
In an evening that featured performances from Busta Rhymes, The Roots, Ari Lennox, Raphael Saadiq, and T-Pain, among others, Cash Moneyโs closing set was an exclamation point to the opening night of the 2024 ESSENCE Festival of Culture. Led by co-founder and CEO Bryan โBirdmanโ Williams, โ30 Years of Cash Moneyโ brought about many high moments, and plenty of surprises.
The event began with an introduction from actor and comedian TK Kirkland, followed by a presentation from former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial, who honored the music label with a plaque recognizing the contributions in music and philanthropy of Cash Money Records throughout the years. Ronald โSlimโ Williams accepted the award, and kicked off the highly-anticipated set highlighting the imprint that he and his brother created in 1991.

After a brief intermission, Mannie Fresh appeared front and center and brought out Birdman, who then performed his hit song, โ#1 Stunna.โ Fresh and Williamsโcollectively known as The Big Tymersโthen ran through tracks such as โBig Ballinโโ and โGet Your Roll On.โ B.G. came out to a roaring ovation and delivered โCash Money Is A Army,โ โHelp,โ โDonโt Talk to Me,โ and โIf I Want It,โ just a few songs from his lengthy catalog with the imprint.
Along with Cash Moneyโs in-house success, there have also been many collaborators that have assisted them in their historic journey. During the showโs midway point, Jadakiss, Styles P, and Sheek Louch of The Lox graced the stage for a few of their classics, in addition to Houston rappers Scarface and Bun B, and the Grammy Award-winning 2 Chainz, who performed โBirthday Songโ and โIโm Different.โ

Following the medley, Fresh came back out to introduce Juvenile, who opened with the New Orleans classic, โSolja Rags.โ After โSet It Off,โ โ400 Degreez,โ โWe On Fire,โ and โHa,โ Birdman and B.G., assisted him with โI Need A Hot Girlโ and โBling Bling.โ Juvie concluded his portion of the set with โSlow Motion,โ and the unforgettable โBack That A** Up.โ
Adding to the magic of the entire evening, Lil Wayne rocked the crowd with โUproar,โ โLollipop,โ and โMrs. Officer.โ He then brought out Jae Millz, Jae Gutta, and Mack Maine for the Young Money track โEvery Girl.โ Before thanking the audience for their support, Wayne did โSteady Mobbinโโ and โA Milli.โ The Big Tymers got back on stage to end the set with โStill Fly.โ Birdman then thanked his mother and his city for all the years of success.

The first evening of the festivalโs concert series turned out to be one of the biggest music moments of the summer. The legacy of Cash Money Records is undeniable, and last night served as a testament to the labelโs impact. Be sure not to miss out on Day Two the 2024 ESSENCE Festival of Culture!