Lil Wayne

Two days later, Wayne is back in Manhattan for the first time since his release. He’s at the NBC studios at 30 Rock, doing rehearsals for Saturday Night Live, where he’s the musical guest along with Eminem. Wayne is dressed backstage-casual in grey sweats and a fuzzy red beanie that says fuck em. (The lack of apostrophe is problematic, given his company, but if Em notices, he graciously doesn’t mention it.)

As they run through their songs, several cast members come out to watch. Kristen Wiig is dancing, Jason Sudeikis is nodding his head. Kenan Thompson says he’s been a Wayne fan since the late Nineties: “I love Eminem, but that’s my nigga.” (Andy Samberg says he would have been there too, but he wasn’t sure how Eminem felt about his digital shorts: “White guys doing funny rap? I dunno, I think it’s a little too close.”)

After the run-through, they move over to shoot some promo spots. This week’s host, Jeff Bridges, enters the studio and comes straight over to Wayne. “Hey, man!” he honks in his Bridge-ian way. They exchange an introductory hug. It’s too bad Wayne doesn’t smoke anymore, because if ever there were a man to share a doob with, the Dude is it.

Everyone takes their places for the promos, Bridges in the middle between the rappers and Thompson. It’s quiet on the set, then five, four, three, two”¦

“Hi, I’m Jeff Bridges, and I’m hosting SNL this week ”“ we’ve got Eminem and Little Wayne!”

SNL producer Marci Klein interrupts. “Um, sorry, Jeff? I”¦ can you, uh”¦ did you say the ”˜T’?” Her head swivels toward Wayne. “Isn’t it ”˜Lil’?”

“I’m so sorry!” Bridges says. “Did I say Little Wayne?”

“Oh, it doesn’t matter, man!” Wayne says, smiling. “It does not matter at all.”

Two nights from now they’ll shoot the show, with Wayne introducing his new single ”˜6 Foot 7 Foot’ to a national audience. He’s doing a couple of other TV tapings while he’s in town, one for BET and one for an NBC New Year’s special. (No concerts, though ”“ Wayne has vowed never to set foot on a New York stage again. “They’d have to give me U2 money.”) Then, next week, he’ll go on his first post-prison vacation. He hasn’t decided where yet ”“ he’s thinking the black-sand beaches of Hawaii, or maybe the Napa Valley. Drake recommended Napa ”“ “Your phone doesn’t work,” Wayne says. “I heard it’s a very relaxing place.”

But he’s also been wanting to get over to Greece ”“ to one island in particular. He says he was dreaming of it the whole time he was in prison. “For some reason, it just helped me escape. I’d literally have to blink my eyes and be like, ”˜Damn, I’m still in this bitch?’ It felt like I was on that beach.” What’s the name of it again? Something with an S. He thinks for a second, then recalls it with a Mediterranean flourish: “The isle of Santorini.”

It sounds beautiful. Are the beaches nice?

“I’ve never been,” says Wayne. “A CO told me about it.”