Birdman and Lil Wayne, despite their past ups and downs, recently reunited at YouTube’s annual Leaders & Legends Gala in Los Angeles to celebrate Cash Money’s 30th anniversary. The event honored Cash Money with a special award, which Birdman accepted alongside co-founder Ronald “Slim” Williams. Several artists from the label’s roster, including Mannie Fresh, Yo Gotti, Juvenile, and Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, attended the celebration.
Birdman shared a celebratory photo on Instagram, standing with Weezy, Yo Gotti, and Mack Maine, captioned, “A movie @cashmoneyofficial #RICHGANG. YMCMB [goat emoji] STUNNAMAN.” Juvenile also expressed his gratitude in a heartfelt post, thanking everyone involved in Cash Money’s journey and YouTube for organizing the event.
The gala was a precursor to Cash Money’s scheduled performance at Essence Fest in New Orleans. However, fans hoping for a full Cash Money reunion were left disappointed when Lil Wayne chose to perform solo instead of joining his former label mates on stage. Replacing the Cash Money logos with his Young Money insignias on the opening night of the annual black music Festival, Wayne performed a 20-minute set starting around 1:30 AM local time, staying away from the group set and backstage areas, highlighting ongoing tensions within the Cash Money camp.
The Cash Money reunion at Essence Fest included notable guests such as former New Orleans mayor Marc Morial, who presented a National Urban League proclamation to a Cash Money delegation. Birdman and Slim, recently honored with a street naming ceremony, received the proclamation. Performers at the reunion included a live band, Juvenile, Mannie Fresh, B.G., The LOX, Bun B, Scarface, and 2 Chainz.
During his solo performance, Lil Wayne made his allegiance clear, stating, “My name is Tunechi. I’m here on behalf of Young Money f***ing Records.” He was joined by Young Money members for “Every Girl” before leaving the stage for Birdman, Mannie Fresh, and B.G. to return with the Big Tymers’ “Still Fly.”
Birdman took a moment to reflect on his journey and his late mother, Ms. Gladys, during the performance. “Every day I did this st it was painful for me, because I lost Ms. Gladys as a youngster and I never recovered from that,” he said. “I was just trying to bless some young nas who was headed in the direction I was headed. I swear to God on everything I love, and I love nothing more than Ms. Gladys, I would never let my city down and be a py a n***a for nobody.”
Despite the absence of a complete reunion, the events highlighted the lasting impact and legacy of Cash Money Records. Fans are left to speculate on the future dynamics of the group and whether further reconciliation is on the horizon.
