Cash Money Records group, the Big Tymers, started in the late 1990s as a duo, comprised of Birdman and producer/rapper Mannie Fresh. Recently, Cash Money Records co-founder Birdman revealed that the group would return… without Mannie, who will be replaced by Lil Wayne and Drake instead.
On last week’s episode of MTV’s RapFix Live, Mannie Fresh said the new Big Tymers project isn’t the “Big Tymers” without him.
“It’s kinda like doing a Jackson 5 album with Boyz II Men. Two different eras, great artists, but Boyz II Men is not the Jackson 5,” he said via Skype.
Despite being left out of the forthcoming Big Tymers project, he doesn’t hold any ill will toward his former team.
“I don’t bash Cash Money, Birdman, or none of them. It’s really on, I’m just striving on just getting what I deserve, you know, what I put in,” Mannie said. “Honestly I think Drake is a great artist, I think Wayne is a great artist, but they not the Big Tymers.”
Mannie Fresh was Cash Money’s sole producer in the beginning, laying beats for all the tracks on high-profile albums like Juvenile’s 400 Degreez, B.G.’s Chopper City in the Ghetto and Lil Wayne’s solo debut, Tha Block is Hot.
After the success of the label’s roster, Mannie teamed up with Birdman to form the Big Tymers, and released their 1998 debut, How You Luv That. As a duo, they released three more albums, but not long after dropping 2003’s Big Money Heavyweight, Fresh left Cash Money due to a financial dispute.
They haven’t reunited since then…