Cash Money’s Bryan and Ronald Williams Crowned ‘Leaders and Legends’ at YouTube Gala

“Don’t let nobody inform you what you can not do!”

So declared Ronald “Slim” Williams as he and his brother, fellow Money Cash co-founder/co-CEO Bryan “Child” Williams, accepted YouTube Music’s Leaders and Legends Award. His remark additionally mirrored the vibe that resonated all through final night (June 27) because the music trade celebrated the venerable label’s 30-year (and counting) legacy.

Company arriving at Hollywood’s nya Studios West for YouTube’s second Leaders and Legends gala had been greeted by a vigorous five-piece band (together with a tuba) in homage to the brothers’ New Orleans roots. Black tie was in full impact as attendees imbibed specialty drinks just like the tequila-laced Hurricane and visited a few cubicles that includes numerous mementos together with Money Cash-logoed financial institution baggage with T-shirts inside. To enter the venue itself, visitors walked via a reproduction of a back-in-the-day file retailer that includes Money Cash “data, tapes and items.” An enormous, glittery Money Cash greenback signal was positioned on one wall behind album crates, whereas album covers chronicling the label’s storied historical past adorned one other wall. 

Kicking off the festivities inside was a string of video montages that colorfully depicted Money Cash’s evolution from a fledgling disruptor to Southern hip-hop icon. Built-in in between had been tribute clips that includes Common Music Group chairman/CEO Sir Lucian Grainge (who values the Williamses’ “loyalty, heat and humor”) in addition to onstage salutes from the likes of producer/buddy Polow da Don, BMI vp of artistic Catherine Brewton, longtime Money Cash lawyer Vernon Brown and UMG common counsel/government vp of enterprise and authorized affairs Jeffrey Harleston. After noting that Money Cash is the “longest-running Black-owned label ever,” Harleston added that Child and Slim taught him three vital classes: “Always remember the place you’re from, always remember who your persons are and produce them alongside in your journey.”

Whereas Lil Wayne was noticed in the home together with LL Cool J, amongst others, there have been no reside performances. However music was a central pressure in the course of the night due to a rousing pre-dinner interlude helmed by DJ Trauma because the viewers danced and rapped/sang alongside. In addition they took residence Money Cash Eternally cassettes and keychains (that when positioned on cell telephones supplies a hyperlink to the music). The 25-track playlist options hits by Lil Wayne, Juvenile, Drake, Nicki Minaj and extra.

Simply as rousing had been the salutes paid by Republic Data’ chief executives Avery and Monte Lipman plus YouTube’s international head of music Lyor Cohen. Avery’s feedback addressed Money Cash’s success over time: greater than 300 Sizzling 100 hits, with 41 prime 10s and 7 No. 1s, plus 80 Billboard 200 albums, together with 15 No. 1s. He additionally mirrored on his and Monte’s lengthy relationship with Child and Slim, saying partly, “The Lipman brothers began about the identical time because the Williams brothers and we sort of thought we had been scorching stuff. Then alongside got here Child and Slim … These guys revolutionized the trade, music tradition and even modified our vocabulary by having the phrase ‘bling’ added to the Webster dictionary. I additionally noticed firsthand their true superpowers: how they might actually manifest issues into actual life with none concern hesitation and all the time with a transparent intention.”

In his remarks, Monte famous, “The teachings we’ve realized from each Birdman and Slim as our mentors is perpetually in our DNA and have grow to be a part of our every day tradition … I can’t keep in mind having one dialog with Slim the place he didn’t ask me, ‘What do you assume?’ He all the time crystallized the significance of curiosity, endurance, flexibility, and the worth of claiming no. Child to today continues to strengthen the significance of artist integrity, technique, timing. He’s the consummate discipline common. However undoubtedly one in all my favourite classes from Birdman was merely always remember that we’re in present enterprise.”

Cohen, who offered the award to the brothers, opened by saying, “Lots of people don’t perceive how troublesome it’s to truly construct a enterprise, a sustainable enterprise. However it’s a must to do the work. That’s it. That’s what Leaders and Legends is all about: really doing the work … All people thinks that you are able to do a shortcut to fame and fortune; [there’s] no such factor. You need to have actually nice music and it’s a must to put within the work. That’s why I’m so thrilled to ask you, Child and Slim, to the stage to just accept this honor. And would everyone on this room please arise and pay some f–king respect?!”

Certainly, the viewers stood up for the whole thing of Child and Slim’s acceptance speeches, heartily applauding at numerous intervals. After thanking the room, Child started by recalling his and Slim’s childhood in New Orleans. “Life wasn’t straightforward for us; dwelling in each venture in New Orleans. I used to be an actual misplaced teenager looking for a approach as a result of I’d been out and in of properties, out and in of jail, jumped within the streets at 12 years outdated; at 14 years outdated, I used to be sporting two Rolexes. I met some children and didn’t need them to go my route, proper? [Cash Money rapper] B.G. was hitting that route, and I noticed that [Lil] Wayne seemed like he was going that route too.  I wished to save lots of their lives. My complete mission was to attempt to spare a life. And I wanted assist too as a result of I used to be reckless. The one individual that I revered sufficient to spare my life was my brother. And my approach of saving their [B.G., Lil Wayne] lives was placing them within the studio. The studio was going to be the brand new streets.”

Persevering with, he added, “However all due respect to Jay-Z, I keep in mind when he mentioned he retired and Wayne shot a video and mentioned since the perfect rapper retired, I’m the perfect rapper alive. And loads of sh-t modified for us from that second. On the identical time n—as had been saying hip-hop is lifeless. And we’re like actually, what the f–okay is that they speaking about? We ain’t know nothing about that kind of sh-t. So we felt like this was our time to take over hip-hop. That’s when the start of Younger Cash got here, Nicki and Drake got here. We sort of held hip-hop down. We survived the warfare in New Orleans. Now we’re surviving in life, and we did an excellent job at it. [When] we began, all I thought of was saving 4 lives, and we find yourself saving hundreds of motherf–kers’ lives. I give all gratitude to my brother, who was like my father, for saving my life.”

Choosing up the place his brother left off, Slim mentioned, “I wish to say that I’m so happy with Juvenile, Wayne, [Mannie] Contemporary as a result of I noticed them once they was in that studio. They had been in pleasant competitors with one another. We began off doing two songs and would find yourself doing 5 songs an evening. They had been there competing like a basketball participant for actual. However what actually makes me so proud that they’re happening of their careers with generational wealth, doing different issues exterior of music whereas maintaining music going. My brother and I went via so much to get up to now. Somebody as soon as informed me rising up that I ain’t by no means going to be sh-t and ain’t value 1 / 4. However you’ve bought to do higher than that to interrupt me down. I ain’t breakable like that.”

Slim continued, “It made me wish to go onerous and work onerous, so I’ve bought just a few extra quarters now” because the viewers laughed. “Don’t let nobody inform you what you can not do! You do your factor. That’s the one approach you’re going to win.” Shouting out a number of names together with Polow da Don, Mannie Contemporary, Juvenile, Jeezy, Turk and Wayne, Slim concluded, “I like y’all. Ain’t no person else alive going to do what we’ve accomplished — ever.”