Birdman’s Rich Gang may have been dormant for years, but the group is finding a new lease on life in Lil Uzi Vert, who he appears to have made an honorary member.
A photo surfaced on social media on Thursday (August 31) showing Baby and Uzi hanging out in the studio, with the latter looking down and admiring the sizeable “RG” chain that hung around his neck.
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The Cash Money mogul, who was draped in his own iced-out jewelry over a black puffer vest, could be seen standing to the side and flashing a smile.
Founded in 2013, Rich Gang was a supergroup comprised of Birdman, Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan. Despite fizzling out within a few short years, the trio scored one of Hip Hop’s biggest hits of 2014 with “Lifestyle” while also releasing a handful of projects.
While Lil Uzi Vert is no spring chicken having been in the game for almost a decade, Birdman appears to have taken him under his wing in recent weeks as the Philly rapper records his latest project Barter 16.
The pair’s relationship is perhaps no surprise considering it takes its name from Young Thug’s 2015 mixtape Barter 6, which Stunna helped make while serving as a mentor to the Atlanta native.
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Like a method actor getting deep into character for a role, Uzi has been taking the Thugga inspiration to heart lately by imitating the ATLien’s fashion sensibilities, hair styles and gang-affiliated hand gestures.
In July, the Philadelphia native was seen wearing a white suit and red bandana that Thug once famously worse, while last month he recreated the Barter 6 cover while wishing the incarcerated rapper a happy birthday.
While further details surrounding Barter 16 remain scarce, Uzi also appears to be working on it closely with London On Da Track, who alongside Wheezy produced the bulk of Barter 6.
Earlier this week, the multi-platinum producer signaled that the project is close by announcing on social media that it was finished. “Just turned in [B] 16 [snake emoji],” he wrote next to a video of a car on fire at a gas station.
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Barter 16 will serve as the follow-up to Lil Uzi Vert’s long-awaited Pink Tape LP, which dropped in June and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 after earning 167,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.
Baby Pluto recently revealed that he’s also working on a third installment in his fan-favorite Luv Is Rage series.
