{"id":1932,"date":"2025-05-10T22:04:55","date_gmt":"2025-05-10T22:04:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fotobreak.com\/news\/young-money.html"},"modified":"2025-05-10T22:04:55","modified_gmt":"2025-05-10T22:04:55","slug":"young-money","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fotobreak.com\/news\/young-money.html","title":{"rendered":"Young money: how to hoard cash like a squirrel on espresso (spoiler: it\u2019s nuts\u00a0!)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id='video-container' data-video-id='Ha80ZaecGkQ' style='width:100%; height:auto; max-width:587px; position: relative;'>\n<div class='image-video-plugin' style='background:url(\"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/Ha80ZaecGkQ\/0.jpg\") center no-repeat; background-size: cover;'><\/div>\n<p>        <span class='youtube-play-button'><\/span><br \/>\n        <noscript><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Ha80ZaecGkQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a><\/noscript>\n    <\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>Is Nicki Minaj still with Young Money?<\/h2>\n<p>Let\u2019s address the elephant in the room\u2014or should we say, the <b>pink leopard-print wig<\/b> in the boardroom. Nicki Minaj and Young Money\u2019s relationship has had more twists than a <i>\u201cLove &#038; Hip-Hop\u201d<\/i> reunion special. Officially? The Queen Barbz <b>parted ways<\/b> with Young Money Entertainment in 2020, after a 12-year saga involving chart-toppers, glitter bombs, and enough cash to buy Drake\u2019s entire stock of designer snake plants. But in the music industry, \u201cbreakups\u201d are as definitive as a TikTok trend\u2019s lifespan. Are they still sliding into each other\u2019s DMs? Your guess is as good as ours.<\/p>\n<h3>The Evidence (Or Lack Thereof)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b>2020:<\/b> Nicki declared herself a \u201c<i>free agent<\/i>\u201d like she was auditioning for a Marvel movie. Young Money\u2019s socials? Crickets, aside from Lil Wayne occasionally posting memes about trust issues.<\/li>\n<li><b>2023:<\/b> She launched her own label, <b>Heavy On It<\/b>, because why ride shotgun when you can pilot the spaceship? (Bonus: No one\u2019s stopping her from dropping verses at 3 a.m.)<\/li>\n<li><b>2024:<\/b> Nicki shouted out Wayne and Drake in interviews but referred to Young Money like an ex you still low-key root for. It\u2019s giving \u201c<i>It\u2019s not you, it\u2019s the accounting department<\/i>.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Meanwhile, Young Money\u2019s current roster is quieter than a library during a Drake poetry reading. Without Nicki, the label\u2019s vibe feels like a group chat missing its meme queen. Sure, Wayne\u2019s still the GOAT, and Drake\u2019s\u2026being Drake\u2122, but let\u2019s be real\u2014who\u2019s out here dropping <b>10-minute diss tracks<\/b> or turning <i\u201c>Starships\u201d<\/i> into a congressional hearing soundbite? Exactly.<\/p>\n<p>So, is Nicki still with Young Money? Legally? No. Spiritually? Depends on the day of the week and whether Wayne\u2019s texted her a fire beat yet. The music biz thrives on chaotic energy, and this saga\u2019s got more unresolved tension than a <i>90s sitcom<\/i> finale. Grab your popcorn\u2014and maybe a VPN to stream the drama.<\/p>\n<h2>Is Drake signed to Young Money or Ovo?<\/h2>\n<p>Ah, the eternal question, like asking if water is wet or if a Hotline Bling emoji counts as a spiritual advisor. Drake\u2019s label allegiances are less \u201ceither\/or\u201d and more \u201cyes, but actually no, but also yes.\u201d Let\u2019s untangle this with the urgency of someone trying to screenshot a Snapchat story. <b>Drake was <i>originally<\/i> signed to Young Money Entertainment<\/b> (the Lil Wayne-helmed Cash Money Records subsidiary) in 2009, back when \u201cBest I Ever Had\u201d had us all awkwardly serenading crushes via Bluetooth. But here\u2019s where it gets sillier than a diss track about push-ups: he\u2019s also the face of OVO (October\u2019s Very Own), his own brand-turned-label <b><i>and<\/i> a Warner Records partner since 2012<\/b>. So, is he Team Young Money or Team OVO? Both. Neither. Schr\u00f6dinger\u2019s rapper.<\/p>\n<h3>But wait, isn\u2019t Young Money his Hogwarts house?