Notes & Personnel Info |  | Personnel: Juvenile (rap vocals); Lil Wayne, Mannie Fresh, Soulja Slim, Ying Yang Twins, Baby (rap vocals). | | Shortly after Juvenile enjoyed a popular revival, topping the Billboard Hot 100 with "Slow Motion" in summer 2004 following a three-year hitless spell, Cash Money Records released the New Orleans rapper's first hits collection, Greatest Hits. The album title is a misnomer, since only about half of the 18 compiled songs were actually hits, but otherwise, no complaints here, none at all. Plain and simple, Greatest Hits is the perfect Juvenile album. It boasts practically every notable song the rapper had ever recorded, rounded up on one CD without any of the filler that was synonymous with the Cash Money brand name. Moreover, it thankfully doesn't feel the need to balance inclusions from each of Juvenile's albums. About half of the collection is comprised of songs from 400 Degreez, Juvenile's one great album, and there are no inclusions from his substandard debut, Solja Rags (1997), and only a pair each from his average-at-best latter-day releases, Project English (2001) and Juve the Great (2003). The handful of bona fide hits here on Greatest Hits includes "Slow Motion," "Ha," "Back That Azz Up," "Set It Off," "In My Life," and "Mamma Got Ass." There are two bonuses, neither of which are worth getting excited about: a "Slow Motion" remix featuring Wyclef Jean and the Ying Yang Twins, and the previously unreleased clean version of "Back That Azz Up," titled "Back That Thing Up." It would have been much more worthwhile if Cash Money had included some of Juve's Hot Boys collaborations. Either way, Greatest Hits isn't only an ideal introduction to Juvenile's back catalog as of 2004, it's beyond question the only one of his albums to date you'll truly need. Everything fiery the hottest of the Hot Boys ever recorded is here on this one disc, for once sans filler. ~ Jason Birchmeier | | Juvenile helped put New Orleans on the hip-hop map even before he became part of the Cash Money crew or a member of the Hot Boys. Beginning in the early 1990s, Juvenile honed his rough-edged, brash, accent-flaunting style. After a couple of regionally successful records, he exploded with one of the Dirty South's first legitimate classics, 400 DEGREEZ, which spawned a flurry of hits, including the fierce "Back That Azz Up" (with frequent collaborator Mannie Fresh). After seven records, most notably 2003's excellent JUVE THE GREAT (which offered up the sultry jam "Slow Motion"), Juvenile had recorded more than enough to warrant a retrospective. | | This collection opens with what might be a first--an intro snatched from a previous record, "Intro - Big Tymers" from 400 DEGREEZ. The aforementioned hits are present, along with many other great moments from the Magnolia State rapper's career. "In My Life" changes its pace a few times, boasting both a powerfully catchy beat and deft, introspective lyrics. Elsewhere, "U Understand" struts in with a classic Dirty South bass line, while "Bounce Back" lays down a more laid-back groove, illustrating the oft-overlooked depth of Juvenile's game. |
Producer: Mannie Fresh |
Musical Guests | | Wyclef Jean | | Ying Yang Twins | | BirdMan | | Baby | | Mannie Fresh | | Soulja Slim | | Lil Wayne |
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