Lil Wayne is facing a year behind bars in February, but don’t expect either the rapper or his label, Cash Money, to fall off the radar in his absence.
Birdman, who is the co-founder of Cash Money, already has a plan in place to keep both the label and rap’s top-selling artist in the limelight. Birdman recently released his own album, ”Pricele$$,” and a new Lil Wayne CD is planned for release soon; albums by rappers Drake and Bow Wow are to come early next year. They also have the hot singer Jay Sean, who had a No. 1 hit with Lil Wayne, ”Down.”
Still, Birdman’s biggest concern isn’t about Cash Money — he’s grappling with how to deal with the pending imprisonment of Lil Wayne, who pleaded guilty last month to an illegal weapons charge. Birdman discovered the 27-year-old rapper at age 11 and often refers to him as ”my son.”
The Associated Press: What is the premise behind your CD’s first single, ”Always Strapped,” featuring Lil Wayne and Mack Maine?
Birdman: My philosophy for ”Strapped” ain’t just about a gun. You could be strapped about life. I think people just took to it. The music and beat was hot, the content of the song. All of it.
AP: Where do you see yourself fitting in the rap paradigm — obviously Lil Wayne is on top. Do you care anymore?
Birdman: I love to still do it. I could be doing a lot of other things. But I love being an artist. I love the other things like dealing with my son Wayne and his music. It’s half and half.
AP: Lil Wayne emerged as the best-selling figure in music after last year’s success of ”Tha Carter III.” Now, he’ll have to spend a year in jail. How do you think being incarcerated will effect his career?
Birdman: My son is the most rapping (expletive) on earth. But at this point, I don’t care about that. Forget rap. It’s about him right now. I got to deal with a situation I’ve never had to deal with in my life. It ain’t cool with me, but we have to live through it.
AP: After Lil Wayne left the courthouse, what kind of advice did you give him?
Birdman: To keep doing what he loves — music. That’s the only thing we’ve got. You take that away from us, we really don’t need to live. Music, that’s the only thing that gets the stress off your mind to make you feel better. It’s how good it sounds after you’ve done it. The enjoyment of it.
AP: Will Lil Wayne continue to release music while he’s in jail?
Birdman: Of course. I don’t know how many, bruh. It’s up to him. It’s his world. My son is his own boss. Whatever he wants to do, we’ll back him up.
AP: Lil Wayne is easily the mainstay for Cash Money. When he’s gone, will your record label suffer?
Birdman: Not as a company. But we will suffer in losing my son Wayne, who we love. Him as a person means more to me than anything.
AP: Up-and-coming rapper Drake is becoming more popular. Do you see him being a bigger star than Lil Wayne?
Birdman: Drake is already a superstar.
AP: But as big as Wayne?
Birdman: That’s 20 years from now. Hopefully, he’ll be bigger. That’s what we’re striving for. We ain’t tripping. We’re working hard for him to be bigger than anyone else. We want the best for him.
AP: How does Cash Money compare to other rap label empires?
Birdman: Now, I don’t see any top labels. I look around and see all those people who did it before me. To me, the labels, I don’t see no company with constant success with a clique. At some point, there was a lot of people doing this. It used to be crowded. I see a lot of people who have done it, and now don’t see them.
Props Associated Press
December 1st, 2009 at 10:07 pm
First Bitch Cali Stay on top
December 1st, 2009 at 10:08 pm
fuck you for being first it AIN’T MEAN SHIT!
December 1st, 2009 at 10:08 pm
Sill Cant Believe It.
December 1st, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Fuck Bullshit weezy’s imprisonment is a Bad THing lol
December 1st, 2009 at 10:12 pm
@Phaboy.
Can You Rephrase That.
December 1st, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Who cares if u r first
December 1st, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Why Do Ppl Say First!!
They Soun Fuckn Dopey
But Glad To Hear Weezy Isz Stiill Gunna Be Realsing Musick In Jail
December 1st, 2009 at 10:28 pm
whahah look at drake in the picca
December 1st, 2009 at 10:34 pm
I don’t know why Birdman didn’t talk about Young Money. Lil Wayne’s Young Money record label is getting just as big and just as popular then Cash Money. I suppose they kind of go together. YMCMB is what Birdman likes to call it now. YMCMB stands for Young Money Cash Money Business. Young Money is out. Keep it real… Yaa Digg!?
