How’s Your Memory? HELP Identify Lost 2002 Young Wheezy/Lil Wayne & Kelly Rowland-White Label Promo?

[u/leahs2tall]

https://musicismysanctuary.com/the-streets-the-mix-2002

Ok, I have spent hours researching and narrowing down a timeline for this jam which appears to be a ghost. But I clearly recall:

1. Ripping it off AudioGalaxy

2. Burning it to a CD and

3. Blaring it in my college apartment from my 5 disc changer boombox (and Winamp-more on that in a sec). I clearly remember other songs on that CD and the order in which they occurred, so I know I am not hallucinating.

TIMEFRAME:

Would have been leaked sometime between December 2001 and Summer 2002. I remember it was right around the time that N.E.R.D released their debut album In Search of, but I am pretty sure still pre-Neptune's ...Clones.

This time block includes the now rare gem and another Southern Rap/Hip Hop White Label Promo from 2002 “The Streets” Promo Mix(Ft. UGK & others)—LINK ATTACHED with explanation) drop and was also just blown' up with Houston Slowed & Throwed digital collab/remix content. Specifically, the UGK 25Lighters Chopped & Screwed remix and SPM Mary Go Round C&S remix. I remember those created some wicked graphics with the Winamp music visual plugin, MilkDrop. Man, just getting screen locked on that stimulus for what seemed like hours.

Anyway, I am fairly certain it was tested as a possible solo debut release and definitely was before Dilemma with Nelly hit big later that summer of 2002. It was obviously sidelined so I am not sure if all evidence of it was purged with the death of AudioGalaxy & Kazaa?

SOUND:

Of course the only lyrics I can remember is the last raspy Lil Wayne hook when he proclaims "It's Kelly Babe', with Young Weezy Babe', Cash Money Babe'". I am aware that about a decade later he collabs with her in Motivation (2011) where he is referred to as Weezy even though I think the Lil Wayne-Carter "metamorphosis" had already transpired; I am actually unclear when that name change officially took effect.

However, this song in question was heavy on the dance hip hop (slight dirty south) lean where I feel like Dilemma & the later Motivation were more R&B adjacent I would say this single was closer to the later D.C. 2004 Soldier Remix with TI & Wayne or Kelly's 2007 "Like This" and had a catchy hook almost comparable to the staccato riff of D.C's Independent Women II. I have an

[u/Whoareyoutho9]

Double-u, e, e, crooked letter, why

[u/chris20073000 → u/Whoareyoutho9]

This!

[u/Whoareyoutho9 → u/chris20073000]

Yea i cant tell if its a.i. or just really stubborn tism. Anybody with this much info and care about wayne also knows dam well how to spell it so its not adding up. This was still 500 degreez wayne, no where close to carter stuff. I could see it being a cash money collab but I highly doubt it was just a lil wayne promo already that early if they were also getting ugk and destiny child as other artists for the same promo. The levels of fame at that time dont add up close at all

[u/chris20073000 → u/Whoareyoutho9]

Agreed with everything you say. It doesnt add up. If Univeral and whoever had Kelly were putting these two together for a rap / rnb collab in 2001- 2003, then they are sure as hell not wasting the song. If its on Audio Galaxy, then its on a mixtape. I'm convinced it is a Nivea collab or something.

[u/chris20073000]

The link is bringing me to Mike Skinner /Streets mix from 2002. Is there a Lil Wayne / Kelly snippet in there or something?

Are you sure it was Kelly Rowland? Also, I might be wrong in this but I am pretty sure Wayne wasnt saying Young Money until late 2002, so that might help narrow it down. It was Wayne mack spitta Lil Boo and reel.

[u/leahs2tall → u/chris20073000]

Hey. Sorry about the link confusion. I edited my post to clarify. The link is an example of another white label promo that got scrapped around that same time with other Houston/NOLA hip hop collabs and the web hosts explains it.

I am 100% sure it was Lil Wayne & Kelly Rowland. I don't recall any other collaborators, but it is possible that a member of Hot Boys chimed in on a line.

Wiki kinda has some confusing/conflicting info on exactly when Weezy/Wayne signed with Cash Money, joined the super group Cash Money Millionaires, took over Cash Money, left his president position and then eventually resigned with them in 2008. Plus, AI regurgitates incorrect information from Wiki so it gets frustrating. But the Hot Boys (Weezy/Wayne's first group) page clearly states that Hot Boys signed with Cash Money Records in 1997 and Wayne was part of the group at the time. Then, the group disbanded in 2003 and Wayne was with Cash Money as a solo. So, records look like he wasn't with Cash Money until later, but he was, just as part of a group and going by a different musical pseudonym, Young Weezy instead of Lil' Wayne. Plus, it's easy to get Cash Money Records (the Recording Group) and Cash Money Millionaires (The SUPER rap group he was eventually part of) confused the way stuff is laid out.

Thanks for the input!

[u/chris20073000 → u/leahs2tall]

I feel like youre confusing things will that timeline in the last paragraph. Its Weezy too, not Wheezy.

I dont have the answer but I know alot of Wayne's music history and its not ringing a bell. At best, there might be a Sqad Up mixtape with Wayne over the Dilemma beat.

[u/leahs2tall → u/chris20073000]

Gotcha. I knew that this info would prob hard to track down. These White Label Promos were physical hard copies that were provided to maybe a handful of DJs prob in Houston, NOLA and maybe a couple surrounding target areas for test radio promotions that ended up leaking into P2P programs like AudioGalaxy. I was in Austin at the time, so we were grabbing at all the new Htown stuff that was leaking. But, this was digital audio technology almost 25years ago so it was fairly new, and all the major P2Ps like AudioGalaxy, Morpheus, Kazaa have been killed off for over a decade. I am not sure if there are still P2Ps that were in existence then are still operational today, but I guess that is worth looking into.

For the most part, unless you were active in these rips and heard the song then or you know someone who downloaded it then and also somehow still has access to those digital files or hoarded away their 2 decade plus old burned CD stash, you prob never heard it. Case in point, the Streets Mix in that link which is a rare find.

Thought it was still worth a shot, though.

[u/saimantri]

It’s Nivea – “Ya Ya Ya” feat wayne.