Tyga Claims He Has Never Received A Royalty Check From Cash Money Records

    Last week, Tyga released his third album through Cash Money/Young Money Records in Hotel California. Following 2012’s Careless World: Rise Of The Last King album and 2008’s independent No Introduction, the Los Angeles, California native has sold over 350,000 albums to date in the United States alone. However, the veteran artist recently stated to Power 105’s The Breakfast Club, that he’s never received a royalty from the label Birdman co-founded.

    “I never got a check from Young Money/Cash Money,” Tyga said in the interview, as reported by HipHopBlog.com. “But by me saying that, I’ve always treated my career like independent and everything that I got is because of myself, my own endorsements, me touring, myself. I think I got a signing bonus when I first signed but that was it.”

    Artists including Juvenile and Mannie Fresh have previously left Cash Money, citing financial disputes for their departure.

    Tyga however, did not appear to be completely complaining, “At a certain time, you get your money but at the same time, they pay for your videos and all that other stuff. But I never really was dependent on the label like that.”

    Tyga’s third solo album, Hotel California is projected to receive a Top 10 debut tomorrow.

    RELATED: Tyga Hotel California First Week Sales Projections

    178 thoughts on “Tyga Claims He Has Never Received A Royalty Check From Cash Money Records

    1. im sure they had that rep for yearrrrs. why ppl sign with them idk their wack havnt had a good song since the 2000s its over for YM

    2. yeah he say that but to receive royalties he would have to have ownership of the publishing which artist give to the record label immediately. So he may not understand fully why he’s not getting a royalty check.

    3. Waiting for the YMCMB shills/dickriders/stans to come out and justify this somehow. The mental gymnastics will surely be amusing.

      Good on Tyga for being honest.

    4. YMCMB robbing niggaz since the 90’s, from Juvenile, Mannie Fresch, Play-N-Skillz,…
      No wonder Birdman has a $150 million net worth !!!

    5. Tyga doesn’t have a 360 deal. So it takes higher performance for Universal and us here at YMCMB to recover all expenses because none of us see his tour money. Tyga is one of the nicest, but he doesn’t sell as much as some of our other stars like Nicki, Drake and Wayne. So that’s why he hasn’t seen any royalties yet.

      1. Now he’s one of the “nicest” which would explain how he’s got fucked over by Birdman.

        Can we look forward to a comment in a few months, when Tyga leaves YMCMB that he’s a “traitor” who “bit the hand that fed him” despite not actually getting a seat at the table.

    6. Signed to one nigga, that’s signed to another nigga, that’s signed to three niggas. Now that’s bad luck.

      1. PUSHA SAID IT CORRECT!! Mind you he’s signed to kayne, signed to jay, lol.. Curren$y was actually smart about things and got out and stayed independant..

      2. Kanye isn’t signed to jay anymore because jay doesn’t own roc a fella but I think he’s still signed to pharrell

      3. Kanye has GOOD on a distribution deal through Def Jam, I think, which would presumably give them a cut of whatever GOOD releases, but it’s probably not as large a cut as one would expect because GOOD haven’t yet had a flop album (in terms of sales). Pusha might change that though… (I honestly can’t see him selling too well)

    7. This is what happens when you have many features, low sales, and being signed onto 3 labels at once. After he pays for the features, his royalties are held off until Birdman and Lil Wayne get their share and since his albums are flopping, selling below the breakeven point, Tyga gets nothing. He might actually be better off independent financially where he at least controls everything. Not that he will be better.

    8. Maybe if this fool would actually sell some records he could walk around with stacks in his pocket like all the other big money artist. Notice the artists that sell like Wayne, Drake and Nicki never bitch about the money. Its these artist that can sell shit cuz they make music no one wants to listen to that bitch.

    9. lol his last album hasnt even sold 350k yet why did they write that it had?

      as of now its at 342,628

      1. you think that weed plate is still selling 4k a week over a year after its release? rappers like Game and Meek ain’t even selling that 4 months after they released their shit.

