Lil Wayne is an American rapper who founded the record label Young Money Entertainment in 2005. Young Money has signed several successful artists over the years including Drake and Nicki Minaj. There has been some confusion around whether Lil Wayne actually owns Young Money or not. In this article, we’ll examine the history of Young Money, Lil Wayne’s role in the label, and who really controls it.
The Founding of Young Money Entertainment
In 2005, Lil Wayne wanted to start his own record label as an imprint under Cash Money Records, the label he was signed to. He named it Young Money Entertainment. The ‘Young’ represented the young talent he wanted to showcase, while ‘Money’ referenced making money.
The first artist Lil Wayne signed was rapper Currensy in 2005. Over the next few years, he signed several more up and coming artists like Nicki Minaj, Drake, Tyga, Lil Twist, Jae Millz, Gudda Gudda, and Mack Maine. Lil Wayne served as both the founder and president of Young Money.
Young Money’s Distribution Deal with Cash Money/Universal
Even though Young Money operated as its own label, it didn’t have its own distribution deal. In 2007, Lil Wayne negotiated a joint venture deal between Young Money and Cash Money Records, which was distributed through Universal Records. This meant that all Young Money artists would be jointly signed to both labels.
Cash Money and Universal helped provide distribution, marketing, and other label services to Young Money artists. However, Young Money operated its own recording budget and had creative control over its music and branding.
Young Money’s Success
Young Money Entertainment went on to become a very successful imprint. Its flagship artists Nicki Minaj and Drake have become two of the biggest rap stars in the world.
Other major hits from Young Money artists include:
- Lil Wayne – Lollipop, A Milli
- Drake – Best I Ever Had, Started From The Bottom
- Nicki Minaj – Super Bass, Starships
- Tyga – Rack City
By 2012, Young Money had surpassed Cash Money in commercial viability and mainstream popularity. It remains one of the most influential record labels in hip hop today.
Does Lil Wayne Own Young Money?
This is where things get complicated. On paper, Lil Wayne does not outright own Young Money Entertainment – it is jointly owned by Cash Money and Universal.
However, most industry insiders and experts still consider Young Money to be Lil Wayne’s label. There are several reasons for this:
- Lil Wayne founded and named the label himself in 2005.
- He handpicked all the original Young Money artists.
- Lil Wayne served as Young Money’s president and CEO and oversaw all creative direction.
- In public and interviews, Lil Wayne frequently refers to Young Money artists as his own signees.
So even though Lil Wayne is not the outright owner, he exercised full creative control as if he was. Many people viewed Cash Money and Universal strictly as silent financial partners while Lil Wayne called the shots.
Lawsuits Over Young Money Ownership
In January 2015, Lil Wayne filed a $51 million lawsuit against Cash Money and Birdman over unpaid royalties and Young Money ownership. Lil Wayne claimed he was never properly compensated for his work at Young Money.
In June 2018, Wayne and Cash Money settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount. After the settlement, Lil Wayne seemed to confirm he was the owner of Young Money, stating:
“I do own Young Money, and I got my pieces that I own at Young Money.”
However, there has been no official legal confirmation of sole ownership. Cash Money Records founder Birdman still claims that he and Universal jointly own half of Young Money.
So in summary – the exact ownership stakes are unclear. But for all practical purposes, Young Money operates as Lil Wayne’s personal label with final creative control, even if on paper he doesn’t have 100% ownership.
Young Money Roster
Here is a table summarizing the current and former artists signed to Young Money Entertainment:
Artist | Years Active |
---|---|
Lil Wayne | 2005 – Present |
Mack Maine | 2005 – Present |
Nicki Minaj | 2007 – Present |
Drake | 2009 – Present |
Tyga | 2009 – 2017 |
Cory Gunz | 2009 – Present |
Lil Twist | 2010 – Present |
Chanel West Coast | 2012 – Present |
Euro | 2012 – Present |
Flow | 2013 – Present |
Current Status of Young Money
In the mid 2010s, activity slowed down at Young Money. Its two biggest stars, Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj, both left Cash Money Records due to disputes. Drake was rumored to leave as well.
However, Lil Wayne seems to have rebuilt the label after his legal issues. Recent signees include Euro, Chanel West Coast, Flow, and Lil Twist. Wayne also appears to have patched up relationships with Nicki Minaj and Drake, both of whom remain involved with Young Money.
While not as commercially dominant as its heyday, Young Money Entertainment remains an influential label in rap under Lil Wayne’s oversight.
Conclusion
In summary:
- Lil Wayne founded Young Money Entertainment in 2005 as an imprint under Cash Money Records.
- He signed and developed all original Young Money artists, including Nicki Minaj and Drake.
- Due to lawsuits, Lil Wayne’s exact ownership stake is unclear – but he operates Young Money independently as if he was the sole owner.
- Young Money remains influential in rap music under Lil Wayne’s creative direction.
So while the legal specifics are disputed, there is no doubt that Young Money is Lil Wayne’s label. He established it, he runs it, and it’s become a hip hop powerhouse under his guiding hand.