Fat Tuesday Came Early for Lil Wayne

If there's a recession going on, I couldn't tell at Lil Wayne's Pre-Grammy Awards Party Saturday night. The Mardi Gras-themed soiree was an exercise in decadence, to say the least. Cash Money Records held the red-carpet affair at The Montage, a swanky hotel in the heart of Beverly Hills. While publicists sent out releases to alert the media of a party, other details -- like location, time, etc. -- were kept tightly under wraps.

And speaking of red carpets, the one at Weezy's party was the coolest I've ever seen. Instead of having it in front of the hotel, they held it in the underground parking garage. Girls dressed in full Mardi Gras regalia handed out beads to the guests as they checked in. Some of the celebs making their way down the carpet included Danity Kane's Dawn Richard, Akon, production duo Play N Skillz, actress Leelee Sobiesky, Joel Madden, Tila Tequila, and Nicky and Paris Hilton.

Once my homegirl, The CreaTiff One, and I got in the party, we were pleasantly surprised to find free food and drinks. The Louisiana-inspired menu was projected on the walls -- blackened salmon with black-eyed peas, jambalaya with cornbread muffins, crab cakes with garlic salad, and strip steak with frites (french fries for the rest of us). I had the salmon and TCO had the jambalaya. We were both very satisfied.

The room was festively decorated with a 70s-style beaded curtain dividing the lounge/dance area from the dining area. The curtain allowed us to see the stage, which featured live performances from the newer members of the Cash Money Records family. Paris did the opening introductions.

The soiree was well-occupied without being crowded, and to say that it was celebrity-infested would be an understatement. We spotted Reggie Bush -- sans Kim Kardashian -- OutKast's Big Boi, Kim Whitley, and Tamala Jones. Omarion was sporting a fresh crew cut that made him look so manly that we almost didn't recognize him!

The highlight of the evening -- at least for Lil Wayne -- was the presentation of his present for selling ten million records. Cash Money Records gave him a convertible sports car wrapped in a bow.

What I found most refreshing was that there were no fights and no instances of overtly ghetto behavior. Overall, I have a new-found respect for both Cash Money Records and Lil Wayne in general.