    10. THIS NIGGA IS MAKING BREAD HE IS NOT IN A 360 DEAL. HE GETS HIS TOUR MONEY AND CLOTHING LINE MONEY ETC. YMCMB GET THE MONEY FROM HIS MUSIC. HE IS EATING BETTER THAN MOST RAPPERS

      1. when birdman pimps your bitchass out, does he let you kiss him on the mouth after? or does he make you use listerine?

      1. I swear most of these rappers that even have a thought of signing with YMCMB would actually have a better chance starting off independent. It gets even better today because some of these independent albums are selling more than major albums. Tyler is independent, controlling production for his wolf album, paying for only a few features yet is selling more than Tyga.

    11. Why Im I NOT surprised! For those of you who think Drake Nicki and all them other goons are eating good think again. No they may be eating good but not as good as they should. Every time you look someone has to sue to get whats do to them from cash money, so do think they pay their OWN artist what they are suppose to be paid?

      1. Drake and Nicki are platinum selling artists, and are branching off into various other things. Tyga isn’t doing that, so of course he’s not really eating good cause he’s not selling enough to cover the expenses Cash Money is shelling out for him to pretend he’s ballin.

    12. If he gets 20 stacks a show and he tours most of the year then that’s roughly 184 x 20k = 3.7 milli (and Barack want HALF of that even if they pay him in cash) That leaves Tyga with around 1.4 milli. For how these niggas be talkin the numbers just don’t add up. Plenty of regular people (white folk) make that kind of money every year, but they don’t have multiple sports cars and buy out the bar every other night. No wonder these niggas goin broke and gettin locked up for not paying their taxes. Stay in yo lane rappers.

      1. dont forget he has to pay a manager and numerous other expenses. he dont even own his own crib he was paying 16k a month to lease a mansion LMAO. i bet you his lambo aint payed for either.

      2. The major flaw in your posting is that if he KNOWS he receives ROYALTIES (percentage points made per album on the CONTRACT HE SIGNED) and has NEVER gotten them, then it’s HIGHLY probable he’s signed a 360 deal and they are TAKING percentages from his touring, merchandise, appearances as well. This kid is foolish and stupid for “turning the other cheek” to an OBVIOUS highway robbery. AND, his lawyers, accountants, whomever, say NOTHING, which leads to believe all his ‘handlers’ are Cash Money’s handlers. You have a CHOICE when you sign to use COMPANY handlers (CONFLICT OF INTEREST) OR your OWN.

        “I think I got a signing bonus when I first signed but that was it.”

        ^ THIS is SHEER STUPIDITY

        You don’t know how much you got to sign on the dotted line? WHAT PERSON GETS A JOB AND DOESN’T REMEMBER HOW MUCH YOU GET PAID?

      3. That is some real talk @donnis mac. Looking at this story and ones like Bow Wow, Soulja Boy, the Lox when they left Bad Boy, etc. just proves that old saying ‘A fool and his money are soon parted.’

      4. Kids are drawn to bright colors, flashing lights, things that glitter, fame and fortune, acceptance by peers. That’s why the 16-34 demographic is a target. Never forget this because it goes further than rap music.

    13. This dude is just an L magnet. His whole existence is a giant failure. His nickname should be “loser” because he’s taken more Ls than Bow Wow, Soulja Boy, Gucci Mane, etc. The media’s always trying to paint him as this superstar because of his association with Wayne, Drake, Nicki, and the whole YMCMB label, yet, aside from Rack City & Faded, this nigga can’t sell shit.

    14. Hey YESSIR, how does it feel for Cash Money to have its grown men (Juvenile, Mannie Fresh, B.G.) leave when they’re being screwed by the label and become YMCMB Nursery, where the little kids are staying behind?

      Oh, I forgot…YMCMB folks LIKE taking it up the rear.

      1. I’ll answer for my colleague. All of those traitor rappers that you’ve named miss us a lot more than we miss them.

      2. You sure? Because last I checked, they had more money (because Birdman’s not raiding it anymore), power (because they run their own brands) and respect (because they’re proving Cash Money didn’t make them, they helped make Cash Money.)

