The Cash Money boss spoke to Power 105.1 host Angie Martinez about his relationship with Lil Wayne, which he insists is healthy despite rapper’s $51m lawsuit against him and his alleged involvement in a plot to shoot his tour bus
Lil Wayne has been embroiled in legal wrangling with Cash Money CEO Birdman since the start of 2015. Photograph: Ethan Miller/BET/Getty Images
Birdman (real name Bryan Williams), the CEO of Cash Money records who has been involved with a very public spat with rapper Lil Wayne, insists their relationship is solid and that he still sees the rapper as his son.
Speaking to Power 105.1 host Angie Martinez, who he invited to his mansion and yacht in Miami over the course of a two-day interview, the mogul said their current disputes are just “business”.
For that man to open his mouth and say something negative about me … that affected my life.Bryan 'Birdman' Williams
“Wayne is forever my son. I think that what’s going on is just some business,” he said. “He’s my son and I love him to death. What’s going on now I don’t really know how it’s going to turn out.”
The pair have been embroiled in a legal battle since January, when Lil Wayne fileda $51m lawsuit against Cash Money after his much anticipated Tha Carter Valbum failed to be released. Cash Money took legal action against Lil Wayne in July after his record Free Weezy Album appeared on Jay Z’s streaming service Tidal, suing for $50m.
The rapper told his fans on Twitter that his label was unwilling to release his album and that he was a “prisoner”. Those remarks surprised Birdman who told Martinez: “That was a shock for everybody. I never thought he’d be saying something negative about me. For that man to open his mouth and say something negative about me … that affected my life.”
Lil Wayne reportedly wanted to take Drake and Nicki Minaj – arguably the two most high profile rappers operating today – with him, but Birdman poured cold water on that proposition.
“Nicki and Drake ain’t going nowhere,” he told Martinez, who then asked if the pair were happy, to which Birdman said yes: “Both of them, very. I’ve got much respect for them because they’ve got much respect for Dwayne Carter and Bryan Williams. Regardless of what goes down with us, they ain’t going anywhere.”
When Martinez quizzed him about the recent indictment that named Williams and rapper Young Thug as being involved in a plot to shoot Lil Wayne’s tour bus in April, he said the accusations were farcical.
“It’s about the craziest shit I’ve ever heard of my life,” he said. “You crazy if you believe that. You know how I am about Wayne. I love him, he’s my son.”
He added that he worries about Lil Wayne, after rumours of gang-related threats being made against him surfaced.
“Anybody who gets in this game knows it can get gangsta sometime, it can come to you or come around you. We in this shit and we got to be ready for it,” he said.
A full version of the exclusive interview is due to appear on Power 105.1’s website later on Tuesday.
