Consistently inconsistent.
Never, ever, trust a Young Money release date. Known for breaking records on the Billboard charts, the Cash Money Records imprint is equally recognized for breaking promises. In 2014 alone, we’ve already received delays for Nicki Minaj’s The Pinkprint and Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter V, a pushback of Tyga’s The Gold Album seems highly possible and in light of recent occurrences may not happen at all, or at least not on the YMCMB imprint. Despite these seemingly endless frustrations, Young Money’s loyal fan base has continually shown support once the albums hit stores. Forgiven, but not forgotten. Listed in chronological order, here are 12 albums that have been pushed back by the Young Money militia.
Lil Wayne: Tha Carter III
Original Release Date: 2/12/2008
Actual Release Date: 6/10/2008
If not for various leaks, Tha Carter III would have been out a lot sooner. Fan-favorite tracks like “I Feel Like Dying” and “Prostitute Flange” were leaked onto the internet prior to Tha Carter III’s release date. To capitalize, Lil Wayne released The Leak, a 5-track EP composed of songs from Tha Carter III recording sessions. When C3 finally dropped in June of 2008, the reception was incredible- selling over 1,000,000 copies in its first week.
Lil Wayne: Rebirth
Original Release Date: 4/7/2009
Actual Release Date: 2/2/2010
Weezy’s first and only rock album was delayed nearly a year. According to MTV, Wayne needed more time to record the album due to his extremely busy schedule. Rebirth was originally rumored to be packaged as a double-disc with Young Money’s We Are Young Money compilation. Those plans didn’t work out, and as a result, Rebirth was later released on its own on February 2nd, 2010.
Drake: Thank Me Later
Original Release Date: 5/25/2010
Actual Release Date: 6/15/2010
Following his Grammy-nominated So Far Gone EP, much hype had surrounded the release of Drake’s debut album, Thank Me Later. In order for Drake to put finishing touches on the album, YMCMB delayed the release a few weeks. Once Thank Me Later hit stores on June 25th, 2010, all was forgiven- as Drake debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200.
Lil Wayne: Tha Carter IV
Original Release Date: 5/16/2011
Actual Release Date: 8/29/2011
Originally planned to drop on May 16th, Wayne’s manager Cortez Bryant delayed the album ‘till August 29th- a day after the MTV Video Music Awards. To make up for the time, Tune released a 12 track mixtape titled Sorry 4 The Wait. Rated as the top mixtape of 2011 by Datpiff, it’s safe to say fans weren’t completely distraught about the pushback.
Drake: Take Care
Original Release Date: 10/24/2011
Actual Release Date: 11/15/2011
Take Care was originally scheduled to drop on Drake’s 25th birthday. Due to sample clearance issues, Drizzy chose to delay his second studio album to give fans the best listening experience possible. Drake explained on his OVO blog page, “My options were to take the songs off and make the birthday release happen, or to take an extra couple weeks to get the paper work right and give you the album they way I NEED you to hear it. The choice was clear as day for me.” Winning a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, it’s now clear Drake’s decision to push the album back was both smart and respectable. Never question greatness.
Tyga: Careless World: Rise of the Last King
Original Release Date: 11/19/2011
Actual Release Date: 2/21/2012
T-Raww’s debut album with Young Money didn’t arrive without a few headaches. Careless World: Rise of the Last King was delayed several times before finally hitting stores on February 21st, 2012. Tyga spoke about the pushback in a radio interview with Mina SayWhat. “I’m mad about it, I know my fans are mad about it. But the politics behind it are so wack and they don’t understand, you know what I mean? You gotta have all the samples cleared and it takes time. I don’t want to rush it and it be a half-assed album. I want it to be right.” Tyga’s sophomore album, Hotel California, would similarly be delayed due to sample clearance issues.
Nicki Minaj: Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded
Original Release Date: 2/14/2012
Actual Release Date: 4/3/2012
Fans had to wait a few extra weeks for Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded to drop. Nicki took to Twitter to announce her second LP wouldn’t be hitting stores until April 3rd, rather than its initial February 14th release date. Although no specific reasoning about the pushback was given, Roman Reloaded still surpassed expectations chart-wise. Featuring smash singles “Starships” and “Pound The Alarm,” the album proceeded to sell upwards of 250,000 copies in its first week.
Lil Twist: Don’t Get It Twisted
Original Release Date: 4/20/2012
Actual Release Date: TBA
At this rate, Lil Twist’s debut album may never see the light of day. It’s been well over two years since Don’t Get It Twisted was announced, and any anticipation that singles “Love Affair” and “Turn’t Up” had accumulated has surely been lost. With no new release date in sight, Twist recently expressed his displeasure with his Young Money management on Twitter. “I swear I gotta have the worst management team in the history of management teams.. Like wow this shit crazy.. All I wanna do is drop music.” With new albums from Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, and Drake in the forecast, it looks like #TeamTwist will have to continue to wait their turn.
Lil Wayne: I Am Not A Human Being II
Original Release Date: 11/13/2012
Actual Release Date: 3/26/2013
Despite selling over 200,000 units in its first week, Lil Wayne’s I Am Not A Human Being II was one of Young Money’s most pathetic album rollouts. Originally planned to release in November of 2012, it took YMCMB an extra four months to release the album on March 26th, 2013. To make matters worse, cuts like “Curtains” and “Rich As Fuck” leaked onto the internet weeks before the album’s release- Tha Carter III style. All around, IANAHB2 was definitely not one of Young Money’s brightest moments as a label.
Tyga: Hotel California
Original Release Date: 3/26/2013
Actual Release Date: 4/9/2013
Due to sample clearance issues, Tyga pushed Hotel California back a couple weeks. In an interview with Vibe, Tyga described one of the samples as “something really really legendary…just something people aren’t gonna expect.” This was most likely referring to a posthumous Tupac verse that ended up not making the final cut. Another reason why Tyga chose to delay the album was in order to get his pre-orders up. Commercially, Hotel California failed to make much of an impact, only selling 54,000 units in its first week.
Lil Wayne: Tha Carter V
Original Release Date: 10/28/2014
Actual Release Date: 12/9/2014
Weezy fans saw this one coming. With little to no promotion during October, Tha Carter V was pushed back on the eve of its release. This time, however, Cortez “Tez” Bryant isn’t to blame. In a PSA video released shortly after the pushback became official, Tunechi states that he “refuses to cheat [his fans], and give them anything rushed.” He announced that since he recorded so many songs for the album, Tha Carter V will be released in two parts. Fortunately for fans, the wait isn’t too long. Tha Carter V (Part 1) is due out December 9th.
Original Release Date: 11/24/2014
Actual Release Date: 12/15/2014
Nicki fans will have to wait three extra weeks for The Pinkprint. Originally scheduled to drop in time for Black Friday, the “Anaconda” rapper’s third studio album will now release on December 15th, six days after Tha Carter V (Part 1). To fill the gap, Birdman announced to Hot 97’s Funkmaster Flex that Rich Gang 2 will release on November 24th. It’s Young Money Records get the record straight.
Matt can’t remember his last drought. Follow him on Twitter @RRprez
