Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Baby" Williams. In its early years, the label signed and released albums for New Orleans-based musical acts Juvenile, B.G., and Hot Boys.[3] It became an imprint of Universal Records, a division of Universal Music Group in March 1998, and remained so during its following iterations as Universal Republic, Universal Motown and ultimately Republic Records.
"Rich Gang" redirects here. For the album, see Rich Gang (album).Cash Money Records
1991[1]
Active
Republic Records
(United States)
Universal Records (1998–2006)
Universal Music Group
(International)
Various, with a focus on hip hop
United States
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Miami, Florida, U.S.[2]
In the late 2000s, Cash Money signed and released projects for a number of prominent hip hop artists, including Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Tyga. Wayne launched Young Money Entertainment in 2005, which operated as an imprint of the label and Republic Records until 2018; a joint venture colloquially branded as Young Money Cash Money Billionaires (abbreviated as YMCMB). The label has been commonly regarded as among the most successful urban contemporary music labels of the 2000s–2010s.[4]
Artists signed to Cash Money Records have achieved a combined 12 number one albums on the Billboard 200 chart and seven number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (Juvenile's "Slow Motion", Lil Wayne's "Lollipop", Jay Sean's "Down" and Drake's "One Dance", "God's Plan", "Nice for What", and "In My Feelings").
The label's name alludes to the Cash Money Brothers, drug kingpin Nino Brown's gang from the 1991 crime film New Jack City.[5]
Rich Gang
2013–present
Cash Money
Birdman
Young Thug
Jacquees
Rublow
Saxkboy KD
Robb Banks[54]
BTY Young'n (deceased)
Caskey
J-Soul
Neno Calvin
Trev Rich
Money Man
Young Greatness (deceased)
Derez De'Shon
Legal issues[edit]
In October 2009, Cash Money Records, Birdman, Lil Wayne and various music distribution outlets were sued for copyright infringement by Thomas Marasciullo, who claims his voice was used without permission. The rappers asked him to record some "Italian-styled spoken word recordings" in 2006. The lyrics were allegedly used on "Respect" and other tracks from the rappers' collaboration album Like Father, Like Son and Birdman's 5 * Stunna.[65]
In 2011, Cash Money Records, Lil Wayne, Universal Music Group, and Young Money Entertainment were sued for US$15 million by Done Deal Enterprises, who claim Lil Wayne's song "BedRock" was stolen from Done Deal.[66]