Earlier this week, Birdman came through the Agenda tradeshow in Las Vegas to debut two new clothing lines called YMCMB and Rich Gang. The gear was fresh. But it's not set to hit shelves next until spring.

We're always interested in the Cash Money mogul's thoughts on what's happening right now. In the face of several severe journalistic hurdles—Birdman insisting you drink repeated samples of his GTV-brand vodka (Life lesson: When Birdman offers you GTV Vodka, you can't say no. You just go, "Brrrrr" and down it); Jim Jones interrupting the interview to ask us to take a picture of him and his kid posing with Birdman's face tats—we got a few minutes to chop it up with a dude perched quite comfortably atop the game.

Sitting in a plush tradeshow booth in Vegas, Birdman gave us his thoughts on Kendrick Lamar mentioning Drake in his "Control" verse. And not mentioning Lil' Wayne or Nicki Minaj. Also, his initial reaction when he heard Nothing Was the Same, and what Drake's current moment means for hip-hop.

Interview by James Harris (@Dr_TacoMD)

How'd you guys respond to Kendrick Lamar naming Drake in the "Control" verse?
Kendrick a friend of mine. So, I never put a label on that. His homies is my homies. So I think it's just rap. People take what we say too far. Look at what happened with Wayne and what happened with Ross and losing they deals. You know when you're being creative, it's a thought, it's a vision. So I don't take it in no kind of way. I know at the end of the day Kendrick got nothing but love for us, and we got nothing but love for him. I don't look at it as nothing more than that.

 

People take what we say too far. Look at what happened with Wayne and what happened with Ross and losing they deals. You know when you're being creative, it's a thought, it's a vision.

 
What about the fact that he didn't name Wayne or Nicki?
That's what I'm saying, I don't look at it like that. I mean, he hustling and he trynna feed his family, but like I say. Kendrick? Homie. Top Dawg and us, we like brothers. Kendrick is my lil' brother, I got nothing but love for him. So I never looked at nothing, and I don't weigh it like that, how other people may weigh it. He still the homie, and nothing gonna change. I think people take niggas' lyrics too far out of context. That's just my take on it.
 
Can you tell us anything about Drake's album coming up? We're all salivating.
Man, I think Drake is one of one. There's no duplicating him. He's one of the most talented I ever been around in my life. I heard the majority of the album, and what he doing, no one has ever done in the business.
 
With this album, Drake seems primed to claim the throne and get that undisputed title. You think that’s gonna happen?
It’s his time. Ain’t no secret. When you say “claim the throne,” I don’t know what you mean by that. But when I say it’s his time, I mean he’s by far one of the most talented to date. He holds his own weight, he’s one of the most creative people I ever been around in my life, outside of my son Wayne and Nicki.

They all have been very creative, but he’s standing alone on his own. His work ethic is crazy, and I’m super excited. I just feel like this is the time, everything he been through, and the music he do. That set of tracks he just put out? That shit is incredible! And he played it for me, I’m like, “Boy, I saw this before.”