Young Money Entertainment is an American record label founded by
rapper Lil Wayne. Young Money's president is Lil Wayne's lifelong friend
Mack Maine. The label is an imprint of
Cash Money Records and is distributed by
Republic Records. The label has released eight
US No. 1 albums:
Tha Carter III,
I Am Not a Human Being, and
Tha Carter IV by Lil Wayne,
Thank Me Later,
Take Care and
Nothing Was the Same by
Drake, and
Pink Friday and
Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded by
Nicki Minaj. Current artists include Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj,
Tyga,
Mack Maine,
Jae Millz and
Cory Gunz among others. The label has released three compilation albums,
We Are Young Money (2009),
Rich Gang (2013; with Cash Money Records) and
Young Money: Rise of an Empire (2014).
History
In October 2007, Lil Wayne said in an interview with
Vibe that he had stepped down as President of the label, and had given the position to Cortez Bryant.
[1] As of 2009,
Mack Maine is serving as President.
[2] Rapper
Drake signed a joint venture between
Cash Money Records and Young Money. President Mack Maine confirmed that
Omarion was no longer on the label after many rumours were circulating the internet.
To promote their collaboration album
We Are Young Money, which was released on December 21, 2009, Young Money artists embarked on the Young Money Tour.
[3] We Are Young Money debuted at number 9 on the US
Billboard 200 chart, selling 142,000 copies in its first-week sales.
[4] The album was certified gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over a shipments of 500,000 copies in the United States.
[5]
The album featured the highly successful single
Bedrock. "BedRock" debuted at thirty six on the
Billboard Hot 100 on the week ending December 12, 2009.
[6]
On the week ending March 13, 2010, the song reached a peak of two,
making it the most successful single by the group on the chart.
[7] "BedRock" debuted in the
UK Singles Chart on 6 February 2010 at forty.
[8] On March 6, 2010, the single climbed to twenty two,
[9] and the subsequent week the single climbed to eighteen, marking Young Money's first Top 20 hit in the UK.
[10] Peaking at number nine on April 3, 2010, making it Young Money's first Top 10 hit in the UK.
[11]
The label had three of the top 10 highest 2010 hip hop album sales with—in order—Drake's
Thank Me Later, Lil Wayne's
Rebirth and
I Am Not a Human Being.
[12] On March 6, 2010, Lil Wayne confirmed that rapper
Cory Gunz was the latest artist to sign.
[13] In 2011
Konvict Muzik artist
T-Pain signed to the Young Money roster after he and
Akon agreed to part ways after his last Konvict release
RevolveR, later T-Pain revealed that he was close to sign a deal with Young Money, but it never concluded.
[14] In November 2011, Lil Wayne introduced 14-year-old singer
Torion Sellers.
[15]
On February 15, 2013 Mack Maine announced We the Future and Lil Wayne's
14 year old daughter Reginae Carter had signed to Young Money.
[16] The next albums released by Young Money were Lil Wayne's
I Am Not a Human Being II, Tyga's
Hotel California and Drake's
Nothing Was the Same on March 26, April 7 and September 24.
In December 2012 Mack Maine announced a second Young Money album will be released.
[17] In February 2013 Birdman released a compilation mixtape with Cash Money and Young Money titled
Rich Gang: All Stars. Shortly after he announced a compilation album titled,
Rich Gang that was due to be released on May 21, 2013 featuring members of Cash Money, Young Money and their various collaborators.
[18] The first single from the project, "Tapout" would be released on March 12, 2013 and featured Lil Wayne,
Future,
Mack Maine, and Nicki Minaj and produced by
808 Mafia's
Southside and
TM88.
[19] The album would then be pushed back to July 23, 2013.
[20]
On January 22, 2014, it was revealed that Young Money would be releasing their own compilation album on March 11, 2014, titled
Young Money: Rise of an Empire. That same day, the first single "
We Alright" featuring Lil Wayne, Birdman and Euro was released. Drake's
Nothing Was the Same leftover "
Trophies" will also be included on the album.
[21]
The album's second single, "Senile", was released February 14, 2014. It
is by Tyga, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne and was produced by David D.A.
Doman.
[22] It was followed by Drake's "
Trophies" and Minaj's "
Lookin Ass", which were met with more chart success then the first two singles.
Current artists
