The Failed Assassination Attempt on Lil Wayne: Unraveling the 2015 Tour Bus Shooting and Alleged Conspiracy

In the early hours of April 26, 2015, following a high-energy performance at Atlanta’s Compound nightclub, hip-hop icon Lil Wayne’s world nearly came to a violent end. As his two tour buses traveled along Interstate 285 North, they were ambushed in a hail of gunfire. The incident, which left no one injured but riddled the vehicles with bullet holes, exposed a web of betrayal, gang affiliations, and bitter industry feuds. At the center of the allegations: Birdman, Wayne’s longtime mentor and Cash Money Records co-founder, and rising star Young Thug. What began as a “father-son” relationship between Wayne and Birdman devolved into a explosive fallout, culminating in what prosecutors described as a calculated plot to silence the rapper.

The roots of the conflict trace back to late 2014, when Lil Wayne publicly accused Birdman (real name Bryan Williams) of withholding royalties and stalling the release of his album Tha Carter V. Wayne filed a $51 million lawsuit against Cash Money, claiming breach of contract and demanding freedom from the label. Tensions escalated as Young Thug (Jeffrey Williams), signed to Cash Money and often positioned as Wayne’s successor, entered the fray. In March 2015, Thug released “Halftime,” a track with lyrics interpreted as threats: “Fuck nigga try me I swear to God, Lil Whodi done pull up and pop at his noggin.” An Instagram video showed Thug issuing veiled warnings, with guns prominently displayed by his associate, Jimmy Carlton Winfrey, aka Peewee Roscoe.

On the night of the shooting, Wayne had just wrapped his set at the Compound. Police, aware of potential threats, spotted Winfrey and other Blood gang members—affiliated with both Thug and Birdman—at the venue. Winfrey, Thug’s tour manager and a signed Cash Money artist, was driving a white 2015 Chevrolet Camaro equipped with an assault rifle. Authorities attempted to detain him, but he fled. Fearing violence, officers escorted Wayne’s buses out of the area. Once the escort ended, Winfrey and accomplices in a white sports car pulled alongside the buses and unleashed gunfire using a 9mm handgun and a .40 caliber handgun. The buses, carrying Wayne and his entourage, sped to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, where police documented the damage: multiple bullet impacts but miraculously no casualties.

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File:Lil Wayne performing at General Motors Place in Vancouver 2 …

Investigators quickly zeroed in on Winfrey. Phone records revealed he called a number linked to Young Thug eight times in the 12 minutes before the attack. Immediately after, his first call was to Birdman. Winfrey hid the Camaro at a relative’s house, deleted incriminating Instagram photos, and fled to Miami. Police recovered the vehicle, tying it to the scene.

In July 2015, a Cobb County grand jury indicted Winfrey on charges including aggravated assault, criminal damage, and gang-related offenses. The indictment named Birdman and Young Thug as unindicted co-conspirators, alleging they orchestrated the hit amid the Cash Money beef. Prosecutors claimed the plot was tied to the Bloods gang, with Winfrey promised rewards for the act—rumors swirled of a $250,000 bounty and even a Porsche as incentives, though court documents focused on the gang and financial motives rather than specific amounts.

A leaked 2015 phone call between Birdman and Winfrey emerged as key evidence in 2018. In the audio, Birdman tells Winfrey, “It’s time for you to come out here and get your money, man… You done did everything you could do, boss. It’s an eye-opener, bruh. Strictly business, man.” Prosecutors interpreted this as a reference to payment for the shooting. Birdman denied any connection, with a source telling TMZ the call was unrelated and that he believed Winfrey innocent.

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Birdman Wallpapers (12 images) – WallpaperCat

Winfrey pleaded guilty in November 2015 to gang charges, receiving a 20-year sentence with 10 to serve. However, the Georgia Supreme Court overturned it in 2017, ruling his plea was coerced. He re-pleaded in 2018, serving additional time before release. The bus driver, Alvin Lewis, sued Birdman, Young Thug, Cash Money, and Young Money in 2016 for emotional distress and negligence, seeking damages for the trauma.

Young Thug faced separate legal woes, including a 2015 arrest for terroristic threats unrelated to the shooting. Birdman publicly denied involvement in a 2015 statement, insisting no ill will toward Wayne. The two reconciled somewhat in 2018, settling the lawsuit for an undisclosed sum—reportedly around $10 million—and releasing Tha Carter V. Yet, the shooting’s shadow lingers, with ongoing debates in hip-hop circles about loyalty and betrayal.

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File:Young Thug – Openair Frauenfeld 2019 01.jpg – Wikimedia Commons

This incident highlights the dangerous intersection of music rivalries and street affiliations. While no charges were filed against Birdman or Thug for the shooting, the evidence—phone logs, audio, and witness accounts—paints a chilling picture of how close Wayne came to tragedy. As Wayne reflected in later interviews, the ordeal strengthened his resolve: “I ain’t dying for nobody’s business.” Today, with Wayne free from Cash Money and thriving independently, the 2015 ambush remains a stark reminder of hip-hop’s turbulent underbelly.