Today in Hip-Hop: Juvenile Drops ‘400 Degreez’ Album

On this day, Nov. 3, in hip hop history...

1998: It's been 19 years to the day since the release of Juvenile's breakthrough project 400 Degreez. In 2017, this album remains one of the main projects responsible for boosting the Cash Money label to superstardom and bringing women to the dance floor for nearly two decades.

A few months before its release, Cash Money Record heads' Baby and Slim signed a publishing and distribution deal with Universal worth well over $30 miliion. Then, eight months later, they dropped Juve's 400 Degreez album, which went on to sell over 4 million copies. By Dec. 19, 2000, the project was certified four times platinum.

Juvenile's rawness and southern drawl drew fans to him as they sat back to hear the tales of his life and stomping grounds, New Orleans' Magnolia Projects. "Back That Azz Up" may be one of Juvie's bigger—if not biggest—anthems (Drake sampled it on "Practice"), but his flow and lyrics on "Ha" is what made him stand out most. The track went on to sell 2.3 million copies and become a mainstay on the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 weeks. "Ha" received two official remixes, with one from Hot Boys' Lil Wayne, B.G. and Turk, and another from JAY-Z, which closes out the album.

Other standout songs on 400 Degreez include the title track, the single "Follow Me Now" and "Ghetto Children." To this day, the album remains one of Cash Money's crowning achievements from one of the most underrated lyricists of all time.

Here's to 400 Degreez for its huge assist in Cash Money's takeover.

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