Birdman

Birdman's resume is impeccable: CEO and founder of Cash Money Records, one of the South's most influential and successful labels; rapper with at least 10 solo and collaborative discs to his name, many of which went platinum; and "daddy" to one of hip-hop's most storied emcees, Lil Wayne. Born and raised in New Orleans' infamous Uptown area, Bryan "Baby" Williams began his career in hip-hop when he and his brother, Ronald Williams, formed Cash Money Records. The label wed hardcore gangster lyrics from local upstarts U.N.L.V., Pimp Daddy and B.G. to the punchy electro funk of Mannie Fresh's productions, a style that borrowed liberally from late-1990s NoLa bounce. Birdman made his debut on the microphone in 1998 as a member of the Big Tymers, which also included Mannie Fresh. Though he's not a great emcee by any measure, he is able to project a lethal mixture of menace and success, and Fresh's beats helped make the Tymers one of the more successful groups in the South during the late '90s and early half of this decade. Birdman's three solo albums, including 2007's hit 5 * Stunna, as well as his mentorship of Wayne, have helped the rap vet stay in the spotlight.