During Lil Wayne’s prime, Birdman was allegedly charging $100,000 just to put artists in touch with the New Orleans rapper.
2 Chainz revealed the bit of information in a new interview with Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay.
“If anybody wanted Wayne, [Birdman] would be like, ‘I need 100 too,’ and people would obviously do it,” 2 Chainz said.
But he inadvertently found a way around that. He explained to Sharpe that one day, while in the Gucci store, he bought Wayne a pair of red Gucci shoes because “he represents the red team.”
Tity Boi continued, “I take them to him at the studio. He don’t know I’m about to take it to him, but I also got a beat CD. And I’m not doing this for the other thing but I just take it to him and he like … ’Damn, these harder than a bitch.’”
2 Chainz said he gave Wayne the beat CD. Wayne later moved to Miami after Hurricane Katrina, and he invited 2 Chainz down to Florida.
“We go from the airport to the mall because he is trying to I guess show his appreciation for me buying him shoes,” 2 Chainz said. “Then out the blue, he says, ‘What you thought about the hook I did for you?’”
2 Chainz had no idea what Wayne was talking about. Apparently, Wayne had his manager email the song to 2 Chainz, but they had the wrong email. They went back to the studio so 2 Chainz could hear the song.
“I remember at that particular time knowing what a hit sounded like,” 2 Chainz said. “I said, ‘Man, you did that for me?’ He like, ‘Yeah boy.’”
2 Chainz added, “When Wayne did that, he didn’t charge me … so it’s only going to be just 100, not 200. Baby still wanted his 100.”
That song ended up being the Playaz Circle’s 2007 debut song, “Duffle Bag Boy,” which became a hit. It peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 2 on Hot Rap Songs, No. 4 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and No. 7 on Rhythmic.
