Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
Lil Wayne spent most of 2010 behind bars and knew this would be his fate most of 2009. In preparation for his time off, he introduced fans to his Young Money crew. For most of 2009, Lil Wayne took a back seat and let fans get to know Drake, Nicki Minaj, Tyga, and the rest of the crew.
Closing out 2009, Lil Wayne released an album with Young Money that was well-received. The album served as a launching pad for Drake, who was the surrogate leader of Young Money while Lil Wayne was in prison. When 2010 came, Drake recorded "Over" and he released the record right before spring.
Drake quickly found success on the mainstream level with the hit single and he showed off his singing skills too. Before the summer came in, he released "Find Your Love" and created an anthem. The song took the summer by storm and Drake had landed his first top five single in only his second try. Lil Wayne, meanwhile, was cheering the team on from the sidelines.
Nicki Minaj also built her buzz early in 2010. She was featured on tracks from Ludacris, Usher, and many more artists. Early in the summer of 2010, Nicki Minaj debuted her single, "Your Love," and it also became a quick hit. Following the release of Drake's Thank Me Later, Nicki Minaj's buzz was hotter than his and some mentioned this. Even as artists releasing their debut albums, Drake and Nicki Minaj were both top five rappers in terms of popularity.
Most of this credit goes to Lil Wayne, as he signed these artists to Young Money and connected them with the people who helped him get big. Most executives with hours of free time on their hands each day could not put together a run like Lil Wayne did. The oddest thing about Lil Wayne's accomplishment was the fact that he was in prison while his artists were taking over the rap game. Because of all of this, Lil Wayne is credited as Hip Hop Vibe's Executive of the Year.