<\/h3>\n<div class='global-div-post-related-aib'><a href='\/news\/4uvize-apk.html' class='post-related-aib'><div class='internal-div-post-related-aib'><span class='text-post-related-aib'>You may also be interested in:<\/span>&nbsp; <span class='post-title-aib'>4uvize apk: why 10,000 rubber ducks swear by this app\u202f\u2014\u202fand your toaster might too\u202f?<\/span><\/div><\/a><\/div>\n<p>In a world where record labels are less \u201ccontracts\u201d and more \u201cvibes,\u201d Young Money was Drake\u2019s launching pad\u2014think of it as the Gryffindor to his Harry Potter. But OVO? That\u2019s his <b>full-grown Patronus<\/b>. While he hasn\u2019t dropped a Young Money album since 2014\u2019s *<i>Thank Me Later<\/i> to <i>If You\u2019re Reading This It\u2019s Too Late<\/i>*, he\u2019s technically still affiliated. Young Money is like that childhood friend you outgrew but still tag in memes. Meanwhile, OVO isn\u2019t just a label\u2014it\u2019s a <b>nocturnal animal kingdom<\/b> (owl logo included), a clothing line, and a Toronto Raptors hype squad. Labels? Drake doesn\u2019t just join them. He *haunts* them.<\/p>\n<p><b>Key takeaways for the confused:<\/b>  <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>2009\u20132018<\/b>: Signed to Young Money\/Cash Money (but let\u2019s pretend we didn\u2019t see the lawsuits).<\/li>\n<li><b>2012\u2013present<\/b>: OVO Sound partners with Warner, making Drake both an artist and a label boss.<\/li>\n<li><b>Present day<\/b>: He\u2019s essentially a free agent with benefits, like a vampire who still gets invited to daylight weddings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So, is Drake signed to Young Money or OVO? Yes. Also, no. The man\u2019s career is a Russian nesting doll of industry hustle\u2014peel one layer, and you\u2019ll find <b>another layer holding a Grammy<\/b>. Young Money birthed him, OVO crowned him, and now he\u2019s out here dual-wielding legacy and independence like it\u2019s a rap game *Breath of the Wild*. Labels aren\u2019t cages; they\u2019re trampolines. And Drake? He\u2019s bouncing.<\/p>\n<h2>How many members are in Young Money?<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re asking how many members are in Young Money, prepare to enter a math problem that would make a spreadsheet scream. Officially, the <b>core roster<\/b> hovers around <b>8-10 artists<\/b>, but that\u2019s like saying a bag of chips has \u201capproximately\u201d 15 chips\u2014some are crushed, some are half-formed, and at least one is suspiciously shaped like Lil Wayne\u2019s face. The lineup has shifted over the years, with legends like Drake and Nicki Minaj graduating from \u201cWe Are Young Money\u201d to \u201cWe Are Now Wealthy Adult Money,\u201d but still loosely tethered to the brand like helium balloons at a car dealership.<\/p>\n<h3>Active Members vs. Alumni: The Great Chip Bag Debate<\/h3>\n<p>Let\u2019s split this like a dinner bill at a group outing where someone ordered lobster:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>OGs:<\/b> Lil Wayne (the human tattoo collage), Drake (certified \u201cStarted From the Bottom\u201d bard), Nicki Minaj (rap\u2019s glitter cannon).<\/li>\n<li><b>Current-ish:<\/b> Tyga, Cory Gunz, and a rotating cast of up-and-comers who occasionally surface, like cryptids in a studio.<\/li>\n<li><b>Alumni:<\/b> The departed, the disbanded, and the \u201cwait, they were signed?!\u201d surprises (RIP to the brief but chaotic era of <i>Lil Twist<\/i>).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Counting Young Money members is like trying to count raccoons in a dumpster at midnight\u2014you\u2019ll get a different number every time you shine a flashlight. For instance, does <b>\u201cYoung Money Entertainment\u201d<\/b> include cashiers at the YM merch store? No. But if you ask a superfan, they\u2019ll swear the security guard at the 2012 tour counts as \u201cessential to the vibe.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>The Unofficial Extended Universe<\/h3>\n<p>Let\u2019s not forget the honorary members: millions of fans who\u2019ve rapped every word of \u201cBedRock\u201d at karaoke <b>while holding a plastic coconut<\/b>. Also, technically, anyone who\u2019s ever borrowed a friend\u2019s \u201cFree Weezy\u201d T-shirt. By that logic, Young Money has roughly 12 million members\u2014or however many people have Shazam\u2019d \u201cEvery Girl\u201d since 2009. Math!<\/p>\n<h2>Who was originally in Young Money?<\/h2>\n<div class='global-div-post-related-aib'><a href='\/news\/waterproof-trail-running-shoes.html' class='post-related-aib'><div class='internal-div-post-related-aib'><span class='text-post-related-aib'>You may also be interested in:<\/span>&nbsp; <span class='post-title-aib'>Waterproof trail running shoes: because even splash-proof squirrels question your life choices!