Sparking major headlines this weekend, it was reported that <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/lil-wayne-allegedly-sold-masters-in-nine-figure-deal-news.122685.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Lil Wayne had sold his master recordings to Universal Music Group in a $100 million deal</a>. Considering the fact that Bob Dylan sold his entire catalog for $300 million just weeks prior, many were surprised that Wayne didn&#8217;t push for more money. According to Music Business Worldwide, the reason why he settled for $100 million is actually quite clear.
New information from Ron Sweeney&#8217;s lawsuit clarifies that <a href="/profile/LilWayne" class="text-word" target="_blank" >Lil Wayne</a> was able to <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/lil-wayne-drake-and-nicki-minaj-put-young-money-on-the-map-news.60851.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">sell the entire Young Money catalog &#8212; not his own</a> &#8212; which includes songs and albums from <a href="/profile/Drake" class="text-word" target="_blank" >Drake</a>, <a href="/profile/NickiMinaj" class="text-word" target="_blank" >Nicki Minaj</a>, <a href="/profile/Tyga" class="text-word" target="_blank" >Tyga</a>, and more, in the $100 million deal.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/userfiles/25/30/973025_e478611d9ec45708f1f8b5aeeb09c9c1.jpg" alt="Lil Wayne Also Sold Drake &amp; Nicki Minaj's Masters In $100 Million Deal: Report"><figcaption>Jeff Schear/Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
The report states that the nine-figure deal was made in June 2020. While this clears up some details, it muddies others. For instance, it&#8217;s unclear which of Drake&#8217;s albums were included in this deal, as <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/drake-hints-at-scorpion-being-his-last-album-with-cash-money-news.53869.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">most of his projects until 2018&#8217;s Scorpion were released under Young Money Records</a>. Everything since then has been specified under October&#8217;s Very Own.
As for Nicki Minaj, even her most recent album Queen was <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/nicki-minaj-and-drake-captured-the-young-money-come-up-on-moment-4-life-new-song.1989445.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">released under Young Money</a>. Almost all of her major releases have come via the record label&#8217;s imprint. Thus, it would appear as though Universal Music Group now owns the masters for all of Drake&#8217;s pre-2018 recordings, as well as the grand majority of Nicki Minaj&#8217;s discography, possibly even including future releases.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/userfiles/87/01/780187_76b75b2290fe9f531b5dd5455b0b5943.jpg" alt="Lil Wayne Also Sold Drake &amp; Nicki Minaj's Masters In $100 Million Deal: Report"><figcaption>Ethan Miller/Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
We&#8217;ll keep you posted on any updates in this story. For what it&#8217;s worth, this feels <a href="https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/lil-waynes-alleged-masters-deal-leads-to-birdman-hot-takes-news.122687.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">really similar to what Birdman initially did with Lil Wayne back in the day</a>&#8230;
<a href="https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/universal-music-group-acquired-young-money-catalog-for-over-100m-in-june-says-lil-waynes-ex-manager-whos-suing-him-for-20m/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">[via]</a>

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