We Are Young Money | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | December 21, 2009 | |||
Recorded | 2008–09 in Vancouver | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 65:12 | |||
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Producer |
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Young Money chronology | ||||
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Singles from We Are Young Money | ||||
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We Are Young Money is the first compilation album by American hip hop record label Young Money Entertainment, and released on December 21, 2009 [1] by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Motown Records. The album garnered a positive reception but critics were divided on the quality of the label's choice of artists. We Are Young Money debuted at number 9 on the Billboard 200 and spawned three singles: "Every Girl", "BedRock" and "Roger That". The album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of over 1,000,000 copies in the United States.
The album features contributions from Young Money artists Lil Wayne, Gudda Gudda, Jae Millz, Mack Maine, Drake, Tyga, T-Streets, Short Dawg, Shanell, Nicki Minaj, Lil Twist and Lil Chuckee. The album also features guest appearances from Birdman, Lloyd and Gucci Mane. The album's production was handled by Kane Beatz, Chase N. Cashe, Cool & Dre, David Banner, Infamous, Willy Will and DJ Mecca of The Audibles, among other high-profile record producers. Lil Wayne, the founder of the label, performs on all tracks, except "Girl I Got You".
"Every Girl" was released as the album's lead single on June 11, 2009; the song features Lil Wayne, Drake, Jae Millz, Gudda Gudda and Mack Maine. The song peaked at number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100. "BedRock" was released as the album's second single on November 14, 2009; the song features Lil Wayne, Drake, Jae Millz, Gudda Gudda, Nicki Minaj, Tyga and Lloyd. The song has peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and number 9 on the UK Singles Chart, making it the most commercially successful single. The two first singles proved to be hits on the charts and in the urban community. "Roger That" was released as the album's third single; the song features Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and Tyga. It was officially released to urban radio on March 23, 2010. [2]
"Steady Mobbin'" peaked at number 48 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. The song originally also featured 2 Chainz but he was removed for unknown reasons. [3] [4] It has been stated on MTV News that Gucci Mane and Lil Wayne shot their scenes for the video separately. Wayne shot his parts two-hours before turning himself in to his one-year jail sentence, while Gucci shot his after his sentence was completed on May 12, 2010. The music video premiered on Sunday July 4, 2010 on MTV Jams. [5]
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 63/100 [6] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [7] |
The A.V. Club | C [8] |
HipHopDX | [9] |
NOW | [10] |
Pitchfork | 7.4/10 [11] |
RapReviews | 7/10 [12] |
Rolling Stone | [13] |
Toronto Star | [14] |
XXL | [15] |
We Are Young Money received generally favorable reviews from music critics who found the quality of the rappers' talents below average. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 63, based on 8 reviews. [6]
Steve 'Flash' Juon of RapReviews praised the production by Kane Beatz and Tha Bizness for providing the necessary energy but found the album filled with more Lil Wayne and less of his newly signed roster than needed, saying that "For the most part the charisma of Lil Wayne and Drake carries We Are Young Money even when the actual content does not. Occasionally Jae Millz or Mack Maine upstage everyone with a line or two but odds are if you buy We Are Young Money you're a Lil Wayne fan." [12] Pitchfork writer Ryan Dombal said that Drake and Nicki Minaj elevate the material that contains high quality production, saying that "Along with its top tier talents, what keeps WAYM from slogging along is a stylistic diversity and a selection of beats that sometimes borders on phenomenal." [11] XXL contributor Chris Yuscavage praised the album for allowing new rappers to deliver workmanlike lyrics that rarely happen in similar projects, saying that "We Are Young Money—the first group project from Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment—actually manages to help the YM roster make a solid first impression." [15] Joshua Errett of NOW found Minaj the only standout rapper on the record because of her idiosyncratic delivery, saying that "Her nonsensical punchlines and train-wreck flow have been accurately described as Lynchian - kooky and captivating." [10]
The A.V. Club 's Nathan Rabin found the album's lyrical content and roster of rappers tiring and lacking in staying power, concluding that "Money is pure bubblegum, the kind of instantly disposable pop ephemera listeners forget about while it’s still playing." [8] Kathy Iandoli of HipHopDX found the record too Wayne-heavy and doesn't give enough time for the new rappers to leave an impression, saying that "[T]he problem here is that unlike past posse introductory albums (see Wu-Tang Clan’s Enter The 36 Chambers ), there isn’t a level playing field where everyone has an equal opportunity to become a star. The individual successes of Wayne, Drake, and Nicki alone make a compilation like this too late for them and too early for the rest." [9] Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone felt the album lacked balance in showcasing new artists, saying that "It's inconsistent, veering from Drake (always solid, but distracted here) to very average MCs like Gudda Gudda." [13] Ashante Infantry of the Toronto Star said that despite appearances from Drake and Nicki Minaj, the rest of the label roster proved mediocre in delivering verses, saying that "[I]t's difficult to establish identity in an ensemble cast and even tougher with the limited, profane agenda – money, groupies, cars – outlined in songs like 'Fuck Da Bullshit' and 'New Shit'." [14]
