Banned from NO
| "Banned from NO" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Lil Wayne | |
| from the album Tha Carter VI | |
| Released | June 6, 2025 |
| Genre | Hip-hop |
| Length | 3:38 |
| Label | |
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Producer(s) |
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"Banned from NO" is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne from his fourteenth studio album Tha Carter VI. Produced by TheNightAftr and Kamo, it samples the fanfare from "Banned from T.V." by Noreaga featuring Big Pun, Nature, Cam'ron, Jadakiss, and Styles P.[1] An official remix of the song with Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj was released on June 11, 2025.
Critical reception
[edit]Reviewing Tha Carter VI for Slant Magazine, Paul Attard considered the song one of the album's "high points", which he also described as "little more than reminders of the baseline competence that Wayne was once capable of" and "offer scant evidence that he's still evolving as an artist".[2] Paul A. Thompson of Pitchfork was critical of the song, commenting "The chorus of 'Banned From NO' is a barrage of rhyming phrases ('The cocaine whiter/The rope chain brighter/The choke chain tighter/The close-range sniper/The dope-game lifer…') delivered with such sleepy obligation as to become totally uninteresting."[3]
Remix
[edit]The official remix with Nicki Minaj and was released on June 11, 2025 as a bonus track from Tha Carter VI. Prior to its release, Lil Wayne was rumored to have a collaboration with Minaj on Tha Carter VI and fans were initially disappointed when Minaj did not appear on the album.[4] On the remix, Nicki Minaj references NBA teams Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers in double entendres,[4][5][6] as well as the 2025 NBA Finals,[7] before performing her verse.[4][5] Minaj references her recent cover on Vogue[5] and shouts out to her hometown of Jamaica, Queens,[6] in addition to taking shots at NFL player-turned-podcast host Shannon Sharpe,[4][5][7][8][9][10] followed by a reference to Lil Wayne's line "The 'F' is for 'phenomenal'" on his song "Yes".[4][5][6] Minaj ends her verse with a diss toward Jay-Z and the NFL, criticizing them for not choosing Lil Wayne to perform at the Super Bowl LIX halftime show.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
After the release of the remix, Nicki Minaj wrote on X that her line about Shannon Sharpe was a response to him replying "Nicki who?" when told that Minaj was interested in appearing on his podcast.[5][10] She also revealed she almost dissed his co-host Ochocinco on the podcast Nightcap in the song.[5] Sharpe subsequently apologized to Nicki on Nightcap.[11]
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[12] | 61 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[13] | 15 |
References
[edit]- ^ Reeves, Mosi (June 9, 2025). "Lil Wayne Fleetingly Reminds Us Why He's One of the Best". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 9, 2025. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
- ^ Attard, Paul (June 9, 2025). "Lil Wayne 'Tha Carter VI' Review: An Unfocused and Indifferent Victory Lap". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on June 9, 2025. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
- ^ Thompson, Paul. "Lil Wayne: Tha Carter VI". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 12, 2025. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Saponara, Michael (June 11, 2025). "Nicki Minaj Reunites With Lil Wayne for Fiery 'Banned From NO (Remix)': Listen". Billboard. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Trapp, Malcolm (June 11, 2025). "Listen To Nicki Minaj Fire Shots At Shannon Sharpe And More On Lil Wayne's "Banned From NO (Remix)"". Rap-Up. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ a b c d Williams, Aaron (June 11, 2025). "Lil Wayne Adds The Nicki Minaj Reunion 'Banned From NO (Remix)' To 'Tha Carter VI'". Uproxx. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ a b c Moore, Sam (June 11, 2025). "Nicki Minaj Blasts NFL Over Super Bowl On Lil Wayne Remix". HipHopDX. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ a b Cole, Alexander (June 11, 2025). "Nicki Minaj Delivers Lyrical Venom On The Remix To Lil Wayne's "Banned From NO"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ a b Cole, Alexander (June 11, 2025). "Nicki Minaj Takes Aim At Shannon Sharpe & Jay-Z On Lil Wayne's "Banned From NO" Remix". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ a b c Corrine, Amber (June 11, 2025). "Nicki Minaj Name-Drops Shannon Sharpe And Slights JAY-Z On "Banned From NO" Lil Wayne Collab". Vibe. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ Ocho, Alex (June 11, 2025). "Shannon Sharpe Apologizes to Nicki Minaj After She Dissed Him on Lil Wayne Remix". Complex. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ "Lil Wayne Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
- ^ "Lil Wayne Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2025.