Lil Wayne Talks Early Retirement, What's Next

5:06 PM PDT 10/20/2011 by Sophie A. Schillaci

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The hip-hop mogul explains why he plans to retire at 35-years-old and what the decision means for Young Money’s Drake and Nicki Minaj.

Lil Wayne began his career early and he intends to end it early.

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The rapper posed for the cover of GQ, giving an in-depth interview regarding his recent success, retirement plans and how he feels about getting sober. Despite putting his success on hold for an eight-month prison sentence, Wayne is back and better than ever, selling one million copies of his most recent album, Tha Carter IV. Still, the 29-year-old founding father of Young Money intends to leave it all behind by the time he turns 35.

“Basically, I have been doing this for eighteen years. That’s reason number one,” he said. “I have accomplished all that I have set out to accomplish and more. Also, I have a label, and I’ve only put out two artists [Drake and Nicki Minaj]. I have a lot more work to do, and it’d be selfish to not focus on being the boss and focus on their projects.”

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Moreover, Wayne has expressed interest in becoming more involved in the lives of his young children.

“The main reason is my kids,” he confessed. “Now, if I thought I’d be selfish to my artists, imagine what I think I would be doing to my kids.”

“I have enough money that they don’t have to ever do anything —which, they will do everything, ‘cause they ain’t getting shit,” he added with a hearty cackle. “Six [more] years, I can do this Lil Wayne thing, and my boys will be about 7 and 8 years old. And man, it’s all about them then. You know, whatever they’re doing. Sports. Whatever they’re into. That’s where I am. I’m at every game. I’m the dad with the hat on. The jersey. That’s me.”

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The way Weezy sees it, he’ll be ready for a new beginning after entering the music industry at just 11-years-old – the youngest member of Cash Money Records.

Read the full Q&A at GQ.com.