Birdman Reveals He Gave Lil Wayne $500 Million USD When He Struck a Deal With Universal

Drake and Nicki Minaj also received a $500 million and $400 million USD paydays respectively.

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In a recent interview with Big Facts Podcast, Birdman revealed that he ensured that the Cash Money crew was taken care of when he struck a deal with Universal.

The podcast revealed several tidbits about Birdman, including his predictions of YoungBoy Never Broke Again becoming the world’s biggest rapper and an explanation on why he thinks Lil Wayne will never be able to have a formidable competitor for VERZUZ. Midway through the interview, Birdman speaks out about his deal with Universal and how he split over $1 billion USD to Lil Wayne, Drake and Nicki Minaj.

Lil Wayne, Drake and Nicki Minaj were considered Birdman’s biggest artists at the time and made sure it was known. He shared, “When Universal gave me a bag, brother, I can honestly say I gave Wayne about $400-500 million. Drake got about $500 million, and Nicki got about $300-400 million out of my pocket,” he said. “No cap. You don’t believe me? Ask them.” A decade ago, Birdman’s estimated net worth was determined by Forbes to be around $125 million USD. Since then, he has made considerable business moves that have garnered him enough money to gift his biggest artists out of his own pockets.

Watch the full interview above and the clip below.

In other music news, Kanye West is expected to executive produce Ghostface Killah’s Supreme Clientele 2 album.

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Joyce Li
Joyce Li Editor

For over half a decade, Joyce Li has served as an Editor on Hypebeast's global team, leveraging profound industry insights to capture the zeitgeist. Through her editorial lens, she anticipates emerging trends while dedicating her platform to spotlighting those making the greatest impact on culture today. A storyteller first and foremost, she examines the cross-pollination of fashion, footwear, art, music, and sports. This intersectional approach has led to compelling interviews with industry-defining figures like LeBron James, Pharrell Williams, Tom Brady, NIGO, A$AP Rocky, KAWS, and more.

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