In the unpredictable world of Lil Wayne, few moments qualify as “ordinary,” but an incident in Saudi Arabia in 2020 certainly stands out—even by rap superstar standards.
What began as a tense encounter with customs officials at Riyadh Airport turned into a lavish act of diplomacy orchestrated by none other than Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).
Upon arrival, Wayne was stopped by customs after officials found what they claimed was over $25,000 worth of jewelry in his luggage—items that, under Saudi law, should have been declared in advance. As tensions escalated, the rapper considered abandoning the trip altogether. “I told myself—this ain’t worth it, I’m outta here,” Wayne later recalled.
News of the incident reached MBS, the then 35-year-old crown prince known for his sweeping reforms, immense wealth, and efforts to reshape the Kingdom’s global image. Rather than issue a formal apology, MBS chose a more personal approach: he visited Wayne directly at his hotel suite.
“He walked in like it was the most normal thing ever,” Wayne recounted. “He handed me a Franck Muller watch, said it was worth about twenty-five ‘thousand.’”
But the surprise didn’t end there. With a smile, MBS reportedly said: “I forgot something. Lamborghini or Ferrari?”
“Lamborghini.”
“What color?”
“Black.”
“In front of your house in three weeks. Sorry for the inconvenience.”
Wayne assumed it was just a grand gesture. But sure enough, days later, a black Lamborghini Urus—a luxury SUV with the soul of a supercar—was delivered to his home.
“It showed up two or three days ago,” Wayne said with a grin. “That man wasn’t playing.”
Was MBS a Lil Wayne fan? Maybe. Or perhaps he simply wanted one of the world’s most recognizable artists to leave Saudi Arabia with a good impression. Either way, Wayne got a story—and a Lamborghini—that he’ll never forget.
