Birdman & Slim Cover Billboard Magazine

Nice read, good to see the Power Players on the Urban Music side, here's the complete list fit those that don't click links.




Co-founders/Co-CEOs, Cash Money Records Group
Website: CashMoney-Records.com
Twitter: @BIRDMAN5STAR
Money. Power. Respect.

It's been 21 years since Bryan "Birdman" and Ronald "Slim" Williams founded Cash Money Records as an independent rap label in New Orleans, and 14 years since the Williams brothers signed their initial pressing and distribution deal with Universal for a reported $30 million.
Billboard Power 100: Ronald 'Slim' Williams & Bryan 'Birdman' Williams

In the years since, Cash Money Records Group has grown into an urban -- and increasingly, pop -- music powerhouse, racking up a staggering stack of chart stats on its way to nearly 54 million albums and more than 107 million singles sold in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. With a crop of young talent including Lil Wayne, Drake and Nicki Minaj in its stable, a rapidly expanding roster and significant international growth within sight, the Williams brothers are holding all of the cards, and they're playing for keeps - Benjamin Meadows-Ingram




Billboard Urban Power Players List 2012 | Billboard.biz



Defining power and who possesses it is an ever-changing equation. It's a challenge that Billboard editors revisit each year with the Power Players series, which includes Women in Music, Latin Power Players, this year's inaugural Power 100 and the upcoming 40 Under 40. To that roster, add this issue's inaugural Urban Power List, profiling the 25 biggest players in the industry. The unranked tally targets executives whose concentration is urban, not executives who have oversight of urban music but also substantial responsibilities with other genres.

Rounding out the list: salutes to Urban Power Cities and the first Hall of Fame inductee. As with any such tally, numerous accomplished executives didn't make the cut. However, the selected honorees represent the collective judgment of Billboard's editors. Deal makers, rule breakers, beat creators -- these are the 25 most powerful players in the space, the men and women who define the game, direct its flow and determine its outcome. Congratulations to the 25 game-changing executives who comprise our first Urban Power List.


Urban Power Players Honorees (In Alphabetical Order):
Click on honoree's photo, name or title to read biographical information and more.
*

Cortez Bryant & Gee Roberson
Co-CEOs, Blueprint Group


Sean "Diddy Combs
Founder/CEO, Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group; brand manager, Ciroc*


Dr. Dre
Co-Founder/Beats By Dr. Dre
Founder, Aftermath Entertainment


Shawn Gee
President of Music and Entertainment, SEFG*


Benjy Grinberg
President, Rostrum Records


Ethiopia Habtemariam
Sr VP of Motown,
Exec VP/Head of Urban, UMPG



Jay-Z, Jay Brown, John Meneilly, Tyran "Ty Ty" Smith
Roc Nation


Magic Johnson
Owner, Magic Johnson Enterprises


Michael Kyser
President, Black Music, Atlantic


Bryan Leach
CEO, Polo Grounds Music


Debra Lee & Stephen Hill
Chairman/CEO, BET Networks
President of* Music Programming & Specials, BET Networks


Cara Lewis
Senior Agent, CAA


Joie Manda
President, Def Jam Recordings


Larry Mestel, Chris Lighty & Michael "Blue" Williams
Chairman/CEO Primary Violator
COO, Primary Violator; President, Primary Violator


Mark Pitts
President, RCA Urban Music
CEO, Bystorm Entertainment

Paul Rosenberg
Co-Founder, Shady Records
CEO, Goliath Artist Management


Rick Ross
Founder, Maybach Music Group


Reggie Rouse
VP of Urban Programming, CBS Radio PD, WVEE Atlanta *


Jay Stevens
SVP Programming, Radio One

Steve Stoute
CEO/Founder, Translation**


Tech N9ne
Founder, Strange Music


TI & Jason Geter
Grand Hustle


Chang Weisberg
Principal, Guerilla Union


Ronald "Slim" Williams & Bryan "Birdman" Williams
Co-founders/Co-CEOs, Cash Money Records Group


Doc Wynter
Brand Manager for Urban/Urban AC, Clear Channel*
*

URBAN POWER LIST HALL OF FAME: CLARENCE AVANT
President, Avant Garde and Interior Music*

no limit was selling units when the industry was in its prime, people where buying cds alot more then, so where cash money to, but master p had it on lock more than cash money in the 90s, they was only really selling hot boys units really ... if cash money had it on lock in the 90s like they do now, they woulda pushed 100mill plus by now... thats why i belive that no limit really did do 75mil... they had 100's of artists, and they where dropping over an album a month!

? a black ass hockey playing ? .

Yeah, I was early 20's during no limits run. they had more acts than you could name and for a couple of years all of them went multi plat, plat or gold. No sense discounting their success. Seeing that time, 75 million isnt hard to believe. Maybe their counting singles too, but either way. It was a different time and though hard to believe now it really happened. And you can give props to no limit and cash money. It's not about 1 against the other.

Michael_Malice wrote: »

? a black ass hockey playing ? .

ironically your buddy ? cotton co signs white girls that say ? yet you don't have the ? to call him a ? lmaoo....and notice how he cant even respond to the fact he aint amounted to ? in his life lmaoo

? must understand that P had the game locked from 96-2000 and no limit was dropping a record a month. thats 48 cds in 48 months during the absolute peek of his popularity and the peek of hip hop record sales. cats were moving units back then. he had a totally independent company that he had complete control of. he had a distribution only deal with a major label. he was able to run his company w/o any interference from a major that didnt understand what he was trying to do. P was able to create a business plan that no one before or since has been able to duplicate. everyone from sugar hill to def jam to death row had to answer to a major. no limit was homegrown and answered to no one. i dont doubt that P sold 75 million.

I respect them but I dont like their Music Point Blank

KillaCham.-THE ELITE wrote: »

water ur seeds wrote: »

no limit was selling units when the industry was in its prime, people where buying cds alot more then, so where cash money to, but master p had it on lock more than cash money in the 90s, they was only really selling hot boys units really ... if cash money had it on lock in the 90s like they do now, they woulda pushed 100mill plus by now... thats why i belive that no limit really did do 75mil... they had 100's of artists, and they where dropping over an album a month!

To be honest, back in the day No Limit was mostly just dropping a bunch of duds. Master P the artist has only sold about 13 million in the US.

TRU about 3 mill
Mia X: 500k - 1mill
Silkk: 2 - 3 mill
Mystikal: 2 - 3 mill
C-Murder - 2 mill
Snoop - 4 mill
Lil Romeo - 1 mill, if even

All the rest of them probably total 2-3million. That's about a 35 million ceiling in the US. And they damn sure weren't selling units internationally.

Wayne, Drake, Nicki alone are about 20 million in the US.
Juvenile at least 7-8 mill
Big Tymers & B.G. - 5 million

Birdman, Hot Boys, Turk, Jay Sean, compilation albums, and the rest easily add to that.

I dunno where these No Limit numbers come from or why they're inflated so high to 75mill-100mill. They weren't selling no singles either.

like video shows brother, 14 albums before he was even famous in 18months all doing 250k to 2mill... dude was fully indy, not distributor or middle man taking any bread... kane and abel, krazy, mac, fiend, mercedes, they all sold alot of records, they didnt have duds, plus they where always dropping new joints...


nicki and them all sell well for this day and age... but most their money is all thru shows and touring etc they numbers where the norm for music in its hay day...