Cash Money Records Made $2 Billion From Drake, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne

Music powerhouse Cash Money Records raked in $2 billion from its star trio, Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Lil Wayne. Via Complex, label co-founder Bryan "Birdman" Williams shared this news while talking to Nick Cannon on April 23. He said, "Two billion dollars between Drake, Nicki, and Wayne. Two plus billion dollars. Hundreds of millions of dollars, guaranteed.

During their time with the label, the artists struck gold with 13 multi-platinum albums. 

After striking it big with Universal Records, Williams split $1.4 billion among the artists. "When Universal gave me a bag, brother, I could honestly say I gave Wayne about $400 to $500 million, Drake got about $500 million, and Nicki got about $300, $400 million out of my pocket," Williams shared In a 2021 interview. He described Cash Money's financial approach as providing artists with unlimited budgets.

The music keeps paying off. Williams said in 2021 that Cash Money still makes 20 to 30 million dollars yearly from its recorded hits.

Lil Wayne started at just 15 years old in 1997. During his time at Cash Money, he created 11 albums, three compilations, an EP, and six mixtapes. He left the label after suing for $51 million in unpaid royalties and receiving a settlement in 2018. 

Drake and Nicki Minaj signed in 2009. Drake's hit records include Thank Me Later, Take Care, Nothing Was the Same, Views, and Scorpion. Minaj dropped four solid albums with Cash Money: Pink Friday, The Pinkprint, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, and Queen. Now, she makes music with Republic Records. Both artists also left in 2018.