Lil Wayne Covers RESPECT. Magazine

Talk about perfect timing. Lil Wayne, who has been making headlines recently -- for both good and bad reasons -- is the cover boy for the latest issue of RESPECT. magazine.

The publication will pay tribute to the Young Money honcho with a "career retrospective on one of rap's greatest artists." While that tagline is debatable, there's no doubt Weezy has been stirring up controversy with his crazy antics.

At Birdman's birthday party during the NBA All-Star weekend, Tunechi got on the mic and dissed the Miami Heat and claimed that he bedded Chris Bosh's wife. He also proclaimed that he's the new Tupac Shakur.

Prior to that, the 'No Worries' rapper garnered backlash for his crude verse on Future's 'Karate Chop (Remix),' which referenced the late Emmett Till. Epic Records has since apologized to the Till family and edited the song before it was released today (Feb. 19) on iTunes.

Future defended Wayne's lyrical direction on the song and insists that he didn't have any ill intent with his wordplay. "The record, it was done from a good place, good art; he ain't have no bad intentions when he was thinking about it like that," he tells MTV News.

"It was used in a different way, but I understand it," he continues. "So at the end of the day we're gonna move on from it and find a way to build."

Back to RESPECT., the mag will also feature several photo spreads of Birdman, Rick Ross, Frank Ocean, Big Sean and Tyler, the Creator.

The new issue of RESPECT. magazine, with Lil Wayne on the cover, hits newsstands March 5.

Watch Lil Wayne's 'Love Me' Video Feat. Future & Drake