Rich Gang functions as a flexible assembly of talent rather than a fixed ensemble, pulling exclusively from the artists attached to Birdman’s Cash Money roster. The project began in 2013 with an opening roster that included Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Tyga, and Drake. That year the collective introduced itself through the single “Tapout” and the album Rich Gang. The release assembled an extensive lineup of contributors that encompassed Mystikal, Future, R. Kelly, Yo Gotti, Rick Ross, Chris Brown, Kendrick Lamar, T.I., and additional guests. It climbed into the Top Ten of the Billboard 200 while reaching number two on both the R&B/hip-hop and rap charts. Occasional standalone tracks followed across subsequent years, most prominently the 2014 single “Lifestyle,” which introduced Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan to wider audiences. The two rising artists appeared exclusively on the next Rich Gang mixtape, The Tour, Pt. 1. After the concept was paused for several years during Birdman’s label disputes with Lil Wayne, he reunited with Young Thug in 2017 on the single “Bit Bak,” included on Rich Gang II: Lifestyles.
