You bet not leave that 45 at ya house, cause you gon’ need it, whoadie… The former’s syrupy style is tailor made for Fresh’s laid back groove while Juvenile drops arguably his hardest verse on the album: Despite serviceable spots from Lil Wayne and Turk, B.G.
The Hot Boys, accompanied by Bryan “Baby” Williams, return for “ U.P.T.” – an ominous “creep silent” cut reminiscent of Cash Money’s earlier underground work. “Welcome 2 Tha Nolia” plays as if it were an actual concert, with fellow Magnolia resident, Turk, joining Juve to hold it down for their notorious housing projects. Serving as a humorous interlude, “ Cash Money Concert” is a Fresh-featured skit (complete with faux Japanese accent) that sees Mannie charging 20 yen a ticket much to fans’ dismay. Never one to rely heavily on sampling, Mannie Fresh steps outside of his comfort zone and flips (of all songs!) Tito Puente’s “ Oye Como Va” into a bouncing, drum-heavy beat for Juvenile’s “ Follow Me Now.” The sheer uniqueness of the production alone has cemented this track as a cult classic. Juve’s delivery is so breezy it almost doesn’t matter what he’s saying, while Fresh’s bass guitar takes front and center stage (side note: this song served as inspiration for inception of The Ghetto Children, a group comprised of Juvenile’s son, Young Juve, Lil Soulja Slim and B.G.’s son, T.Y.). “ Ghetto Children” all but confirms that this album is different than any other project released by the label in years past. All artists shine here (pun intended), with lighthearted, almost laughable tales of helicopters, bikes and an endless supply of top-of-the-line cars. “ Gone Ride With Me”’s tip-toeing piano keys blend well with Juvenile’s melodic sing-a-long ode to his 9mm while “ Flossin” features the whole Cash Money camp welcoming listeners to the Bling era. The song’s genius is in part due to the effortless flow that finds Juve perfectly in pocket with Fresh’s flawless production but also its ability to grab every piece of Crescent City culture and put it on display for the world to absorb. Fans of Solja Rags will immediately recognize Juve’s conversational delivery, half-jokingly finishing each bar with a question (‘ that’s you with that bad ass Benz, ha? That’s you that can’t keep your old lady cause you keep fucking her friends, ha?’). Promoted as the album’s first single, “ Ha” is quite possibly the most New Orleans song of all time. It’s a subtle foreshadowing of the sonic journey the listener is about to embark on.Īnd if the Intro served as an appetizer, 400 Degreez’ first full-length song “ Ha” is a four course meal. Although customary for nearly every modern-era Cash Money project, Fresh’s production here just feels cleaner. The album’s “ Intro” continues the tradition of maestro Mannie Fresh providing a teasing groove, formally introducing the project while also making a few nonsensical jokes (‘ if your hair’s short and nappy, put something in it and make it happy, ya dig?’). With ascending in-house producer Mannie Fresh supplying the heat behind the boards and CMR’s teenage group, The Hot Boys, in tow – 400 Degreez ultimately changed hip hop forever. Sure, artists like Scarface, The Dungeon Family and the surging hot No Limit imprint had sold well but it wasn’t until Juvenile released his 3rd album that the south’s cultural impact was truly felt. To understand its impact, one has to travel back to 1998 when southern rap was just beginning to get the respect it had long deserved. Whatever the reason though, it was clear after one listen that this was a concentrated effort prepared as if the entire CMR brand depended on the success of 400 Degreez. A freshly-inked deal with music powerhouse, Universal, in the spring of 1998, may or may not have (subconsciously) inspired Cash Money to take a slightly more polished approach with Juvenile’s next project.
His first release on the then up-and-coming Cash Money Records was 1997’s “ Solja Rags” – an unapologetic, raw endeavor that only sporadically showed glimpses of his massive crossover potential. planted the seeds for a 30 million dollar distribution deal, Juvenile’s CMR sophomore effort “ 400 Degreez” was the tree that bore an abundance of fruit that the label has been enjoying since its initial release on November 3, 1998. Cash Money Records didn’t just take over for the 9-9 and the 2000 they’ve dominated music for the past two decades. Terius “Juvenile” Gray proudly proclaimed on arguably the biggest ass-shaking anthem in the history of music. Cash Money Records taking over for the 9-9 and the 2000…
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