Cash Money Records is the greatest Hip Hop label of all time, according to Irv Gotti.
The Murder Inc. founder gave Birdman and Ronald “Slim” Williams’ empire the crown during a recent appearance on the Earn Your Leisure podcast, where he discussed the potential value of some of the biggest rap labels’ catalogs.
Gotti, who sold his 50 percent ownership stake of Murder Inc.’s masters to Iconoclast in a $300 million deal that also included film and TV projects earlier this year, speculated that Cash Money’s multi-platinum discography could be worth as much as $1 billion.
“Birdman the best that ever did it?” co-host Rashad Bilal asked, to which Irv replied: “Yeah. As far as labels go, there’s no disputing Cash Money is the greatest label ever.
“Think about it. [Raps Juvenile’s ‘Ha’] — that shit was out over, what, 25 years ago? Them n-ggas been hot all this time. They got Drake, they got Nicki. They’re the best label ever. No one’s even close to Cash Money, I don’t think.”
He added: “And if they ever wanted to sell, Baby and Slim could get a billi. Someone will give them a billion dollars, y’all.”
Despite his admiration of Cash Money, Irv Gotti hasn’t always endeared himself to the powerhouse New Orleans label. Last year, Gotti felt the wrath of Birdman after weighing in on his high-profile legal battle with Lil Wayne.
In a 2017 interview with Complex‘s Everyday Struggle, the Murder Inc. hitmaker broke down Cash Money’s lucrative 90/10 distribution deal with Universal, arguing Birdman could easily afford to pay Weezy the millions of dollars he claimed he was owed.
“I don’t get the Weezy and Birdman thing,” he said. “You say this guy is your son, you’ve known this guy forever. You should work that out. Just pay him, man! He deserves it. Not only did he put Cash Money Records on his back for all them years, he brought you fucking Nicki and Drake!”
Four years later, Birdman belatedly fired back at Irv Gotti by sharing a clip of his comments on Instagram along with the caption: “I’m jus seen this [red blood drop emoji] mind ur Fukin business I been a get money n-gga RG.”
As for his own label, which pumped out its fair share of hits in the late ’90s and early ’00s thanks to Ja Rule and Ashanti, Irv Gotti views Diddy’s Bad Boy Entertainment as Murder Inc.’s best match-up in the Verzuz ring.
“It would have to be Bad Boy, which is the only thing that’s comparable, you know what I’m saying?” he said on Drink Champs in August while discussing a potential label-on-label battle. “I can’t say Drake because the music is different. It’s hard going against them gangsta-ass records.”
He added: “I think [Ja] Rule kinda cemented it when he did the Verzuz with Fat Joe — our family, what up Joe? I think he kinda cemented, like, ‘We ain’t nothing to fuck with.’ We ain’t nothing to fuck with.”
No Way Hosea
Death Row done more in 5 years than CM
BB and RF and they been running a lot longer
None of those other labels have got a Doggystyle- The Chronic- Makaveli etc
2 dated albums and a 2pac classic doesn’t make you the best label ever
Drake and minaj arent even hiphop. Go defend your pop stars somewhere else, pop music lover.
I would have said Death Row or Def Jam ahead of Cash Money.
Stones Throw is the best label in Hiphop in terms of quality.
FOH! Umm, ever heard of Def Jam? Loud? Clown
Definitely gotta be Def Jam
just for Big Tymers “I got that work” Cash money gets the title
Suge’s incarnation of Death Row for me. Not just for the music, but it’s whole legacy, the good, the bad, the rise and the fall.
Irv must be trippin. Scumgang the realest that ever did it and still undisputed kings of NY. YMCMB bin there in the south that’s why it’s real recognise real.
This man, like a little butt hurt kid, put his business with Ashanti out. Violation on thar for starters. He’s an idiot. You have Def Jam, Violator, Death Row, No Limit and J. Prince’s label. ALL of them would have something to say about. Juvenile had one good album, Turk, BG, Big Tymers, all garbage. All they really had until they finally fell off the Earth was Lil Weasel and HE’S garbage. Irv Gotti should the E pills and Henny alone.
Who listens to Irv Gotti anyway. He can get FOH!
C’mon,, now… gotti is speaking from a self-made perspective all the comments about death row,, bad boy,, or Def Jam, I’m not even sure if as a ‘whole’ if them labels even made is much money as cash money during its prime.. but let’s say it did, that money went 100 different ways… Russ, Suge, puffy, only saw a percentage of that money,, they was just looking like money.. looking like bosses but they all danced to someone else’s tune… slim and baby really got it out the mud… they had a 80/20 deal with the majors but was getting independent money.. only person that even come close to Birdman was Master P.. he even had a better deal he had a 85/15 deal and made more money than anybody but that was pushing albums out every week trying to stay relevant and just riding that wave .. and that’s cool and all and once it was over it was over I mean the Masters are still worth money but not like cash money’s Masters those are timeless classics them old juvenile and Hot Boy Records Mannie Fresh .. talking about overall,,, nobody has a bigger rum than cash money… they’ve been on top of the last 25 years those Masters are worth billions.. why you think puffy Jay Z and all them got their hands in so many different businesses because that rap money was short money because they came short to the table with them weak ass deals just looking like money but J Prince schooled the South on how to really get that money.. how to be self-made. Yeah don’t get me wrong they all figured it out how to get to the back but that music shit just put them in position to get to the bag and they made the most of it so hats off to them but don’t get it twisted when it comes to that music shit better put some respect on that man’s name…. lol
Say’s it all only rapper I listen to my favorite since I was a youngin like 12 yr myself B.G. yeah B. GIZZLE HEART OF THE STREETS is the greatest artist in the industry no question. Like Lil Wayne who? Yeah weezy LOL who’s best raps are written by others. Aka Wayne the worst rapper alive ain’t It
Say’s it all only rapper I listen to my favorite since I was a youngin like 12 yr myself B.G. yeah B. GIZZLE HEART OF THE STREETS is the greatest artist in the industry no question. Like Lil Wayne who? Yeah weezy LOL who’s best raps are written by others. Aka Wayne the worst rapper alive ain’t It
Say’s it all only rapper I listen to my favorite since I was a youngin like 12 yr myself B.G. yeah B. GIZZLE HEART OF THE STREETS is the greatest artist in the industry no question. Like Lil Wayne who? Yeah weezy LOL who’s best raps are written by others. Aka Wayne the worst rapper alive ain’t It
Say’s it all only rapper I listen to my favorite since I was a youngin like 12 yr myself B.G. yeah B. GIZZLE HEART OF THE STREETS is the greatest artist in the industry no question. Like Lil Wayne who? Yeah weezy LOL who’s best raps are written by others. Aka Wayne the worst rapper alive ain’t It