\u202f?\u202fwe tested 37 puddles so you don\u2019t have to<\/span><\/div><\/a><\/div>\n<h3>The OG Cast of Lil Wayne\u2019s Rap Circus<\/h3>\n<p>Picture this: It\u2019s 2005, and Lil Wayne\u2014fresh off declaring himself a \u201cmartian\u201d and dipping his dreads in neon dye\u2014decides to start a record label. But not just any label. A <b>chaotic<\/b>, glitter-dusted troupe of misfits who\u2019d later become rap royalty. The original Young Money roster was like a <b>surreal sitcom cast<\/b>, if the sitcom was filmed in a studio made of syrup-coated cash.  <\/p>\n<h3>The Breakout Stars (Before They Were Household Names)<\/h3>\n<p>The core squad included:  <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Drake<\/b> (aka \u201cWheelchair Jimmy\u201d from *Degrassi*, who rapped like he owed the mob money)<\/li>\n<li><b>Nicki Minaj<\/b> (a human unicorn with 17 alter egos and zero chill)<\/li>\n<li><b>Tyga<\/b> (the guy who somehow made \u201cskateboard rapper\u201d a legitimate career path)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Let\u2019s not forget the undercard: <b>Jae Millz<\/b> (the guy your cousin swears was \u201cunderrated\u201d), <b>Mack Maine<\/b> (Wayne\u2019s hype-man\/philosopher hybrid), and <b>Gudda Gudda<\/b> (who rapped about aliens and sneakers with equal intensity). Together, they formed a <b>human meme page<\/b> before memes had a name.  <\/p>\n<div class='global-div-post-related-aib'><a href='\/news\/swan-surgery-petersfield.html' class='post-related-aib'><div class='internal-div-post-related-aib'><span class='text-post-related-aib'>You may also be interested in:<\/span>&nbsp; <span class='post-title-aib'>Swan surgery petersfield: what\u2019s all the flap about? Meet the feathered surgeons revolutionizing healthcare! \ud83e\udda2\ud83d\udc89<\/span><\/div><\/a><\/div>\n<h3>The \u201cWait, They Were There Too?\u201d Crew<\/h3>\n<p>Rounding out the chaos were acts like <b>Lil Twist<\/b> (a 14-year-old who\u2019d already Seen Things\u2122) and <b>T-Streets<\/b> (the mysterious cousin who showed up to holidays uninvited but somehow stayed for dinner). The label\u2019s early mixtapes sounded like someone microwaved a stack of CDs and yelled \u201cTHIS IS ART.\u201d  <\/p>\n<p>By 2008, Young Money wasn\u2019t just a crew\u2014it was a <b>cultural glitch in the matrix<\/b>. Wayne\u2019s vision? Take over rap by assembling humans who either couldn\u2019t sit still or hadn\u2019t slept since 2003. Spoiler: It worked. Mostly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is Nicki Minaj still with Young Money? Let\u2019s address the elephant in the room\u2014or should we say, the pink leopard-print wig in the boardroom. Nicki Minaj and Young Money\u2019s relationship has had more twists than a \u201cLove &#038; Hip-Hop\u201d reunion special. Officially? The Queen Barbz parted ways with Young Money Entertainment in 2020, after a&hellip;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fotobreak.com\/news\/young-money.html\" rel=\"bookmark\">Read More &raquo;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Young money: how to hoard cash like a squirrel on espresso (spoiler: it\u2019s nuts\u00a0!)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1933,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fotobreak.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1932","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fotobreak.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fotobreak.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fotobreak.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fotobreak.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1932"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.fotobreak.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1932\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fotobreak.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1933"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fotobreak.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1932"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fotobreak.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1932"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fotobreak.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1932"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}