Lil Wayne: ‘My regret in life is that I didn’t go to college, so my kids will do it for me’

Lil Wayne’s education history is examined in this article, dispelling internet falsehoods. Many sources claim Lil Wayne received an honorary degree from the University of Houston, but he did not. I verified this with the university.

One of the most popular rappers ever, Lil Wayne (Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr.) doesn’t need a formal education. It is commonly known that the artist took psychology classes at the University of Houston in 2005.

Lil Wayne has confirmed his University of Houston attendance in interviews and according to many sources. However, Lil Wayne did not get an honorary degree from Houston University in 2008. Many websites assert this, including Revolt, AllHipHop, The List, and BestAccreditedColleges.

During my study on rappers with degrees, I discovered this issue. I researched it and found Lil Wayne multiple times.

I discovered no credible sources confirming Lil Wayne’s degree. My direct contact with the University of Houston confirmed that the rapper did not receive a degree.

Many rappers have honorary degrees. The university usually releases a press release and local media covers rappers’ honorary degrees. This one about Missy Elliot, Dizzee Rascal, and LL Cool J are examples.

No press releases exist for Lil Wayne. No example came up in my exhaustive search.

Given that Lil Wayne is one of the most esteemed rappers of all time, a university would announce his graduation on their website or another.

Notable Omissions in Relevant Publications

Beyond the absence of press coverage, respected publications rarely mention Lil Wayne’s honorary degree.

The University of Houston’s student publication, The Daily Cougar, discussed Lil Wayne as a 2016 commencement speaker in 2015. We all know Lil Wayne never graduated from the university. 

But more importantly, they highlight that Jim Nantz, another commencement speech candidate, received an honorary degree in 2001. No mention is made of Lil Wayne receiving such a degree.

Official University Records

Finally, University of Houston records show that no honorary doctorates were awarded in 2008.

In theory, the institution might have given non-doctoral degrees without publishing them. However, this is not true.

The institution responded quickly to my freedom of information request, validating this list of honorary degrees from the institution of Houston. It appears that Lil Wayne has not received an honorary degree from the university.