Since the defection and lawsuit of former right-hand man Lil Wayne at the top of 2015, Birdman has been taking one L after another. He has few if any reputed allies left, and evidence strongly suggests that neither Nicki Minaj nor Drake will be returning to Cash Money once their contracts expire.
Let's look back at the first half of 2015 through the lens of Birdman-related fiascos.
(Honorable mention that didn't make the cut: Paris Hilton's "High Off My Love" feat. Birdman video.)
Turk & Jas Prince Come For That Cash Money
It's not just Wayne. In February, Turk, one of the original Hot Boys, sued Cash Money for $1.3 million owed in unpaid royalties. He claimed the label practiced "shady accounting," which sounds entirely possible, and requested his Cash Money contract be voided.
He recently settled with Birdman out of court for an undisclosed amount.
And then there's Jas Prince. Unsatisfied with the lawsuit he filed in 2012, Jas, aka The Man Who Discovered Drake, filed legal documents demanding Cash Money fork over the precise dollar amount that Drake has earned them since he signed in 2009, which he believes to be as much as $40 million. this constitutes another lawsuit.
Rich Homie Quan Quits Rich Gang
Rich Homie Quan announced in February that he would be taking a break from all things Rich Gang to "get back to Quan" and focus on his solo ventures, specifically the mixtape that ended up being If You Ever Think I Will Stop Goin' In Ask RR (Royal Rich).
Given the incredible success of "Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh)" and the steady decline of Cash Money stock, doesn't look like RHQ will be running back into Birdman's arms any time soon.
DJ Khaled & Bow Wow Leave Cash Money
In a span of three days, DJ Khaled and Bow Wow both announced their intentions to leave Cash Money. DJ Khaled will take his We The Best imprint over to Sony, and Bow Wow will become independent, though he plans to work with Snoop Dogg and Jermaine Dupri.
Both artists made it was clear there was no bad blood between them and Cash Money. "Birdman, that's family," Khaled said, "and at the end of the day, it's not my business, and I do pray for greatness and everything works out... nothing negative, everything is beautiful."
Birdman Ordered To Pay $2 Million in Back Taxes
Everyone knows Birdman is disgustingly wealthy, none more so than the IRS, who recently hit the mogul with a pair of bills for unpaid taxes totaling $2 million.
Between this snafu, his condo almost getting snatched up for foreclosure, and his contractual beef with pretty much every artist signed to his label, it almost seems like the man has a problem with forgetting to pay people what he owes them.
Birdman Goes Ballistic Over Rollout of Tyga's New Album
Tyga's The Gold Album didn't do so hot it's opening week, selling only 2,200 copies, and the rapper defended the numbers by citing Spotify as the primary vehicle of the album's rollout. Fair enough, Tyga, fair enough...
While some may have let the album's poor performance and quality slide, Birdman did not, and he will reportedly not count the project towards Tyga's contract. If there's ever a time to feel bad for Tyga, it's now.
The Birdman v. Wayne Saga Rages On
As you probably know, Wayne slapped his estranged father Baby with a $51 million lawsuit in January that has yet to play out. They are apparently not putting their beef on hold until they meet in court, as Birdman attempted to shower Lil Wayne with a cup of liquor from the balcony during Wayne's recent performance at Jim Jones birthday bash at Miami's Club LIV. Not a good look for Birdman.
This is perhaps the quintessential Birdman moment -- the sort of bitter, vindictive behavior that has turned him into the most hated man in hip hop.