Cash Money’s best CEO
After Billboard and Vibe ruffled the hip-hop community with their 50 Greatest Rappers list in honor of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, Birdman is making a strong case for the recognition of CEOs. The New Orleans entrepreneur took to Instagram on Thursday (March 16) to blast the magazine for not including the moguls who helped make some of the biggest names in rap history.
Cash Money Records founder Bryan “Birdman” Williams has been a staple in the rap community since he founded the label with his brother Ronald “Slim” Williams in 1991. Together, they have birthed several superstars like Lil Wayne, Drake, and Nicki Minaj.
The brothers started Cash Money Records by traveling up and down Louisiana catching acts in nightclubs and trying to find artists to sign to their fledgling label. Their first signed artist was a local rapper named Kilo G, who released the first Cash Money album in 1992.
Over the subsequent years, Cash Money Records rose to prominence as one of the most accomplished independent record labels in the southern region, with sales exceeding 50 million records and substantial profits from each transaction. The brothers have also been credited with helping to launch the careers of many popular rappers, such as Lil Wayne, Young Thug and Juvenile.
In 2013, Birdman’s net worth was estimated to be $125 million. He owns a large mansion in New Orleans and a few properties in Miami, including a $30 million condo. He also has an oil and energy venture with his brother, Bronald Oil.