        And even after YMCMB’s resurgence, “400 Degreez” remains the best-selling album in the label’s history.

      3. @Burmy…Dude, Juvenile and BG are not making money. They really aren’t putting out much product at all. Manny is still producing, but none of the songs he produces don’t sell, so he’s not making any money.

    15. The only artists YMCMB probably pays royalties to are Birdman, Wayne, Drake, Nicki and Busta Rhymes. The first 4 because they’re so integral to the company’s success, and Busta because he’s a vet and he wouldn’t stand for not getting paid what common standards say he is due.

      Tyga, on the other hand…

    16. What this article doesn’t mention: Is he not being paid money he’s owed, or is he not being paid because his albums haven’t recouped? If YMCMB didn’t make back the advance/album budgets, Tyga WOULDN’T/SHOULDN’T get paid, legally speaking.

    17. “It’s about the money, fuck the fame” Unlike a lot of mainstream rappers, them Texas rappers are banking. They sell half of what the radio rappers sell, and STILL pass em in cash!

    18. Three albums and hes only sold 350k to date? That means all three albums sold around 100k. That’s a FLOP! What did he expect to get back?

      1. Learn to read, you idiot. First album, in 2008, was an independent project.
        His first major album, in 2012, sold 342k.
        His third album’s numbers ain’t even out yet.

        So it’s technically ONE album and 350k sold.

      2. actually his third albums numbers are out fucktard

        he sold 51,466 but they were talking about his first 2 albums, neither of which sold over 350k alone, but together they did

    19. birdman is using all these bitch niggas as dumb as we think birdman is he is infsct very smart at using niggas for money. Once gayme signs to cash money birdmans gonna take his irrelevent money as well.

      1. Talking like that it’s highly unlikely you have a high school diploma but it’s very likely you will NEVER make more than 12 dollars a hour including inflation.

    20. I MEAN, MOST ARTISTS ON YMCMB MOVE ON THEIR OWN – THEY ALL GOT THEIR OWN SHIT GOING ON. THAT’S WHY JAE MILLZ AND COREY GUNZ STILL AIN’T SHIT – NIGGAZ JUST DON’T HAVE THAT DRIVE!

      1. most artists on young money actually aint shit. besides drake, wayne, nicki, and tyga who is really doing anything?

    21. Proper Journalism would make note of whether or not he is still in contract with that record label, and what label his future album is coming out on, for context to the reader.

      i know he is still on YMCMB.

    22. “AND, his lawyers, accountants, whomever, say NOTHING, which leads to believe all his ‘handlers’ are Cash Money’s handlers. You have a CHOICE when you sign to use COMPANY handlers (CONFLICT OF INTEREST) OR your OWN”

      Tyga knows exactly what he’s sold too date. Digitally, singles, retail albums, etc. Point being, the Cash Money handlers lay out this nice pipe dream to a young rapper who naturally is going to take it knowing damn well there’s a great chance he’s going to get fucked in the financial ass. Think of it as a trade off. Maybe Tyga isn’t seeing all of his dead presidents, yet he’s living in a mansion he otherwise couldn’t afford. He’s driving a Lambo he couldn’t otherwise afford. Do you get the picture? Even if he lawyered up, how much you wanna bet Birdman could have papers drafted up proving that Tyga actually owns him not the other way around.

      1. rather than save for the future and be financially set hes living way beyond his means to keep up his hip-hop image

    23. lol …birdman and slim are scared to do that with nicki minaj and drake though.. cause they now those motherfuckers will leave quickly if they aint handle the buisness RIGHT!… damn tyga probably wanna leave now lol but he aint gonna do it he aint a hood nigga he aint stand up for himself. like mannie fresh and juvenile and BG did smh… like foreal if u aint give a nigga his money they you gotta LEAVE that shit fuck what they did in your career.. i mean birdman says its all about the MULA so…..