We Are Young Money debuted at number 9 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 142,000 copies in its first-week sales. [16] The album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over 1 million copies in the United States. [17]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Gooder" | 4:26 | ||
2. | "Every Girl in the World" |
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| 5:13 |
3. | "Ms. Parker" |
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| 5:19 |
4. | "Wife Beater" |
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| 4:43 |
5. | "New Shit" |
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| 3:31 |
6. | "Pass the Dutch" (featuring Short Dawg) |
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| 5:06 |
7. | "Play in My Band" |
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| 4:08 |
8. | "Fuck da Bullshit" (featuring Birdman) |
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| 3:07 |
9. | "BedRock" (featuring Lloyd) |
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| 4:48 |
10. | "Girl I Got You (Young Money song)" |
| 3:58 | |
11. | "Steady Mobbin' (Lil Wayne)" (featuring Gucci Mane) |
| Lil Wayne | 5:38 |
12. | "Roger That" |
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| 3:30 |
13. | "She Is Gone" |
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| 3:50 |
14. | "Streets Is Watchin'" |
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| 3:41 |
15. | "Finale" |
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| 5:22 |
Total length: | 65:12 |
Sample credits
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United States (RIAA) [23] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Baby" Williams. In its early years, Cash Money Records released albums for Juvenile, B.G., and Hot Boys. Distributed by Republic Records, the label has since been home to a roster of mostly hip hop artists, including Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Tyga. The company is regarded as one of the most successful record labels of the 2000s–2010s.
Young Money Entertainment is an American record label founded by rapper Lil Wayne in 2005. The label was an imprint of Cash Money Records from its formation until 2018, thereafter operating as an imprint of its parent label, Republic Records. Wayne's longtime affiliate and rapper Mack Maine was appointed as the company's president in 2009.
"Every Girl" is a song by rap group Young Money released as the first single from their debut collaboration album titled We Are Young Money. It was legally released to the iTunes Store on June 11, 2009. Young Money Entertainment rappers Lil Wayne, Drake, Jae Millz, Gudda Gudda, and Mack Maine make appearances on the track. The video was shot on February 13, 2009, and was released on April 6 of that same year. The song was leaked to the internet on January 28, 2009, just a day after "Prom Queen" was officially released.
Beam Me Up Scotty is the third mixtape by rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on April 18, 2009. The mixtape features guest verses from rappers Brinx, Busta Rhymes, Drake, Gucci Mane, Mack Maine, Gudda Gudda, Jae Millz, Lil Wayne, Red Café, Rocko and Ron Browz, as well as vocals from singers Ricky Blaze, Bobby V, Shanell. Its production was overseen by DJ Holiday and the Trap-a-Holics.
"Money to Blow" is the third single from rapper Birdman’s fourth studio album, Priceless. The song features Young Money/Cash Money artists Drake and Lil Wayne. The song - leaked in early 2008 - was originally by Drake, but he went on to give it to Birdman. There is a "sequel" to this song, entitled "4 My Town ", the fourth single from Birdman's album.
"BedRock" is the second single by hip hop group/record label Young Money Entertainment from their debut collaboration album, We Are Young Money (2009). It is performed by acts that were signed under Young Money, including rap verses by Lil Wayne, Gudda Gudda, Nicki Minaj as her debut single, Drake, Tyga, Jae Millz, with the chorus performed by Lloyd. "BedRock" is also featured as a bonus track on the Japanese, New Zealand, and the "Complete Edition" 2020 reissue editions of Nicki Minaj's debut studio album, Pink Friday.
No Ceilings is a mixtape by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was scheduled to be released on October 31, 2009, but was leaked before the official date. No Ceilings was officially released on October 31, 2009, with 4 additional tracks. The mixtape is available as a free and legal download and it received widespread acclaim from critics. An abridged version was officially released to streaming services on August 28, 2020, excluding ten songs.
"4 My Town (Play Ball)" is the fourth single from rapper Birdman's fourth studio album, Priceless. The song features Young Money/Cash Money artists Drake and Lil Wayne. Drake's verse and the unmastered instrumental to the song was originally leaked and titled as "Play Ball" by Richie Wess and featuring Drake and Yung Dred, and then later placed on Soulja Boy's mixtape Paranormal Activity again as "Play Ball" featuring Drake.
"Roger That" is a hip hop song by rap group Young Money Entertainment released as the third single from their debut collaboration album We Are Young Money. Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, and Tyga rap on this song. The video was released on March 1, 2010, alongside "Girl I Got You".
