One of the great disappointments of the modern era of hip-hop is that due to some financial shenanigans and personal grievances, Cash Money Records’ takeover for the ’99 and the 2000 only lasted until the end of that decade. Since then, the name has mostly been associated with unfair business practices, Lil Wayne and Birdman’s beef, and the dearth of notable releases under the Cash Money banner for nearly ten years. However, it appears that the New Orleans-based labels’ former members are starting to reconcile their differences, meaning new music might be on the way for longtime fans, beginning with today’s release of “Ride Dat,” the first track featuring Birdman, Juvenile, and Lil Wayne together in seven years (although Mannie Fresh released “Hate” in 2016 featuring Juvie and Wayne with a vocal outro from Birdman).
“Ride Dat” is a track that would nominally be considered a “for the ladies” type single, with a laid-back beat provided by Carl Paul and DRoc and the sort of lyrics directed at setting a vibe for intimate relations or date nights, with the three rappers addressing their verses to various potential paramours. It’s a decent single, if not groundbreaking or mind-blowing, but it’s exciting in what it represents: The start of a new chapter in which the older, wiser, Cash Money Millionaires can put the music — and their friendships — over the business. With Birdman and Juvenile collaborating on their Just Another Gangsta joint mixtape earlier this year and already working on another — “Ride Dat” is the first single from the sequel tape — the signs point to reconciliation and possible future collaborations from the veteran trio. Now, if they can just get BG, Mannie Fresh, and Turk on board, maybe they can take over for the ’19 and 2020, too.
