Cash Money Records

Cash Money Records, founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Baby" Williams, grew from a New Orleans independent into one of the most successful hip-hop labels of its era. The label first made noise in the late '90s with a string of hits from local acts like B.G., Juvenile, and the Hot Boys, before inking a distribution deal with Universal Records in 1998. That partnership, which later evolved through Universal Motown and Republic Records, gave Cash Money national reach while keeping its gritty Southern identity intact.

By the late 2000s, Cash Money had expanded its roster beyond New Orleans, signing Drake and Nicki Minaj, two artists who would define the next decade of pop-rap. Lil Wayne, a former Hot Boy turned solo superstar, launched Young Money Entertainment in 2005 as an imprint under Cash Money, creating the joint venture known as Young Money Cash Money Billionaires (YMCMB). The label's commercial peak came in the 2010s, with a string of Billboard 200 number-one albums and Hot 100 chart-toppers including Lil Wayne's "Lollipop," Jay Sean's "Down," and Drake's "One Dance," "God's Plan," "Nice for What," and "In My Feelings."

The label's name pays homage to the Cash Money Brothers, the drug gang led by Nino Brown in the 1991 film New Jack City. From those gritty origins, Cash Money became a powerhouse, releasing 12 number-one albums and seven number-one singles, and reshaping the sound of mainstream hip-hop. Today, the label remains active, signing new talent like Jacquees and Saxkboy KD, and orchestrating a historic reunion tour with No Limit Records in 2026. [edit]