"I Don't Think Nicki [Minaj] Is Ready To Retire"

Cash Money Records boss Birdman recently reflected on his platinum-selling proteges ranging from Nicki Minaj to Drake, offering a take on what lies ahead of them in the entertainment industry.

Focusing first on Minaj, Birdman killed the notion she is ready to give up rapping any time soon.

"That's her choice, her decision. I don't think Nicki is ready to retire. She really just started. I don't see that in the near future for her at all right now," he said in an interview. "I like young boy Chief [Keef]. I think he's a great young talent. I sent my hand out to him. We'll see what happens." (Complex)

The Cash Money head honcho then proceeded to hint at what Drake's Take Care follow-up LP will likely offer.

"Drake is one of the most talented people I've gotten to know in my life. You never know with Drizzy. Drizzy's such a special talent. You can expect him to be creative and do something that's never been done. I think Drake is the future of music." (Complex)

Last week, Minaj displayed signs suggesting a possible early rap departure.

"People aren't even giving the kid props for taking it back to the essence... this is my fourth mixtape really," said Minaj, referring to her latest LP, Pink Friday ... Roman Reloaded. "You know what I'm saying. The kid did like that so she could feed her fans. But really, now the kid is thinking maybe she should leave the game." "They ungrateful," Nicki's right-hand man Safaree chimed in. "They ungrateful in these streets." (XXL Mag)

In November, Birdman cited his reliance on artistic freedom for making Cash Money a winning team.

"Whatever they bring to the table, whatever their vision is, [my role is] just to back it up and let them be the artist that they want to be and we support what they want to do," Birdman said in an interview. "We never was [the type] to try to tell no [artist] how to do music, that's not what we're about. We like to let an artist be an artist and we support what they want to do." (MTV)