NY Post: Maybe they should call it Cash Money Oil & Gas.
As their star rapper Lil Wayne prepares to go to jail next month, the founders of rap record label Cash Money Records appear to be on the hunt for a new kind of bling -- this one involving black gold.
The label's co-founders, Bryan "Birdman" Williams and his brother, Ronald "Slim" Williams, have launched an energy exploration enterprise under the name Bronald Oil & Gas LLC, which they describe as an "independent oil and gas company focused on exploration and development of assets in several US Gulf Coast states and Osage County in Oklahoma."
What began as an image on Bryan “Birdman” Williams’ head (above) may turn into a reality as the Cash Money Records mogul seeks a new venture to take the place of the label’s rapper Lil Wayne, who is going to jail.
Details about Bronald are scant, and the Williams brothers have declined requests for details. However, sources said the Bronald name -- a rollup of the brothers' first names -- has been around for two years.
The firm on its Web site says it plans to "grow through development and via the acquisition of prospective acreage that complements its existing assets and exploits the abilities of the Company's technical resources."
The company also says it is committed to "preserving the environment, promoting worker safety and maximizing the potential output of various oil and gas assets."
The idea of celebrities diversifying into other businesses isn't new. Former basketball great Magic Johnson has had an equally successful career in real estate, and just yesterday revealed an interest in publishing by holding talks to buy African-American magazine Ebony. Meanwhile, ex-boxer Evander Holyfield last year outlined plans to build a solar farm on his vast estate in Georgia, with plans to sell the power generated from the farm.
And the Williams brothers aren't alone in wanting to get in on the energy business, which though well off its highs from a couple of years ago, is still well above historic levels, with some analysts predicting a return to triple-digit crude prices once the economy recovers.
It would also seem the oil business is close to the heart of Bryan Williams, who has an oil drilling rig tattooed on his head.
Nevertheless, the Bronald Web site is short on details of the company's business, except for a short video featuring a montage of oil rigs and derricks. Further, several attempts by The Post to reach an official at the company came up short.
Instead, the site features as a bio of Bronald's founders an article titled, "Cash Money Records: Still Blinging After All These Years," which details the Williams brothers' rise from a New Orleans housing project to rap superstars.
