Short answers, pulled from the story.
Bryan Christopher Brooks was born in 1969 and remained nameless for nearly a month until a legal battle in the mid-1970s restored his father's name, Williams. He was first known simply as Baby, a nickname given to him as an infant because he had no given name.
Birdman and his step-brother Eldrick Wise committed robberies and sold heroin before both were arrested at the age of 16. At 18, they were arrested again for drug possession and sentenced to three years in Elayn Hunt Correctional Center, where Williams served 18 months before being acquitted of all charges.
Cash Money Records reached new heights when they recruited Turk and Juvenile to form the Hot Boys, leading to a $30 million deal with Universal Records in 1998. The label had grown into a popular independent label by the mid-1990s before this major agreement.
Birdman officially changed his stage name from Baby to Birdman after the release of his self-titled debut album on the 26th of November 2002. The album peaked at number 24 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the 15th of January 2003.
On the 4th of December 2014, Wayne issued a statement claiming the album would not be released due to his displeasure with Birdman, stating they were being held prisoner. This led to a $51 million lawsuit filed by Wayne in January 2015, alleging mismanagement of Young Money and unpaid artists.
Birdman launched the fashion brand YMCMB in 2006 and a merchandise line called Respek in 2016. He also invested in GTV Vodka and formed Bronald Oil and Gas, LLC, a joint venture with his brother Slim, though the company's actual operations remained largely speculative.