During a candid sit-down on Club Shay Shay with host Shannon Sharpe, rapper 2 Chainz opened up about the complicated—and costly—process of trying to get a feature from Lil Wayne, revealing that Birdman used to demand $100,000 just to approach Wayne about doing a verse.
“If anybody wanted Wayne, [Birdman] would be like, ‘I need 100 too,’” 2 Chainz shared. “And people would obviously do it.”
While many artists paid the hefty price, 2 Chainz—known for his business savvy and street smarts—found a more creative route to catch Wayne’s attention without going through Birdman’s paywall.
A Pair of Gucci Shoes Opened the Door
2 Chainz explained that instead of paying Birdman’s fee, he decided to make a personal gesture to connect with Wayne directly.
“I bought him a pair of red Gucci shoes,” 2 Chainz said. “He represents the red team, so I thought it made sense.”
Without telling Wayne in advance, 2 Chainz pulled up to the studio to deliver the shoes—and also happened to bring along a beat CD.
“I wasn’t doing it for the other thing,” he explained, “but I took it to him, and he was like, ‘Damn, these harder than a b*tch.’”
It wasn’t a planned pitch for a verse, but the thoughtful gift and the beats clearly left an impression on Wayne.
Wayne’s Move to Miami Changed Everything
After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, Lil Wayne relocated to Miami. Despite the chaos of moving cities, Wayne kept 2 Chainz’s beat CD. That act of appreciation would later turn into a life-changing opportunity.
Wayne eventually invited 2 Chainz to come down to Miami. Upon landing, the rapper was taken straight from the airport to the mall—another unexpected move.
“I guess he was trying to show appreciation for me buying him those shoes,” 2 Chainz said.
Then, without warning, Wayne dropped a bombshell.
“Out of the blue, he says, ‘What you thought about the hook I did for you?’” 2 Chainz recalled.
Caught off guard, 2 Chainz admitted he didn’t even know Wayne had recorded a hook because it had been sent to the wrong email. They went back to the studio, and when Wayne played the track for him, 2 Chainz was blown away.
“I remember at that particular time knowing what a hit sounded like,” he said. “I said, ‘Man, you did that for me?’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah boy.’”
Birdman Still Wanted His Cut
While Wayne didn’t charge 2 Chainz for the feature, Birdman still expected payment—despite being completely uninvolved in the collaboration.
“When Wayne did that, he didn’t charge me … so it’s only going to be just 100, not 200,” 2 Chainz explained. “Baby still wanted his 100.”
The revelation highlights the behind-the-scenes politics of the music industry, where gatekeepers like Birdman often control access to top-tier talent like Lil Wayne—even within the same label.
A Testament to Relationships Over Money
The story, while humorous and insightful, also underlines an important message: relationships in the music industry can outweigh even the highest fees.
Rather than follow the standard protocol and pay a middleman, 2 Chainz chose to invest in a genuine connection—and it paid off, quite literally. His approach not only avoided Birdman’s steep charge but also helped build a strong bond with Lil Wayne, which has resulted in numerous collaborations since.
Their chemistry would later be fully showcased on their 2016 joint project ColleGrove, and they’ve continued to appear on each other’s tracks over the years.
