Cash Money

By David A. Mitchell

Jul 1 2003

Cash Money, the camp that that brought the term “bling-bling” to the masses, is gearing up to close out the second half of the year with a slew of new releases. Coming this summer are two new Cash Money signees: r&b/hip-hop singer TQ and R. Kelly protégés Boo & Gotti. In the fall, the label issues new projects from its perennial hitmakers Lil Wayne, Juvenile, and Big Tymers.

All of these releases come on the coattails of the platinum-plus CD from the label’s co-CEO, Bryan “Baby” Williams. His debut solo release, Birdman, was released in November of 2002 and has generated three top 10 hip-hop/r&b singles. Baby’s videos have remained in heavy rotation and feature various superstar guest spots, including P. Diddy on the first single, “Do That”; The Clipse on the follow-up, “Whatever Happened To That Boy”; and Toni Braxton on the SOS Band-inspired rendition of “Baby We Can Do It.”

Cash Money was founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald “Slim” Williams and Bryan “Baby” Williams. Natives of the New Orleans area, the pair inked a much-publicized multi-million dollar deal with Universal Records in 1997 and have sold more than ten million albums from its relatively tight clique of artists, which also includes titles from B.G., the Hot Boys, and Mack 10.

At the core of the company’s success is the label’s resident producer, Mannie Fresh, who has placed his signature sound on nearly all of Cash Money’s hits.

Cash Money has more recently diversified its business interests. Earlier this year, the label teamed up with urban fashion mogul Karl Kani to design a new line of street-wear called “Life.”

So, to any of the non-believers, who thought that Cash Money, like so many hip-hop camps, was going to be a flash in the pan -- think again, because Cash Money has positioned itself for long-term success.