Cash Money is a lot like any other record label in the sense that they claim to be the best, greatest, richest, whatever. That's basically been the way of hip-hop for a long time now.
Because music is so subjective, that kind of thing is really impossible to say (which is also why they can all say it). What I am certain is true is that YMCMB leads the industry in "what the hell?" headlines that force a casual observer to immediately hit Google for confirmation.
For example: Limp Bizkit re-forming to sign with Cash Money, making a Big Tymers album without the man who created the sound, Lil' Wayne releasing a rock album, Lil' Wayne having regular seizures, Drake getting into a fight with Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj refusing to perform at Summer Jam, Jae Millz announcing he quit the label to run strip clubs, and, the latest, that Paris Hilton has now signed with Cash Money.
(Note: I only made one of those up.)
Now, most of these headlines and signings are at least somewhat relevant to hip-hop. But Paris Hilton? The Hilton heiress who needs a very, very good producer to make a listenable track represents the polar opposite to Birdman, and in no way fits into any of Birdman's philosophy.
"Great music first and just to show that we come from the bottom and we work hard for ours," Birdman said to MTV, describing the upcoming YMCMB plus friends collaboration, Rich Gang: Flashy Lifestyle, set to some out on June 25. "Ain't nothing ever came easy for us and I appreciate that, that nothing came easy."
Of course, the beauty of coming from the bottom and making it is that you really don't have to care what anyone thinks. From Birdman's perspective, catching hate used to mean potential for violence. Signing Paris Hilton just means he's going to line his pockets even more because he happens to know very, very good producers.
Birdman has gone so far away from the music that made YMCMB what it is today and made so many ridiculous headlines and so much money that a Paris Hilton signing just becomes white noise.
Just like her music.