Michael Len Williams II, known professionally as Mike Will Made It or simply Mike Will, is an American record producer and rapper. He is best known for producing trap beats for several Southern hip hop and pop artists on various commercially successful singles, including "Black Beatles" and "Powerglide" by Rae Sremmurd, "Mercy" by Kanye West, "No Lie" by 2 Chainz, "Bandz a Make Her Dance" by Juicy J, "Pour It Up" by Rihanna, "Love Me" by Lil Wayne, "Body Party" by Ciara, "We Can't Stop" by Miley Cyrus, "Formation" by Beyoncé, and "Humble" by Kendrick Lamar. He embarked on a career as a non-performing lead artist in 2013 with his debut single "23", which peaked at number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100. His 2017 follow up single, "Rake It Up" peaked at number eight on the chart. He has released six mixtapes and one solo studio album, Ransom 2 (2017).
Hotel California is the third studio album by American rapper Tyga. It was released on April 9, 2013, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records; distributed by Republic Records. The album features guest appearances from Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, The Game, Jadakiss, while the production on the album was handled by DJ Mustard, Detail, Cool & Dre, David D.A. Doman, Mars of 1500 or Nothin', The Olympicks, SAP and Ryan Hunt, among others.
Suffering from Success is the seventh studio album by American disc jockey and producer DJ Khaled. It was released on October 22, 2013, by We the Best Music Group, Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Republic Records. The album has guest appearances from Future, Diddy, Meek Mill, Rick Ross, T.I., 2 Chainz, French Montana, Timbaland, Lil Wayne, Drake, Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj and Jeremih. Producers include DJ Khaled, Boi-1da, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Arthur McArthur, Timbaland, Streetrunner, Young Chop and Lee on the Beats.
Sucka Free is the second mixtape by rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on April 12, 2008, through Dirty Money Records. Sucka Free features guest appearances from fellow rappers Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane, Jadakiss, Lil' Kim and Ransom. Production derives from Daven "Prestige" Vanderpool, Diddy, James Todd Smith, among others. None of the tracks have original instrumentals, using other productions of popular hip hop records.
Rich Gang is the debut studio album by Young Money and Cash Money as the supergroup Rich Gang. The album was released July 23, 2013, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Motown Records. The album contains contributions from several YMCMB members, including Birdman, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Tyga, Mack Maine, Limp Bizkit, Bow Wow, Ace Hood, Jae Millz, Cory Gunz, Gudda Gudda, Caskey, Detail, Busta Rhymes and Mystikal. The compilation also features guest appearances from artists outside the labels, including Future, Meek Mill, French Montana, T.I., Yo Gotti, Flo Rida, Chris Brown, Rick Ross, The Game, Kendrick Lamar, and R. Kelly. The album was supported by the three singles "Tapout" which peaked at No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100, along with the R. Kelly featured "We Been On" and "50 Plates" by Rick Ross. The album received generally mixed reviews from music critics and sold 40,000 copies in the US after three weeks of sale.
Carl Eugene Lilly Jr., better known by his stage name Gudda Gudda, is an American rapper from New Orleans. He was originally a member of Sqad Up with Kidd Kidd and Lil Wayne. After forging a long-time friendship with Wayne, he signed to Young Money Entertainment, and later Republic Records.
Young Money: Rise of an Empire is the second studio album by American supergroup Young Money Entertainment. The album was released on March 11, 2014, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Republic Records. Rise of an Empire's recording process took place from 2013 to 2014. It contains contributions from several Young Money recording artists including, Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Tyga, Christina Milian, Shanell, Mack Maine, Jae Millz, Cory Gunz, Gudda Gudda, Lil Twist, Chanel West Coast and PJ Morton, among others.
Leland Tyler Wayne, known professionally as Metro Boomin, is an American record producer. Noted for his dark production style, he is regarded as among the most influential producers in modern hip hop and trap music. He is credited for popularizing stylized producer tags in the genres; these include "If Young Metro don't trust you, I'm gon’ shoot you" and "Metro Boomin want some more, nigga," respectively spoken by frequent collaborators Future and Young Thug; his other collaborators include Kanye West, the Weeknd, Travis Scott, Drake, 21 Savage, Nav, and Gucci Mane.
Shane Lee Lindstrom, known professionally as Murda Beatz, is a Canadian record producer. He has produced hit singles including "Butterfly Effect" for Travis Scott, "Back on Road" for Gucci Mane, "Nice for What" for Drake, and "Motorsport" for Migos.
June James, also known as June, The Genius, is an American record producer from Houston, Texas. In 2016, he signed a record deal with Think It's A Game Entertainment and produced YFN Lucci's second mixtape Wish Me Well 2, which included the hit single "Key to the Streets". That was followed by producing Lucci's first single off his EP Long Live Nut, "Everyday We Lit" featuring PnB Rock which has peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became his highest charting produced single thus far.
"Good Form" is a song by Trinidadian-born rapper and singer Nicki Minaj. The original mix debuted on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 singles chart at number nine following the release of her fourth studio album, Queen, on August 10, 2018. A remix to the song featuring American rapper Lil Wayne was released on November 29, 2018, as the fourth single from the album, where it peaked at number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was written by Minaj and was produced by Mike Will Made It and Plush.