Baby Claims Lil Wayne's Michael Jackson Status, "He's Gonna Be The Biggest Artist In Music"

Cash Money Records' co-founder Baby has compared his artist Lil Wayne to the late pop icon Michael Jackson and reveals the high hopes he has for the rapper when he returns from jail. Watch Lil Wayne's latest Interview from jail here.

The Birdman credits Wayne's hard work ethic as reason enough for the comparison.

"When Wayne comes home he lifts everybody's spirits, he lifts everybody's value, he lifts the brand, he lifts everything. Wayne is gonna be the biggest artist in music, not just in hip-hop; in music. It's some Michael Jackson sh*t right here goin' on right before our eyes...He's a beast; he went back to that raw rappin'. That n*gga still be impressin' me with his music. I say that to say that I be around him a lot so the sh*t he do and say shouldn't be as impressive to me. I'm one of his biggest fans, I be geeked out on him. I watch him work, he's just cold. It's some magical shit to watch the young blood do what he do." (XXL Mag)

When Jay-Z was named MTV's No. 1 "Hottest in the Game" emcee last fall, Baby denounced the accolade and argued for Wayne as rap's top talent.

"I don't think he a number one emcee in no kinda way," Baby said in an October 2009 interview. "Wayne the best he do the most and he make the most money. I dont think no n*gga in the business make more money than us. How could you be the best if you don't make the best money, the most money and you don't do the most. Lyrically, come on man be for real man can't nobody f*ck with Wayne. And to me, if you number one and you aint getting no money it don't mean nothing. Who's making the most money. That's number one to me. F*ck all that rap sh*t. Sh*t, y'all got cold rappers you never even heard and then you got n*ggas who really can't rap and making money. It's about who's making the most money to me. I don't give a f*ck about the rest of that sh*t." (Tropical TV)

Upon being grilled about his views on "106 & Park," Baby stood by his remarks.

"Well I feel like, as far as number one to me, that don't really matter, it's about who makes the most money and do the most," Baby explained in an interivew. "I think my son do the most, rap the most, he do the most shows, we do the most so if we do the most, how could you be number one if you ain't making the most? No, no, [beef]. Nothing personal, they just asked me my opinon and that was my opinion. I think we do the most and make the most, so if you don't like it, that's on you. I can't see past Wayne, so I can't see Jay-Z." ("106 & Park")

Scheduled to be released as early as November 4th, Wayne was placed behind bars last spring on a gun conviction.

Lil Wayne has been sentenced to a year in jail after pleading guilty in a New York City gun case. The Grammy Award-winning rapper was taken away in handcuffs to start serving his term immediately after his sentencing. He'll serve his sentence in city jails, not a state prison. He could be released in about eight months with good behavior. (CBS News)