For most people, having the “weight of the world on your shoulders” implies being stressed out and well over your head. Others see it as an opportunity to prove themselves and their abilities to perform under pressure. Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment rappers Drake and diva Nicki Minaj will find out exactly which category they fall into.

In 2009, Lil Wayne, founder of Young Money Entertainment, assembled and debuted his potential all-star camp. The group includes newer faces like Gudda Gudda, Lil Chuckee, Shannell, and Lil’ Twist, along with a few familiar names like Drake, Jae Millz, Tyga, Mack Maine, and Nicki Minaj. With their 2009 summertime single “Every Girl,” and most recent hit “Bed Rock,” Young Money made themselves known as a possible force to be reckoned with in 2010. However, that may be easier said than done with their leader and biggest money maker, Lil Wayne, now in Riker’s Island.

As cliché as it sounds, artists still use jail time as a way to boost sales and attract a buzz, however, label camps also have a history of falling apart after just a year of being out of the spotlight (i.e. Murder Inc. and G-Unit). So how will Young Money maintain the hype with their star player temporarily out of the equation? That responsibility falls in the hands of Young Money front runners Drake and Nicki Minaj.

Both Minaj and Drake released an official mixtape in 2009, with Drake’s So Far Gone being released as an EP. And after each drew considerable amounts of attention, both mainstream and underground, it only makes sense that the two of their 2010 albums are among the most anticipated hip-hop albums of the year. With chart-topping album sales, on top of their paid appearances and shows for this year, the two alone could support much of Young Money’s financial weight. Combined with sales from Wayne’s long-awaited rock album (Rebirth; Feb 2, 2010), a successful year is a definite possibility. However, it’s the “what if they don’t?” that could cause problems.

“What if” Young Money can’t live up to the hype they’ve created? “What if” one of these highly anticipated CDs flops? And would this young group of artists be talented enough to survive the storm of an unsuccessful year? It’s the unknown that could make Lil Wayne’s Young Money camp part of a failure statistic. And for Drake and Nicki Minaj, it’s the unknown that puts the “weight of the world” on their shoulders. Which category will they fall into?

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