Birdman is researching the amount of money Cash Money Records has made over the years, and the numbers are far from surprising. During a recent guest spot on Nick Cannon's "Cannon's Class" podcast, the rap mogul sat down to talk about how his house of hits home to some of hip-hop's most dominant players brought in over $2 billion from the careers of Drake, Lil Wayne, and Nicki Minaj.
Birdman says the three's combined haul has taken Cash Money's earnings to another level, "Two billion dollars between Drake, Nicki, and Wayne," Birdman said matter-of-factly, Two-plus billion dollars, Hundreds of millions of dollars.
What's even more mind-blowing is Birdman's bold assertion that no other artists in the music game have generated the wealth these three have for their label. Whether it's mansions or way too much jewelry, most labels have undoubtedly signed artists who can boast just as many zeros in their bank account as the Cash Money trio—but none seem to have been able to rise to the same echelon in terms of cold, complex numbers that Cash Money's artists seem to have.
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In a 2021 interview with the "Big Facts" podcast, the rapper spoke about a deal he had with Universal Records, which saw him distribute an unlikely amount of money, totaling $1.4 billion, to the likes of Drake, Lil Wayne, and Nicki Minaj after he won a highly profitable contract. "When Universal cut me a check, brother, I'm going to show you what I did for my son: 100 million dollar check," Birdman added, "like my kid.
Do you think it would ever be over for me to make sure he's straight?" "I gave Wayne $400, $500 million upfront in his career when I stamped him, you know what I mean?" "Drake about to $500 million easy… Nicki $300, $400 million easily. I don't even want to talk about what I've given to Wayne, shit that I've given to my son out of my pocket. If you don't believe them, ask 'em." Well, there's some serious cash.
And the Cash Money Trends boss noted how the label still profits for years after the papers are signed. Birdman discussed the constant money from Cash Money's massive back catalog, revealing that the label makes $20 to $30 million yearly from just the masters they own. "I just started letting people sample my s###," he said, referring to the steady flow of money from the licensing and sampling of his music.
Birdman knows that album sales are only a small part of the pie for making money off music but about ownership. With Cash Money retaining the rights to their music, the label is poised to profit from the bread and butter of their star-studded catalog for years to come. Birdman's message is simple: If you control your music, you control your future.
With Drake, Lil Wayne, and Nicki Minaj on his side, it comes as no surprise that Birdman and Cash Money Records have formed one of the most profitable empires in the music business. This threesome has clearly taken their label to a place of its own, with Birdman getting his come-up on his early vision and big-time gambles. The $2 billion figure might be just the tip of what is sure to be a long-lived legacy.
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