S. Samuel
Former Cash Money Records rapper Juvenile recently spoke on his career beginning with Birdman's music empire and why Lil Wayne contemplated but never left the company.
In Juvie’s perspective, Weezy did not have enough confidence and bravery to leave Cash Money nearly a decade ago.
“When Wayne was trying to leave Cash Money [in the mid 2000s], same thing. He was trying to find out how did I leave, what did I do, he wanted to see my paperwork. I was like you can see it, but you’re gonna have to pay me for it now because now I know you ain’t with me. You’re own your own because I’m definitely on my own. If you want the paperwork and help from my end, I need to be compensated for it. [He never paid for it]. … I thought he was scared [that’s why he stayed]. That’s how I took it. I was like, ‘You don’t have to be scared.’ I’m really from the projects. No disrespect to them, but I’m 10 times more street than they are. They would never go to some of the places I’d go, they’d never turn some of the corners I turned because they’re not like that. It’s two different ballgames.” (Complex)
The fellow New Orleans rapper also questioned just how much money Wayne has made off album sales.
“So I’m like, ‘Don’t let them n*ggas intimidate you. Don’t let that looking hard sh*t intimidate you because n*gga I’m really with it. If you wanna leave, leave. You’re with me now, not them.’ One thing led to another and he signed back, but I took it as he was scared,” Juvie added. “Wayne is doing good right now, but if you go off of capital and off of who made the most money, he still ain’t top my numbers yet off one album. He’s still doing good, but he still never topped my numbers. If you go off of who could benefit most at the end of the day, in my book I feel like I’ve lost everything. They won. These n*ggas ate off the house I built.” (Complex)
Last spring, Birdman said he offered Wayne one of the biggest music contracts the record industry has ever seen.
“YMCMB start and stop with Wayne; it ain’t no YMCMB without Wayne,” Birdman said in an interview. Birdman wouldn’t confirm the exact figures in the deal, but he made it clear that when it comes to Wayne, who he considers a son, the sky is the limit. “The type of situation we did never been done in urban music; it’s probably the biggest deal ever in urban music,” he said. “I’m blessed to even do that — whatever my son want, he can get. It’s all his anyway, so it don’t really matter to me.” (MTV)
A few weeks prior, Weezy revealed signing a new multi-album deal with Cash Money.
The rapper, who has been signed to Cash Money records since he was 11 years old, has inked a deal with the label to put out another four albums under his Young Money imprint. Wayne made the announcement during an interview with MTV’s Hip Hop POV, while also revealing details about his contract with the label and what fans can expect from his new releases. “Contract-wise, I only get paid for 12 songs. Maybe on a Carter album, you probably only gonna get 12 songs, maybe a bonus 13,” Weezy said. “But on this I Am Not a Human Being thing, I don’t really care … you’re probably gonna get 16 on there.” (The Hollywood Reporter)
