Hello there internet world! Glad you tuned in. Today I’ll be talking about YMCM (Young Money Cash Money) Entrepreneurs! This edition is dedicated to 3 African American music industry Superstars who came from rags to extreme riches! We’re going to let the ladies go first!
Now we who love hip hop have seen many women such as hip hop pioneer feminist MC Lyte, who was the first female rapper to release a full album titled “Lyte As A Rock” in September 1988. Hip hop pioneer feminist Queen Latifah who started beat boxing for hip hop group Ladies Fresh & was one of the original members of the Flavor Unit. She released her 1st album titled “All Hail the Queen” in 1989 when she was 19 (the year I was born). And last but not least, 5 time Grammy winner, who has 6 platinum albums, 1 double platinum album titled “Under Construction”, and has sold over 30 million records in the U.S. alone, Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, who started a R&B group named Fayze with 3 of her friends.
These three women paved the way for Nicki Minaj. Not only does Nicki Minaj have a platinum album titled “Pink Friday”, not only has she endorsed Adidas, MAC Cosmetics, and Pepsi, not only has she been a voice actress in the movie Ice Age, not only is she making her acting debut in the 2014 film The Other Woman, and not only has she created her own app with her own slang dictionary the “Nictionary”. She also helped launch Casio’s TRYX digital camera & the Nokia Lumia 900 in Times Square.
Mattel has even produced a custom Nicki Minaj-themed Barbie which was valued at $US$15,000.
Nicki Minaj is the latest to profit from the “Moscato Madness” boom in the US, having become part owner of Moscato brand Myx Fusions, the bottle is priced at $4 a bottle. Minaj is the first to take it to the next level by actually becoming co-owner in the vein of Jay Z(Armand de Brignac) and Ludacris (Conjure Congac). Minaj’s new business partner, Myx Fusions CMO Mona Scott-Young, praises Nicki as a “game-changer”, making her the perfect candidate to usher in “the women’s phase” of rapper-owned booze. “The collaboration between Nicki Minaj and Myx Fusions is a game change,” said Mona Scott-Young, chief marketing officer of the brand.
Next up in our edition of YMCM Entrepreneurs is the living legend and Superstar Lil Wayne, who was the youngest member of Cash Money Records in 1991, Wayne being 9 yrs old at the time. Lil Wayne’s debut album “Tha Block Is Hot” was his 1st platinum album, and his most successful album to date “The Carter III” sold 1 million copies in the 1st week of release!
Lil Wayne founded Cash Money Records imprint Young Money Entertainment in 2005, the label has released 8 #1 albums and the record label boasts of 23 artists including Lil Wayne, & Nicki Minaj on its roster! Lil Wayne stepped down as President of the label in 2007. The label had 3 of the top 10 highest 2010 hip hop album sales with Drake’s “Thank Me Later”, Lil Wayne’s “Rebirth” & “I Am Not A Human Being”. On February 15, 2013 Lil Wayne’s 14 year old daughter Regina Carter signed to the label, gotta be pretty dope to have your daughter on your record label!
Not only has Lil Wayne had major success as an artist, not only has Lil Wayne’s label had major success, and not only is Lil Wayne’s daughter signed and generating income for the label & their family, but Lil Wayne debuted his clothing brand “TRUKFIT” in January, 2012. The title of the brand is an acronym for “the reason u kill for it”, Lil Wayne came up with the name from his childhood experiences when him and his friends would buy replica clothes from the back of a truck that would drive by his neighborhood. Then when people spotted the fake clothes, they would say: “you got on the truck fit”. Wayne decided to change this saying around, so now it is cool to wear TRUKFIT apparel. After debuting in January, 2012, TRUKFIT has proved to be very successful and as a result, has expanded from online sales to Macy’s stores around the U.S and has widened its range to selling not only hats, t-shirts, jumpers and hoodies, but now also selling beanies, jackets, shorts, sweatpants, and socks!
Finally in our YMCM Entrepreneurs edition, let’s crossover to the hip hop mogul himself, Superstar Birdman!! Birdman & his brother Founded Cash Money Records in 1991, which operates as a subsidiary of UMG (Universal Music Group), this label has come to sell half a billion records and counting! The label boasts of 37 artists, including Birdman, Dj Khaled, Busta Rhymes, Lil Wayne, Paris Hilton, Bow Wow, Ace Hood, Drake, & Nicki Minaj! The label also has close to a dozen producers on its roster! Despite the label being sued multiple times, they continue to rise and they’ve been one of hip hops top labels for 2 decades and one of the top labels in the world! In 2013 Birdman, Drake, Lil Wayne & Nicki Minaj collectively took 4th place in Forbes’ 2013 cash Kings, the worlds highest paid hip hop artists!
Not only is Birdman Co-CEO & founder of Cash Money Records, not only has the label sold half a billion records, not only does the label have some of today’s hottest artists on it’s roster, not only has the label been one of hip hops top labels for 2 decades, not only is the label a top label in the world, and not only was Birdman one of the highest paid artists last year, he is continuing his Entrepreneurial endeavors!
In 2012, Birdman made his way into the Vodka business and launched his new liquor, Grand Touring Vodka a.k.a. GT Vodka! Since then he has boosted the sells of the premium vodka! GT Vodka has a top flavor watermelon that comes from hand selected grains that are expertly distilled 6 times to the exacting standards of their master distiller. It is then blended with vine-ripened watermelon. I’m not much of an alcohol drinker but this is definitely worth a try.
Birdman didn’t stop at the music or liquor industries; but his passion for reading has birthed his latest venture, a book publishing company titled “Cash Money Content”. Birdman has spread corporate wings into other mediums. With the intent of making reading cool for our African American children and people, he has taken on a mission to get “more of us reading”! He has an understanding of the importance of literacy and wants to spread that message with his already worldwide YMCMB brand. He has brought on Authors such as Ashley & JaQuavis, Evelyn Lozada, & even Entrepreneur, Author, Publisher, & ‘Queen of Street Lit’ Wahida Clark.
Birdman & Wahida Clark
Wahida Clark’s rise to fame includes a 9 year stay in prison. She chose to make her time in prison productive, learning all she could about writing a book, securing an agent and getting published and upon her release in 2007 she kept her dream going! Her story has been highly publicized, from prison inmate to having books on the New York Times and Essence bestsellers lists, to starting Wahida Clarks Presents Publishing, with more than a dozen artists on its roster. She recently expanded her empire by inking a deal with Cash Money Content for her latest release “Payback Ain’t Enough”.
Birdman personally felt like he should read more and I believe he will be very successful in this new venture and his mission! Since he has so much influence on the music world, it isn’t hard for him to convert it with books, and getting us [people of color] to read more. “To be special in life, we have to be self-educated, and I consider myself self-educated,” said Brian Williams a.k.a. Birdman.
Wow, from DVDs to the TV, a platinum album, & Super-stardom (Nicki Minaj), from grammar school to the studio, platinum albums, the clothing industry, and becoming a Living Legend (Lil Wayne), and from selling his local artists’ music locally and out of trunks to selling 500 million records worldwide, building a top major record label, book publishing, the liquor industry, and becoming a Hip Hop Mogul (Birdman), these three self made Entrepreneurs sport what it’s like to bet the house on yourself, and exhibit what work hard gets you!
This concludes our YMCM Entrepreneurs edition guys, stay tuned for more!
Rest in Peace to Birdman’s Sister Tamara Williams & Magnolia Shorty, a.k.a. Renetta Yemika Lowe-Bridgewater
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