Drake Says Young Money Thrives Without Lil Wayne, "We're A Better Team When He's Here, But It's Not A Necessity" + "Best I Ever Had" In Hot Water

Young Money's Drake recently talked about Lil Wayne being away from his camp in jail and why their leader's physical presence is not a necessity.

From Drake's perspective, Wayne's absence has allowed himself and YM artists like Nicki Minaj to pick up the pace.

"His approach with his artists is very trusting, very fearless, and because of that, we have been put out into the world like trying to make people love us for who we are on our own, without Wayne," Drake explained in an interview. "So with Wayne gone, its possible for me and her (Nicki Minaj) to still thrive. I think that's the best approach and I respect Wayne so much, because he urged us to be ourselves maybe in anticipation for the day that he's not here. So we can still be ourselves without him. I don't need Wayne to be Drake. I'm a better Drake when Wayne is here, but I don't need Wayne to be Drake. Nicki doesn't need Wayne to be Nicki. She created Nicki [Minaj]. We're all a better team when he's here, but it's not a necessity. For us, it's a great thing so we can still carry this movement."

He recently revealed plans to make a collaboration album with Wayne.

"I went up to Rikers, and me and Wayne agreed that there will be a Lil Wayne/ Drake album," Drake told DJ Envy on MTV's "Sucker Free." " ... There's some things I'm excited for in my life -- I'm excited to go perform certain places -- but [this project] will probably be one of the most exciting things in my life, because we make music on a different level. It's just so fun, so comfortable. A whole album? To think about all the things we can do, especially if we're gonna do 15 songs. Me and him don't like to do 12, 13 [songs]. We want to do 15, 16. Yeah, Lil Wayne and Drake album."

Last month, Drake vouched for Wayne and declared his boss' innocence on a recent gun conviction.

"One of my biggest influences ended up being a close friend of mine, Jay-Z and Lil Wayne who is actually responsible for my career has always been a huge influence to me and one of my heroes," Drake said in an interview. "I've talked to Wayne since he's been in jail. In my opinion, he didn't do anything wrong. I think that was the opportunity to make an example of somebody who didn't deserve to be made an example out of."

Drake also rapped a "Free Lil Wayne" freestyle live in concert earlier this year.

"All right, f*ck it, this is what I say," Drake told an Atlanta crowd. "I say on behalf of Weezy, f*ck the NYPD/Don't believe what they be saying about us on the TV, talking sh*t is easy/Being real is harder, who'd a thought the real would come way across the border/Free my n*gga Tunechi, he ain't even do sh*t/One more shout to Boosie, shot goes out to Gucci..."

Check out a pre-jail Lil Wayne interview below: