After a protracted legal feud full of ugly revelations, countless seizures, and an attempt on his life, Lil Wayne finally severed his contract with Cash Money Records kingpin Bryan “Birdman” Williams and released Tha Carter V this summer after a 7-year wait.

And keenly aware of the emotional and financial toll that this journey took on him, the “Uproar” spitter took a moment to shoutout the real ones who held him down during his lowest lows at the final stop of his “I Ain’t Sh*t Without You” tour.

“There’s people like JAY-Z. He helped me out when I was really, really, really down. Really, really, really down,” the 5-time Grammy winner told the crowd. “There’s people like Swizz Beatz who’s gonna send me every single beat he make and wants me to rap on every single one until I got my situation straight. Jay don’t want me to tell nobody. That man helped me with my taxes. He’s a real friend y’all.”

His taxes? Now that’s definitely a real one.

And with Roc Nation’s influence extending well beyond Roc-A-Fella Records heyday, with its record label and managerial branches, it makes you wonder how many other artists Brooklyn’s own Secret Santa has helped out throughout the years.

Courtesy The Root