What Is Ronald "Slim" Williams' Net Worth and Salary?
Ronald "Slim" Williams is a Louisiana-born producer and entrepreneur who has a net worth of $150 million. Also known as "Slim tha Don" or "The Godfather," Ronald "Slim" Williams is best known for co-founding the record label Cash Money Records along with his younger brother Bryan Williams (also known as Birdman). Ronald plays an active role in the production of Cash Money's various albums, and he has served as an executive producer on almost all of its releases.
Cash Money, which was formed in 1991, has been estimated to be worth at least $300 million thanks largely to its continued strong royalty stream and the presumed long-term value of its catalog. Other artists who have been signed with Cash Money Records include Drake, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Paris Hilton, Mystikal, Young Thug, Juvenile, Christina Millian, Robb Banks, Young Greatness, and more. In contrast to his younger brother Bryan, Ronald tends to steer clear of the media spotlight. Little is known about his personal life, although he was featured in CNBC's documentary "Newbos: The Rise of America's New Black Overclass." Ronald also appeared in an episode of "Behind the Music" in 2009.
(Photo by Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)
Early Life
Ronald Williams was born on May 23, 1967, in New Orleans, Louisiana. While his brother Bryan was always intent on pursuing a career as a rapper, Ronald veered towards a more "behind-the-scenes" role as a business operator and executive from a young age. Williams grew up in the infamous "Third Ward" neighborhood of New Orleans, an area known for gang violence. Both Bryan and Ronald learned the principles of running a business from their father, who operated a grocery store.
Cash Money Records
In the early '90s, Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan co-founded Cash Money Records. By the end of the decade, the label had become incredibly successful. Ronald and Bryan signed up-and-coming stars like the Hot Boys. One of the key members of the Hot Boys was Lil' Wayne, who would later go on to become one of Cash Money's most profitable stars.
In 1998, Cash Money Records signed a $30 million distribution deal with Universal Music. The following year, Cash Money Records sold more than 9 million records thanks largely to Juvenile's album "400 Degrees," which featured the smash-hit single "Back That Azz Up."
In 2002, Birdman and Mannie Fresh, performing as Big Tymers, scored a #11 hit on the "Billboard" Hot 100 with "Still Fly."
Slim Williams (background) with the Cash Money team in 2002 (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)
In 2005, Birdman, Ronald, Lil Wayne, and most of the Cash Money roster were uprooted from their native New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The entire crew set up shop in their new home, Miami.
Birdman and Ronald eventually gave Lil Wayne his own label under the Cash Money Records umbrella. In 2009, Lil Wayne's Young Money signed two up-and-coming artists:
- Nicki Minaj
- Drake
By 2012, Lil Wayne, Drake, and Nicki Minaj earned a combined $60 million in revenue for the label. Over the next decade, those three artists would generate around $250 million in combined earnings.
Universal Records Deal
In 1998,, Cash Money Records was being pursued by several record companies to forge some sort of partnership or acquisition.
Their timing was perfect, as Sony and Universal Music were in a death match for market share. Cash Money ended up signing with Universal Music Group, which offered Ronald and Birdman a $30 million contract. The deal gave the brothers $3 million upfront and guaranteed them $1.5 million per album. But in the boldest move of all, when Cash Money signed with Universal they negotiated a deal which would allow them to own their masters, a deal that not even The Beatles ever had! So, instead of getting a few pennies for every record sold, the company gets several dollars of the profits generated per unit.
In exchange, Universal earned a simple 7% fee for distributing Cash Money albums and singles, but it did not receive any ownership of the label. On the other hand, with the rise of Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, and Drake years later, Universal would soon be more than twice the size of its two closest competitors… combined.
The total value of the Universal deal was $30 million.
Slim Williams Business and Life Lessons
Lil' Wayne has praised Ronald for helping him learn key life values, and he has described him as "like a father." Under Ronald's guidance, Cash Money Records adhered to strict principles. Artists are strongly encouraged to remain drug-free, and they are expected to display a strong work ethic.
David Livingston/Getty Images
Real Estate
In September 2012, Ronald made headlines when he purchased the largest home in South Florida for $7.15 million. Incredibly, he paid 100% cash for the property located within an ultra-exclusive Fort Lauderdale gated community. The residence spans 34,000 square feet, and it was the biggest house in the entire neighborhood of Weston when Williams purchased it in 2012.
One single room in the home spans 6,000 square feet. Other features include a wine room, a movie theater, both indoor and outdoor pools, and indoor tennis courts. While this transaction was intended to be a "hush-hush" real estate deal, the story soon got out, and Ronald's wealth was put on center stage.
Ronald Slim Williams Height
How tall is Ronald Slim Williams? 6 foot 7.
Legal Issues
In 2011, Cash Money Records was sued along with Lil Wayne, Universal Music Group, and Young Money Entertainment for $15 million over the Lil Wayne song "BedRock." The artist Done Deal alleged that the song had been stolen, and he aimed to receive compensation for copyright infringement.
