The Real Reason Lil Wayne Took Cash Money to Court

For years, Lil Wayne and Cash Money Records looked like one of hip-hop's most successful partnerships. But behind the platinum records, Young Money, Drake, Nicki Minaj, and the rise of Tha Carter series was a complicated business relationship that eventually turned into a multimillion-dollar legal battle. In 2015, Lil Wayne and Young Money filed a lawsuit against Cash Money Records seeking $51 million, alleging that the label had failed to pay money it owed and had breached agreements involving Wayne's recordings and Young Money. One of the biggest issues was Tha Carter V, which had been delayed while Wayne was fighting to resolve his relationship with Cash Money. � Los Angeles Times +1 The story goes much deeper than one delayed album. Wayne had signed his original Cash Money recording agreement in 1998, and years later, he became a central figure in the creation of Young Money. According to the lawsuit, the 2003 Young Money agreement established a joint venture in which Cash Money held 51% and Carter held 49% of the venture and its property. � Scribd Then came Tha Carter V. According to Wayne's 2015 lawsuit, a 2012 contract extension called for a $10 million advance for each solo album — $8 million when recording began and another $2 million upon delivery. Wayne alleged that the money connected to Tha Carter V had not been paid as required. � Los Angeles Times The dispute continued for years before the legal battles were ultimately settled in 2018. The lawsuits were dismissed, and Wayne was subsequently able to move forward with the release of Tha Carter V. � Pitchfork This is the story of how one of hip-hop's biggest artist-label relationships became a fight over contracts, money, ownership, control, and one of the most anticipated albums of Lil Wayne's career. Watch until the end to understand what actually happened between Lil Wayne, Birdman, Cash Money, and Tha Carter V.