Lil Wayne sues Cash Money for $51 Million

It's not news that former best friends and business
partners Lil Wayne and Birdman have fallen out
over money, record deals, and artists under their
label. What's new now is that the rapper is suing
Cash Money for $51million with the hopes of
ending his contract with the label.
According to TMZ, Lil Wayne filed a lawsuit asking
a judge to end his contract with Cash Money.
According to the lawsuit, Wayne says Birdman and
company violated the deal by withholding tens of
millions of dollars Cash Money owes him for his
long-delayed album, "Tha Carter V."
From TMZ
Wayne claims because Cash Money is
refusing to pay, he's entitled to walk. But Lil
Wayne wants more than just a declaration of
freedom. He's suing for $51 MILLION.
And Wayne wants the judge to declare he's
the joint copyright owner of all Young
Money recordings … which includes Drake,
Nicki Minaj and several others.
Sources connected to Wayne tell TMZ … if
Birdman antes up then he can release "Tha
Carter V," but only if Wayne gets paid.
Wayne says he was supposed to get an $8
million advance when he began recording in
December, 2013 and another 2M when he
completed the album a year later, but so far
he's gotten nothing.
Update: Lil Wayne to Birdman – I'm willing to
stay if the price is right
Lil Wayne will stay with Cash Money and
Birdman IF they ante up the money he's
owed … in fact, we're told if Cash Money
antes up, Wayne has no choice but to stay.
Sources involved in the case tell TMZ …
Wayne feels Birdman's decision to avoid
paying him is nothing more than a power
play. TMZ broke the story that Wayne is
suing, and a central claim is that Birdman
has consistently stiffed him over the last year.
There are 2 payments that have irked Wayne
— he says he was owed $8 million when he
went into the studio to record " Tha Carter V"
in December 2013, and another $2 mil when
he completed the album last month.
We're told the hope is that Universal — which
distributes Cash Money records — will step in
and earmark the $10 mil for Wayne. And
we're told Universal is already putting
pressure on Cash Money to settle.
If Cash Money pays Wayne the $10 mil, it
would essentially eliminate any breach of
contract. That means Wayne would have no
legal basis to ask out of the contract. Even
though Wayne's suing for $51 million, most
of that is predicated on future lost profits
which would not be an issue if they settle.
As for the release of "Tha Carter V" … even
if the case settles the power would be in
Birdman's claws.