Baby: 'I'm Losing My Son To Jail'

Williams discovered the rapper, who he considers his son, and admits Wayne's 12-month jail spell on weapons charges will be tough on him.

He has pledged to visit his protege at New York's notorious Rikers Island prison weekly - and hopes that will be enough to keep both men upbeat.

He says, "I've been with him forever. It will be the first time in my life I'll not be reachable to him.

"We work together, we're on the road together. We're always together. I try not to even think about it... I'm losing something in my soul."

And he's not the only one worrying about the next 12 months while Lil Wayne is locked up - his Cash Money label artist Drake admits the prison sentence will hit home when the rapper is sentenced next week (beg08Feb10).

He tells Complex magazine, "We don't really talk about it. It's surreal to me still. I guess on the day that it really happens, I'll start thinking about what I gotta do.

"I wanna have a talk with Wayne and ask him what he needs from me."