      1. hes probably right though. ymcmb is paying to make his albums and they paying to make his videos. it’s not like he’s selling a million copies. they probably barely breaking even on his ass

    24. Sounds about right. Unless you doing Eminem : Lil Wayne : Drake numbers, you probably aren’t making much from the label. They are paying for marketing as well as the costs to make the album (producers and engineers are some thirsty mofos). So they are just hoping, like fuck, that they can at least recoup and make a couple of dollars. And let’s face it, with our pirating asses, we are making it awfully hard these days.

      Anyway, most artists will make their money from doing shows, appearances, reality TV (smdh on this one), and, if he is lucky, endorsements.

    25. Is this actually a big deal? I mean, Tyga’s probably broke, but he’s from the Valley right? If he’s from a well-off family, which I think he is, then ya he’s getting financially (and probably actuall) screwed, but it’s not the end of the world. For him, music’s a hobby to make a little money instead of spending his allowance money lol. It’s not like he’ll be living in gutter when he’s broke

    26. all these youngins (inspiring rappers) better start taking notes on theses company’s rob your ass blind, especially cash money.

    27. I L.O.V.E how these Cash Money Stans are making up EVERY excuse in the world and try to flip it into a positive thing.

      Just keep going, it really shows how Young MOney Stans are DELUSIONAL and straight up IGNORANT to facts.

      1. He has sold more than enough albums to generate over $4 million in sales. I pretty sure CMR didnt invest more than 10% of that. CMR is rip off kings

      2. If the albums sell for $10 a pop that would be $3.5 million. These albums are normally between $10 & $20 depending on location when they first drop. So Selling 350k can & should generate 4 million.

      3. He’s actually doing good if he gets that much. He could be getting $0.75-$1 per album sold and then you have to worry about taxes.

      1. No dumbass its is a signing bonus. He got a bous to sign the contract. An advance usually is paid back to the record company

      2. Sounds like an advance to me…one check after 3 albums? This ain’t the fucking NFL lol I’ve never heard of a ‘signing bonus’ for an entertainer.

    28. why would anyone actually do business with cash money after all the stories from artists to producers not getting paid

      1. I agree i dont get why all these artists go sign to them. Thats like a pop version of Death Row Records…NOBODY IS GETTIN PAID

      2. i guess because the exposure they can bring to you can breathe life into a career that might otherwise be dead.

    29. Sounds like some Viet Cong double-talk. Did U or didn’t U, mark.

      Anyway, any artist who signs with Baby or Suge, they already know it’s gon’ be a pimp-ho relationship.

    30. Nobody get paid off of record deals unless you sell millions. That’s y tyga drops so many mixtapes so he can book shows and get paid off them mixtape shows which is all his money. He may never see a royalty check from the label because until those albums recoup he don’t see a dime. Remember what beans said jay z was doing to young guns paying them a 1k to share to perform at his shows.

      1. so why didnt Juvenile, BG and Mannie Fresh not get paid??? they were sellin millions…especiallly Juvie. He put them on the map and sold 4 million records his first album. Slim and Baby dont pay their artists…thats why they the ones with all that money

    31. Cash Money just doing what their known for…Wayne not getting paid like he suppose to either..y’all aint even know it

    32. where i am from they call that “being a sucka”.

      dude is getting played. i know he isnt selling like crazy, but should be getting a few checks.

      tyga got hustled. ask juvenile, birdman holding that money and buy bugatti’s off his record sales.

    33. He’s not gettin a royalty check cause Baby got’em. TYGA don’t release that BABY bought a fish tank and his daughter a golf cart with his checks……..lmao!

    34. the cost of doing business with YMCMB is that you get the exposure but not the rewards,they make you hot but they won’t pay you..so it’s up to you to reap the benefits of that affiliation,nobody in their right mind would sign to those dudes if they didn’t already had a fanbase to work from,and they prob wouldn’t sign you except as a tax write off(the legion of YMCMB artists you will never hear of…fill in artist here….)thats how the music business works in 2013

    35. You sign with Cash Money, you will get 0-10% of the profits and Baby gets the rest. Are Drake and Nicki Minaj really getting paid or are they sugarcoating their earnings?

    36. Lmao why was this article titles tyga claims hes never gotten paid and the nicki minaj one was nicki minaj admits shes the greatest lmao..

