400 Degreez

400 Degreez is the third studio album by Juvenile, released on November 3, 1998, by Cash Money Records and Universal Records. It became his best-selling record and one of the defining Southern rap albums of the late 1990s.

The story

The album was Juvenile’s first release after Cash Money secured national distribution through Universal. It was recorded at Cash Money Studios in Metairie, Louisiana. The lead single, “Ha,” was released in October 1998 and became Juvenile’s first Billboard Hot 100 entry. “Back That Azz Up,” featuring Mannie Fresh and Lil Wayne, followed in June 1999 and peaked at number 19 on the Hot 100. “Follow Me Now” was also issued as a single.

Sound and production

Mannie Fresh was the album’s sole producer. His drum programming and keyboard arrangements drew on New Orleans bounce, while Juvenile’s cadences, particularly the repeated-phrase structure of “Ha,” were rooted in the city’s regional slang and delivery.

Legacy

400 Degreez peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and it was the number-one R&B/hip-hop album on Billboard’s 1999 year-end chart. The RIAA certified it quadruple platinum in December 2000. Initial reviews were moderately positive, but its standing has grown: Pitchfork called it “one of the most consequential rap records of its era” in 2018 and placed it third on its 2025 list of the 100 best rap albums.

Released November 3, 1998. More from hip hop in 1998.