Bryan Christopher Williams (né Brooks; February 15, 1969), better known by his stage name Birdman (also known as Baby), is an American rapper and record executive. He is the co-founder and public face of Cash Money Records which he founded with his older brother Ronald "Slim" Williams in 1992. Birdman has released a collaboration album and numerous tracks with fellow rapper and protégé Lil Wayne, whom he discovered and took under his wing at age twelve.
Background
The two met in 1991 when Wayne was only eight years old. Wayne's mother was reluctant for her son to be associated with the notorious businessman, though in 1995 he was signed to Cash Money Records at aged 12. Wayne was part of the musical duo B.G.'z and quartet group Hot Boyz, before being signed a solo contract in November 1998. In February 2003, Wayne launched his own label, Young Money Entertainment, which joined Cash Money of which he owned 49 percent.
In 2006, the two were photographed kissing. Birdman told Q93 radio, "Before I had a child, Wayne and all of them were my children, you heard me? Wayne to me is my son—my first-born son—and that's what it do for me. That's my life, that's my love and that's my thing. That's my lil' son. I love him to death." He similarly said to Tim Westwood in 2009, "That's my son. If he was right here, I'd kiss him again. I just think people took that too far, man. That's my son. I'll do it again tomorrow, I'll kill for him. Ride and die for him." He also told REVOLT TV's Big Facts podcast, "First of all, my own son, I would kiss him. I always looked at Wayne as my son and I always looked at it like, 'cause I was in the streets, and I thought this might be the last time he ever see me." He added, "I was his father when he didn't have a father since he was 9 years old. And I love him like my own and I'd give my life for him."[1]
In 2014, their fallout was publicized when Wayne tweeted out on December 4 of Tha Carter V being delayed by Cash Money because he wanted to be free from the label. He stated, "To all my fans, I want u to know that my album won't and hasn't been released bekuz Baby & Cash Money Rec. refuse to release it" and added that he was a "prisoner." His manager Cortez Bryant supported him via Instagram on January 13, 2015: "Wayne carried Cash Money on his back for over 10 years when he could have left and did this on his own [...] He don't deserve the shit he's going through at this point in the game." Wayne filed a lawsuit against Birdman and Cash Money on January 28, 2015, for $51 million.[2]
In March 2015, Wayne dissed Birdman during a cypher. The following month in April, Wayne's tour bus was shot at, the suspected culprit to be Jimmy Winfrey. It was speculated that Baby was behind it, though he denied this to TMZ, saying, "No legal battle would ever make me try and kill or hurt my son." Eventually the lawsuit was settled in favor of Wayne in June 2018. Wayne's lawyer, Ron Sweeney, stated to Billboard: "He is his own man, a man that owns his assets, his music and himself. At some point, Wayne will let his fans know what's going to happen next."[2]
On January 1, 2016, the two were spotted at Drake's New Year's Eve party in Miami. However, Wayne declared in September 2016 on Undisputed that he would never work with Birdman again: "No sir. Give me mine and I'll walk off free." In March 2018, the two reunited at Club LIV in Miami and in June 2018, Wayne was released from the Cash Money contract. Birdman also issued a public apology to Wayne on August 25, 2018 at Lil Weezyana Fest:
It feel amazing, bruh, to be home fucking with my son. I love that n***a to death. I don't know what y'all know but I know what the fuck I know and I know what I feel about what I know. I knew that day was gon' come, but I didn't know when it was gon' come. But this n***a right here; the best n***a, the realest n***a, the illest n***a. And I wanted to apologize to my n***a worldwide to let him know that, you heard me? That n***a put his life in my hands and I'ma keep it real with that n***a and we gon' do this shit 'till the day we die. It's YMCMB for death. Fuck you, you heard me?[3]
That same year in October, Wayne confirmed to The Breakfast Club that they were on good terms.[4]
Collaborations
Albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Like Father, Like Son |
|
Singles
As lead artist
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Get Your Shine On" (featuring Lil Wayne) |
2004 | Fast Money |
| "Neck of the Woods" (featuring Lil Wayne) | ||
| "Stuntin' Like My Daddy" (with Lil Wayne) |
2006 | Like Father, Like Son |
| "Leather So Soft" (with Lil Wayne) | ||