    37. They gave me a couple vitamin waters, a pair of jays and some Dodger hats. It’s cool tho, all that money just weighs you down. Me I want to be closer to the people man, helps me be a part of the streets, ya feel me?

      Oh yea, not gangsta in the streets per say. More like the hoes on the stroll. I’m doin just like Kanye said in Jesus Walks, ya feel me?–Tyga

    38. Veteran? please he’s anything but he’s another member of this new shitty wave of music that’s polluting the radio and the genre of Hip-Hop as a whole

    39. The last king sold 340K. Tyga has so many videos they’re probably just using his royalties to pay for them and studio fees. He better hold on to that 1 million. I’m sure he’s getting paid, just not from Cash Money. That’s why you gotta do features and shows. Even television and cinema sometimes.

    40. This is self explanatory but i will say it anyway…OF COURSE you ain’t getting no checks over there you dumbass! Everybody that has been on that label almost has forewarned you! Bird is just that, a Bird azz leach that takes advantage of his artist! What makes you different? Black folks have got to be the dumbest race in the world! We do the same dumbass crap over and over and expect different results!. You deserve to be broke.

      1. If u are black u are a self hating uncle tom sell out type nigga then. u say “Black folks have got to be the dumbest race in the world”. 4real? who says some ignorant shit like that? especially bout their own kind.

        In most situations like this, its not bcuz these rappers are “DUMB” but bcuz they come from poverty and when they have half a mill thrown in their face verses barely havin enough money to make it month to month, the choice is easy to sign the deal bcuz they may not get another chance like that in a life time.

        Now its easy for a artist who comes from a cushy background where money not a issue to turn down a $500,000 contract bcuz they already got money. They can take that sacrifice and shop deals.

        tyga, on the other hand, i think he did come from money, so yeh, HE is stupid. But bcuz a few ppl from a certain race is stupid dont mean u down the whole fuckin race!

      2. I do you dumb azz. I can berate my own kind if I want. Actually, we need some checks and balances dude, that’s why we can’t get ahead. Nigg@s partying like it’s 2099, but lack resources and the mental fortitude to overcome the plight of our generation which just happens to be ignorance. Go to school, get educated, get informed so you are not a dumb azz.It’s more of us standing on the corner with our pants sagging talking about ‘swag’ than getting a college degree…or even worse a high school diploma. So hell yeah I’m talking about ‘US’. “We” need to elevate our mindstate and to stay on topic, Tyga should have read the damn contract instead of looking at the filler which so easily derails our people. That is all.

    41. This lil nigga dumb. Allowing his self to get played like that by bird man. Rack city ma ass. Better stop spendin money on them hoes and start to invest!! Then get off that lame ass lable young bummy

    42. Aye don’t 4get that’s why he wifed a stripper. So if shit gets bad aye aleast a nigga got a couple of G’s every night.

    43. This is why your average artists not only get screwed, but don’t get their royalties. Label owners are insanely greedy and they are living pretty. 2nd, they called it Royalties for you when really they have made all the publishing money off of your website, music, and percentage of ticket sales for events. Why didn’t you control your own page, music? was that a label policy before you signed to your label? to not do that? look at me. Nobody Owns me. I have my own page and I can be whoever I want. When passion exceeds your knowledge of it, then you shouldn’t be doing it. Know things before you dip your dicks into the entertainment label industry. Market your own website, music page then sign to a label if you believe they can spread your name ten times more for units if you’d like to be ten times bigger. They will generally say you owned them money for the marketing of your image. Make sure you have access and own your fan page website and music page. It should not be a broken policy with your label before you sign and then give me an email. I consult with many artists to help get them on the right labels, right agencies to get them touring with their favorite artists. I manage at 10 percent of publishing rights on contract. The Artist gets 80 and another 10 goes to web developer If you don’t wanna create your own fan traffic on the advertising side of it if you are really worth it as an artist and your music speaks for itself. Looking for Diamonds.

