame, it’s only sold just under four million copies since its release.

Prior to Lil Wayne’s success, one could look to a rap artist’s own albums and find all of their most iconic moments. However, Wayne’s mold-breaking extends to here as well, as he’s unquestionably the king of the “guest appearance on another rapper or DJ’s club hit or remix.”

From 1999’s already discussed “Back Dat Azz Up” and “Bling Bling” to DJ Khaled’s “I’m So Hood,” “I’m On One,” and “We Takin’ Over,” Chris Brown’s “Look At Me Now,” will i. am and Britney Spears’ “Scream And Shout,” Fat Joe’s “Make It Rain” and Jay Sean’s “Down,” Lil Wayne has always appeared to be an artist who had multiple hit songs everywhere at the same time. As well, it always appeared as if these singles were all aimed at being as supremely turnt up in the club as humanly possible.  In fact, if you head out to Decades soon, we’re quite certain that in the club’s hip-hop friendly room that you’ll be hearing all of these aforementioned hits, possibly sometimes one after the other.

In looking at the future of where rap is headed, it’s possible that the success of artists like Wayne’s protege Drake and Chicago-based star Chance the Rapper is directly related to what Lil Wayne accomplished. Drake’s 2015-released collaborative album with Future was originally released as an internet-only mixtape, and is filled to the brim with club-ready heaters. Also, Chance the Rapper does not have a mainstream record deal, and the idea that he’s ONLY wanting to put out free internet mixtapes has made Grammy change it’s tune about nominating and awarding music that’s been released for free.

Whether or not Wayne returns is anyone’s best guess. However, his legacy is absolute and certainly worthy of celebration.

On that note, Decades is opening soon.