Lil Wayne, the four-time Grammy winner and “Lollipop” rapper, on Monday said he will start selling his new album, ”Tha Carter IV,” online at midnight after the widely-watched awards show on 28 August. The CD hits retail stores on Monday.

The album features 15 tracks and includes collaborations with other artists such as Drake, Rick Ross, John Legend, T-Pain and Tech N9ne. A deluxe edition adds three tracks.

“I am extremely excited to be the first artist to utilise such an amazing idea,” Lil Wayne said in a statement. “I hope that I can open the door for others.”     

While releasing a full CD online just minutes after MTV’s Video Music Awards (VMAs) may be new, the rapper is hardly the first musician to use the show to generate media hype.

In 2003, Britney Spears and Madonna famously kissed onstage in what became an instant cause celebre, and last year Lady Gaga showed up in a dress made of raw meat, generating headlines around the world.

The VMAs, which honour musicians and performers in categories such as best new artist and top videos, is among MTV’s most watched programmes. Last year about 11,4 million viewers tuned in, making the programme a strong advertising vehicle to reach a highly-targeted, music-oriented audience.

Lil Wayne will perform on this year’s telecast, as will Adele, Lady Gaga, Chris Brown and Bruno Mars, among others. Presenters include Selena Gomez, Jonah Hill and Kim Kardashian.