By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
Despite the success Drake and Nicki Minaj had while Lil Wayne was serving prison time, Wayne has not had the chance to hear their music. Ever since he returned from prison, Lil Wayne has praised them for holding Young Money down while he was out of commission. But, Lil Wayne also says he is not surprised by the way they took over the game.
Early in the summer, Drake released Thank Me Later, his long-awaited debut album. The album was met with a positive response from critics. Fans obviously loved the album, as it was close to platinum following first-week sales. Before the end of the summer, the album had been certified platinum. Drake was considered the anchor of Young Money during this time.
Nicki Minaj rose to national fame behind her high-profile collaborations with Ludacris and Usher. The popularity of her singles helped her own debut single, "Your Love." Early in the summer of 2010, "Your Love" became a major radio hit, along with Drake's hit single, "Find Your Love." In many areas, both songs received heavy radio rotation and often played back-to-back, prompting Hip Hop Vibe's summer 2010 article "Young Money has fallen in Love." Even with all of the hype and publicity, Lil Wayne was too busy to listen to their albums.
The news may come as a surprise to fans, but Drake and Nicki Minaj are not surprised. They understand how Wayne's mind works and they are sure he will get around to hearing their albums.