
09/26/2025
Before Lil Wayne was crowned one of the greatest rappers alive, before Tha Carter series and his feature-dominating run, there was Sqad Up—a tight-knit crew from New Orleans that played a critical role in shaping not just Wayne’s legacy, but also the blueprint for modern-day mixtape culture.
Formed in the early 2000s, Sqad Up was more than just a rap group; it was a movement born from friendship, street credibility, and a shared hunger for greatness. The original lineup included Lil Wayne, Gudda Gudda, Kidd Kidd, T-Streets, Raw Dizzy, Young Yo, Sha Tura, Fee Banks, and Supa Blanco, with Raj Smoove handling production. What started as tour camaraderie between Wayne, Young Yo, and Supa Blanco quickly evolved into a full-fledged squad thanks to some encouragement from Dino Delvaille, the Universal Records A&R who helped broker Cash Money’s major-label deal.….READ MORE