Birdman Has Replaced Lil Wayne's Young Money with "Cash Money Rich Gang"

Although Birdman insisted it was all love with Lil Wayne, his "son," in his recent interview with Angie Martinez, it now seems a breakup is imminent. The above Instagram picture from the Cash Money boss signals a distancing from Wayne's Young Money brand, which, as of now—until their lawsuit is over with—still belongs to Birdman.

Birdman just debuted a sweatsuit adorned with the letters "CMRG," standing for Cash Money Rich Gang. The acronym long associated with both Young Money and Cash Money was YMCMB, or Young Money Cash Money Billionaires. Although in Bird's latest trademark acronym, the "YM" is nowhere to be seen.

Rich Gang was a brand Birdman started in early 2013 in coordination with a compilation release that featured both Cash Money and Young Money artists. Amid his fallout with Lil Wayne, Rich Gang went on to be associated with the newer, younger acts Birdman was mentoring, such as Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan.

Earlier this year, Quan distanced himself from Rich Gang, choosing to focus on his solo career, and in May, a month after the release of Barter 6, released on 300 Entertainment and Atlantic, Young Thug said he did not have a deal with Birdman nor Rich Gang. Birdman implied a close working relationship with Thug in his Angie Martinez interview, even promising a future collaboration between Thug and Lil Wayne. In any case, the latest Rich Gang focus seems to be Atlanta R&B singer Jacquees.

The changing of Birdman's signature acronym implies that Rich Gang has officially replaced Young Money as Cash Money's primary focus. The unveiling of "CMRG" comes one day after former Rich Gang affiliate Jimmy Winfrey, who's currently imprisoned for shooting at Lil Wayne's tour bus in April, told authorities Birdman more-or-less ordered the hit on his former son. Birdman recently called any allegations of his involvement in the aforementioned incident, "the craziest sh*t I've ever heard in my life." In July, an indictment named (but didn't charge) both Birdman and Young Thug as co-conspirators in the tour bus shooting.

Of Wayne's supposed desire to leave Cash Money, Birdman told Angie Martinez, "If he wanna leave [Cash Money], I'm not gonna stand in his way." Most think that's exactly what Wayne wants with his $51 million lawsuit, but perhaps Birdman's new endorsement of the "CMRG" brand implies he finally got the memo.

Both Drake and Nicki Minaj are also signed to Young Money and, therefore, Cash Money. If Young Money manages to escape Cash Money, one would think Wayne would attempt to take two of hip-hop's biggest stars with him, although in the same (increasingly confusing) interview, Birdman was adamant that Drake and Nicki aren't going anywhere, saying it was "impossible" for either artist to leave Cash Money.

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Birdman, Lil Wayne, Young Thug