It was only a matter of time before Cash Money Records replaced Def Jam as the distributor for DJ Khaled’s We The Best Music Group. Since the label’s formation, they have worked closely with Lil Wayne and the other Cash Money members. In 2010, DJ Khaled signed an artist deal with Cash Money Records, while still operating We The Best through Def Jam.
By 2007, DJ Khaled released his sophomore album, We The Best, which featured appearances from many top Southern artists and New York artists. Def Jam saw the gift possessed by Khaled to unite artists. DJ Khaled was soon hired by Def Jam to revive the defunct Def Jam South and he was given his own label to sweeten the deal.
DJ Khaled has released more hit singles and has given the world Ace Hood, but Def Jam has been on a steady decline. Last month, a new president at Def Jam was announced, but he will not have the pleasure of working with DJ Khaled. Given Cash Money Records’ expansion, it was only a matter of time before We The Best Music Group relocated.
After seeing the success of Young Money, Cash Money Records’ home-grown subsidiary owned by Lil Wayne, Birdman began pursuing other boutique record labels. In 2011, when Rick Ross revamped the Maybach Music roster, Birdman announced he and Ross would be operating the label together, under Cash Money Records. If the deal would have taken place, Cash Money Records would have undoubtedly owned the rap game, with Young Money and Maybach Music under the same umbrella.
Ultimately, Rick Ross decided to set up shop at Warner Bros. Records and Maybach Music went on to become the most-popular hip hop crew in the rap game. Still, Young Money runs a close second and DJ Khaled’s We the Best has been in third. For Birdman, two out of three is not bad at all. During a conversation with Sway Calloway, for MTV News, Birdman explained the We The Best deal, which means the addition of Ace Hood to Cash Money Records.