| "Know What I'm Doin'" (with Lil Wayne featuring Rick Ross and T-Pain) |
2007 | |
| "You Ain't Know" (with Lil Wayne) | ||
| "Pop Bottles" (featuring Lil Wayne) |
5 * Stunna | |
| "100 Million" (featuring Young Jeezy, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne) | ||
| "I Run This" (featuring Lil Wayne) |
2008 | |
| "Always Strapped" (featuring Lil Wayne) |
2009 | Priceless |
| "Money to Blow" (featuring Drake and Lil Wayne) | ||
| "4 My Town (Play Ball)" (featuring Drake and Lil Wayne) | ||
| "Loyalty" (featuring Lil Wayne and Tyga) |
2010 | Non-album singles |
| "Fire Flame" (featuring Lil Wayne) | ||
| "I Get Money" (featuring Lil Wayne, Mack Maine and T-Pain) |
2011 | |
| "Y.U. Mad" (featuring Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne) | ||
| "Dark Shades" (featuring Lil Wayne and Mack Maine) |
2012 | |
| "Stunnaman" (with Roddy Ricch featuring Lil Wayne) |
2021 |
As featured artist
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Bling Bling" (B.G. featuring Lil Wayne, Turk, Juvenile, Birdman and Mannie Fresh) |
1999 | Chopper City in the Ghetto |
| "Shine" (Lil Wayne featuring Birdman, Mickey and Mack 10) |
2001 | Lights Out |
| "I Got Them" (Yo Gotti featuring Lil Wayne and Birdman) |
2006 | Back 2 da Basics |
| "Make It Rain (Remix)" (Fat Joe featuring Lil Wayne, R. Kelly, T.I., Birdman, Rick Ross and Ace Mac) |
2007 | Non-album single |
| "We Takin' Over" (DJ Khaled featuring Akon, T.I., Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Birdman and Lil Wayne) |
We the Best | |
| "Haterz" (Glasses Malone featuring Lil Wayne and Birdman) |
2008 | Beach Cruiser |
| "I Made It (Cash Money Heroes)" (Kevin Rudolf featuring Birdman, Jay Sean and Lil Wayne) |
2010 | To the Sky |
| "Original" (Mystikal featuring Birdman and Lil Wayne) |
2011 | Original |
| "Tapout" (Rich Gang featuring Lil Wayne, Birdman, Mack Maine, Nicki Minaj and Future) |
2013 | Rich Gang |
| "We Been On" (Rich Gang featuring R. Kelly, Birdman and Lil Wayne) | ||
| "She Tried (Remix)" (P.A.P.I. featuring Lil Wayne, Ja Rule and Birdman) |
Non-album single | |
| "We Alright" (Young Money featuring Euro, Birdman and Lil Wayne) |
2014 | Young Money: Rise of an Empire |
Guest appearances
| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Look at Me" | 1999 | E-40, Lil Wayne, Juvenile, B.G. | Charlie Hustle: The Blueprint of a Self-Made Millionaire |
| "White Girl" | 2001 | Juvenile, Lil Wayne | Project English |
| "Set It Off (Radio Remix)" | Juvenile, Lil Wayne, Turk | ||
| "Gangsta and Pimps" | 2002 | Lil Wayne | 500 Degreez |
| "What Does Life Mean to Me" | Lil Wayne, TQ | ||
| "Grindin' (Remix)" | Clipse, Lil Wayne, N.O.R.E. | Lord Willin' | |
| "Intro" | 2003 | Lil Wayne | SQ6 |
| "We Don't" | 2004 | Tha Carter | |
| "Get Down" | |||
| "Only Way" | |||
| "I'm a D-Boy" | 2005 | Tha Carter II | |
| "S on My Chest" | 2007 | DJ Khaled, Lil Wayne | We the Best |
| "Let It Rock (Remix)" | 2009 | Mack Maine, Kevin Rudolf, Lil Wayne | This is Just a Mixtape |
| "Always Strapped" | Yo Gotti, All-Star, Lil Wayne | Dope Boy Flows | |
| "No Ceilings" | Lil Wayne | No Ceilings | |
| "Fuck da Bullshit" | Young Money | We Are Young Money | |
| "Wasted (Remix)" | Gucci Mane, Lil Wayne, Jadakiss | The State vs. Radric Davis | |
| "Can You Believe It" | 2011 | The Game, Lil Wayne | Hood Morning (No Typo): Candy Coronas |
| "I Got Some Money on Me" | Lil Wayne | Tha Carter IV | |
| "So Dedicated" | 2012 | Dedication 4 | |
| "Picture Perfect" | Juvenile, Lil Wayne | Juvie Tuesdays | |
| "Angel" | 2013 | Lil Wayne, Mystikal, Ace Hood, Jae Millz, Gudda Gudda, Mack Maine | Rich Gang |
| "Paint tha Town" | The Game, Lil Wayne | ||
| "Have It Your Way" | T.I., Lil Wayne | ||
| "Way I'm Ballin" | Lil Wayne, Future, Mack Maine | Dedication 5 |
References
- ↑ Gilbert, Asha (September 22, 2021). "Birdman Explains Why He Kissed Lil Wayne on the Mouth in Infamous Viral Photo". USA Today.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rys, Dan (January 19, 2016). "A Timeline of Lil Wayne's Beef with Birdman and Cash Money". Billboard.
- ↑ Coleman II, C. (August 30, 2018). "Here's a Timeline of Lil Wayne and Birdman's Relationship". XXL.
- ↑ "The Truth About Lil Wayne and Birdman's Complicated Relationship". Nicki Swift. April 16, 2020.
 | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||
| Discography |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Retail | |||||||||||||||||||
| Family |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Related articles |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Category | |||||||||||||||||||