December 1st, 2009 at 11:00 pm
yea gladd to hear wayne dropping music in jail hope he will do a lot
December 1st, 2009 at 11:01 pm
drake will never be as big as wayne. straight up. has wayne to shave his dreads off when he´s in jail? hope not
December 1st, 2009 at 11:48 pm
dude wayne goin to prison and that aint cool a whole year im sorry but rap will be dead in the mainstream for a whole year RIP rap for a year
December 2nd, 2009 at 12:21 am
drake get bigger than wayne ? hahaha NO WAY.. NEVER ahaa drakes good but he aint that good..and wayne going to prison sucks but hes gunna be dropping tracks while hes in there and when he gets out its gunna make him better.. hes gunna have alot to say.. and being in jail, it means hes puttin the cup down for that year. which is good.. rap wont die.. it’ll have a stroke but when he back, better believe he’l make it well again!
YMCMB!
December 2nd, 2009 at 12:27 am
Man ya should fuck wit all young money cuz ya know when wayne goes in for jail ya niggaz gonna be flippin ight so real tlk ya fuck with all young money
I dont know about ya but umm!!YOUNG MONEY THE GREATEST
http://www.myspace.com/waynemaniac
December 2nd, 2009 at 12:29 am
That aint drake in the picture..its kev rudolf
December 2nd, 2009 at 12:48 am
drake will never be bigger than lil wayne
December 2nd, 2009 at 1:21 am
It’s sad wayne’s gotta go 2 jail but watta bout the kush & all those other drugs he do. Ain’t he finna like bug out & go crazy?
December 2nd, 2009 at 1:59 am
Nah, Rema. That’s Drake.
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:11 am
WOW man dis is gona be a hard thing to live threw knowing lil’wayne(the best rapper alive) is gone/:-(
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:19 am
MAN I WANT TO BE WIT YOUNG MONEY SO BAD !!!!!
but ay peoples check me out at http://www.myspace.com/yaboyjsax tell me what u think…add me…I WOULD APPRECIATE IT
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:52 am
WAYNE GONE STILL REMAIN THA BEST RAPPER ALIVE WHILE IN JAIL…HE’LL HAVE IT AS IF HE NEVA LEFT
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:39 am
no thats kevin rudolf in the picture .. drake don’t look nothin like that
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:40 pm
shit
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:15 pm
WEEZZY F BABBY WONT NEVA DIE, THIS NIGGA A LEGEND IN THE MAKING.
December 2nd, 2009 at 11:54 pm
I love wayne i don’t want him to go to jail
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:01 am
I don’t think his jail time will affect his career. Everybody still loves him and he is still releasing music. I think when he gets out it will only make his career better because people will be waiting on those concert tickets or albums. I love you Lil Wayne!
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:44 am
On behalf of TCC, I hereby claim this site and its visitors/members RETARDED.
Seriously, some of you guys are probably 11 year old kids sucking Wayne’s dick. Sure the guy puts a lot of hard work and music out, but that’s not fucking reason to worship the nigga like he’s a GOD.
Grow up faggots, and get off his dick. You guys love him too much. Instead of sitting in front of the computer all day reading about him and downloading his music, go to school and get some spelling lessons. Your shit is creeping me out, I hope the next few decades in America don’t get filled with retarded people leading the country.
Fucktards.
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:37 am
Young Money & Cash Money still da best nah matter wat lil wayne z facin bt am yo no. 1 fun i know we alwys standup tryin nat 2 down fall!
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:27 am
Fuck you pussy bitches
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Lil Wayne doin it
check out the myspace… support/add us!
December 3rd, 2009 at 5:15 pm
LIl Wayne doin it! Cant wait for Rebirth
support/add us- http://www.myspace.com/theteknicianz
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:01 pm
ilike dis vid
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:03 pm
mind ur businezz people
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:37 pm
men i’m lost for words all i gotta say its ”always strapped” for wayne
December 4th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
WAYNE GO TO JAIL LIKE ANYONE ELSE, YOU DIG! THAT’S LIFE……THAT’S MY FAVORITE RAPPER TOO…….COLD BLOODED THOUGH, HIS ASS NEED A REST…..DOING ALL THEM HEAVY-ASS DRUGS STARTIN’ TO CATCH UP WITH MY MAN…….LMAO