    44. Should have signed with Roc Nation, at least you would be on tour with Rihanna, Ye & Beyonce’ and getting at least 20% of the take in profits. Damn homie, NO checks? Let me do the math…
      Careless World sold around 340,000 units @ (Let’s @ $9.00 apiece) is $3,060,000-minus budget (let’s say 1.8 mil)-that’s still 1.26 million on the table. Where yo money son?

    45. Tyga, Bangladesh, Juvie, Mannie, and others don’t/didn’t get paid because the dough goes to Cash Money, and Baby and Slim “distribute” the money. That’s what happens when you don’t handle your own business and let Company do it for you.

      And you’re a fool and don’t belong in this conversation if you think these rapper dudes are getting $4-$7 per album sold. On a major label at that.

    46. Oh, and more importantly-who is getting the publishing rights? If he’s not getting that then he is working and recording for free. KFC could use his music and he would not get jack if Slim & Baby have all of the publishing rights. But hey, at least you bought Baby a new Bugatti. Actually 2 of them.

    47. Dude did not get screwed, and they did not rob him. I this case, he spent more than he can get back. His advance, along with his videos, promotions, marketing, and travel costs doesn’t equal to the money made from Tyga. He’s had some singles that has done well, but his album topped out at 300k, and the new one will do less, plus the singles will do less as well. He’s actually in the red with YMCMB, that’s why he’s not hating or venting. He’s stating facts. Now Juvie, Mannie and Bang…yeah, they got robbed. Juvie 400 Degrees sold over 4 million albums. Still the biggest selling album on Cash Money. He should have been caked up! Mannie did all those records in that almost 10 year era, he should have been caked as well. Bang is just a dumass who didn’t get paid..TWICE, yet did a deal with them. Stop crying foul unless you know how it works!

      1. Man be quiet, unless you were in the room when the deal was done then you are an outsider. Do you know who much his budget was? Do you know how much he spent? Do you have a clue on the points that he’s getting? What’s his publishing rights ratio? Is his deal a 360 deal or a jacked up exclusive nolo deal? …Unless you are there and signing those papers than you are speculating.

    48. his deal may not b sweet 2 u..but 4 him its all good..it doesn’t seem as tho he’s complaining or is rushin 2 get away frm them..they eating…liven good..will neva b broke..on the ballinges team..long as they eat he gone eat..he’s NOT CONCERNED wit wit theyr makin…he’s FOCUSED ON wit he’s makin and at the end thats all that matters…

      1. What is he focused on making if he doesn’t know what he’s getting? He’ll be standing on the soup line next to you in ten years sharing “I f**ked up the money” stories. Have a good day.

      1. not to sound rude .. tyga needs to grow up. i mean who else would leave a company were they show you love … but then agian you also need trust maybe you never gave that to them… one love YM

    49. many of you fucks are dumb as shit, the game has changed, people taking this out of context, cd sales aint shit, touring and other shit is how you earn your money in the music business today, if you make good music people will pay to see you, then you eat, cd returns aren’t shit, and theyre paying for videos and other marketing shit, while tyga gets a majority of the touring money, etc

    50. AND YOU KNOW WHAT IM NOT IN IT FOR THE MONEY REALLY I WANT TO PROVE PEOPLE WRONG THAT THE NUMBER ONE THING STUCK ON MY MIND … YM YOU CAN HELP ME WITH THAT … JUST TO PUT IT OUT THERE IM A LATINO

    51. people are so dumb, nyga is dumb too because he apparently doesn’t know how his own record deal works, you don’t get paid a single cent from royalties until you make the record label your advance first and tyga is probably facing cross collaterization from his first album 3 albums deep, which means he’s still trying to make back the record label his first advance. Tyga is a lame by saying he got a signing bonus when he knows damn right he’s been living off advancements he can’t even make up

    52. all you clowns aspiring ‘producers’ and ‘artists’ act like oh yeah its all from my heart and I’m gonna make it and take togas spot, that broke fool has no spot to be took. The music industry is an industry like any other, it has an economic structure and its business as always. those who understand business and aren’t as ignorant as all these comments sound are the ones who succeed
      all you losers acting like hopes and dreams get you anywhere should probably pick up a class or two at you local community college

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