Best known for his groundbreaking work with Cash Money Records as part of the original Hot Boys, Juvenile first made waves with the platinum-certified ‘400 Degreez’ in 1998, featuring classics like “Ha” and the timeless “Back That Azz Up.” Over the decades, he’s remained one of Hip Hop’s most distinctive voices.
Juvenile recently released “Hot Boy Summer“, the first taste of Juvenile’s new album ‘Boiling Point’ due to be released soon.
The Hip Hop Museum caught up with Juvenile to talk about his new album ‘Boiling Point’, the success of ‘400 Degreez’, why he remains one of the most respected artists in Hip Hop and much more.
Adam Aziz: I remember reading an interview where you said you made both “Ha” and “Back That Azz Up” in thirty minutes. Why does it seem like artists always make their biggest songs in a short amount of time?
Juvenile: My reason was that I had a deadline. And when you get closer to the deadline, you listen to your album and try to figure out what’s missing and fill in those blanks. I had those two songs, but hadn’t had the opportunity to record them yet.
What’s crazy is I used one word in both songs. One is “Ha” and on “Back That Azz Up” it’s “yeah.”
AA: And then specifically with “Ha”, how did you come up with the concept for that record, repeating the same word at the end of every bar?
J: Man, I can’t even explain it. I felt like I just got into a zone, and I could keep carrying it, and carrying it. But it’s kind of hard to explain.
AA: Back in 1999, on Jay-Z’s “Do It Again” single, Beanie Sigel rapped: “Hittin w*ores on the floor, whole crew be wild/b*tch back that ass up like Juvenile.” When that record dropped, when you and Cash Money were still on the come-up, what did that mean for you to have your name and record referenced on a record that was really a New York record?
J: The crazy part is that once Jay jumped on the “Ha” remix, he started inviting me to parties, and I heard that record. And Beans told me about the record. I used to be on the road and go to Philly a lot. He told me about the record. He was actually trying to get me on “Do It Again,” but it didn’t happen.
When I heard the record, I was like, yeah, that’s my dog. Anytime someone uses one of my songs or references me, it’s an honor. Whether it’s Kendrick, Drake, Eminem, Future, anybody. Everybody shows me love.
AA: That leads into my next question. I was recently speaking with Tash of Tha Alkaholiks, and he’s an MC that’s universally respected, east coast, west coast, everywhere. You’re similar in that way. Why do you think that is?
J: Because I didn’t step on any toes or disrespect anyone else in Hip Hop on the way up. I didn’t look at anyone as a stepping stone. I always felt like we was all trying to do something positive in our life. I didn’t have nothing bad to say to nobody ever. We were all trying to better our situations and provide for our families.
I look at these other cats like my colleagues, not enemies. Let’s go get this money.
AA: What was the pressure like for you when ‘400 Degreez’ came out and you had two records really moving and rising on the charts?
J: It was crazy. When I look back now, I shouldn’t have rushed into that second project. I should have put more singles out off that album, at least four or five more. But we were so naive to that, and so caught up with putting albums out and putting music out. We were going at such a fast pace and moving on to the next.
There wasn’t a lot of pressure working on my next album, ‘Tha G-Code’, because we had recorded so many songs for ‘400 Degreez’ and had so much left over. Lots of songs for projects for Hot Boys, Big Tymers, B.G. – we recorded all these projects collectively as a group.
I didn’t go into the studio knowing I was recording ‘400 Degreez.’ I just knew that I was up next, and we were recording a lot of songs.
AA: How much of an influence was the way Master P and No Limit Records moved on Cash Money?
J: It was big for us and everyone in the music industry. When they started rolling, you had to play catch-up. And us coming from New Orleans, that was big shoes to fill, but we felt like we had a core group that could compete with anybody. We walked right behind No Limit and did our thing. We used the same artwork with Pen & Pixel. Our music was totally different, but we represented the same thing.
AA: You recently turned 50. What’s it like to be 50 years old in Hip Hop? How has your relationship with music and culture changed over the years?
J: I started in this over 25 years ago. I don’t think there is a better way to describe myself than to say I eat, sleep, sh*t, and talk rap; in the great words of a philosopher known as Juvie the great.
AA: What are some of your favorite Juvenile records?
J: Definitely “400 Degreez”, “Ghetto Children”, and “Solja Rags.”
“Solja Rags” broke the ice for me. That’s the record that got me with Cash Money. “Ghetto Children” was a song I had since I was a kid. I showed people my diversity on that record. And “400 Degreez” was the song I wanted to be my first single off that album. I open all my concerts with that song.
AA: What’s it like to have “Back That Azz Up” embedded within Pop culture?
J: Family reunions, weddings, Bat Mitzvahs, if you don’t play that record, you’re f*ckin up.
AA: When you finished recording “Back That Azz Up”, could you tell there was something different about that record?
J: You know what’s funny? I didn’t hear the final record until it came out. Mannie (Fresh) was still working on the intro and all that, and I didn’t hear it until we were at the listening party. And when I heard it, I was like, man, this motherf*cker rolling.
AA: When you look at rap music today, where do you see your influence the most?
J: Drake, Future, Lil’ Baby. I see it in my guy LaRussell out in the Bay. Everybody shows me love—Megan Thee Stallion with all the hot girl Summer stuff, hot girl everything. The list is long. Young Thug. Everybody man.
AA: You’ve got a new project coming out soon called ‘Boiling Point.’ What can you tell us about it?
J: Real instruments being played on the records. Mannie Fresh is all over the production. I got Lenny Kravitz playing guitar on a track. Birdman is on there. Wayne is on there. My son Young Juve is on there. LaRussell is on there.
Follow Juvenile on Instagram.
