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Back That Azz Up

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This article is about the song by Juvenile. For the song by Justin Moore, see Back That Thing Up.
"Back That Azz Up"
Single by Juvenile featuring Mannie Fresh and Lil Wayne
from the album 400 Degreez
ReleasedJune 11, 1999
Recorded1998
Genre
Length4:24
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Mannie Fresh
Juvenile singles chronology
"Ha"
(1998) 		"Back That Azz Up"
(1999) 		"U Understand"
(1999)
Lil Wayne singles chronology
"Back That Azz Up"
(1999) 		"Bling Bling"
(1999)
Music Video
"Back That Thang Up" on YouTube
Audio
"Back That Azz Up" on YouTube
"Back That Thang Up" on YouTube

"Back That Azz Up", also known as "Back That Thang Up" for a radio edit, is a song recorded by American rapper Juvenile featuring fellow American rappers Mannie Fresh and Lil Wayne. Produced by Fresh, it was released on June 11, 1999, as the second single from Juvenile's 1998 album 400 Degreez. The song was Juvenile's biggest hit single at the time until the chart-topping "Slow Motion" in 2004, surpassing "Back That Azz Up" which peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Both the song and its music video were omnipresent in media venues for much of 1999 and early 2000.[2] "Back That Azz Up", Lil Wayne's "Tha Block Is Hot", and B.G.'s "Bling Bling" were the three hits that launched Cash Money into the pop mainstream.

The song played a pivotal role in introducing bounce music—a distinctive New Orleans style of hip-hop characterized by rapid beats and call-and-response vocals—into mainstream culture, thereby solidifying the South as an epicenter of hip-hop. It has achieved lasting cultural significance, frequently sampled by artists like Drake and Beyoncé, and remains popular at cultural events and celebrations.[2]

Production

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Initially skeptical of its success, Juvenile stated that he developed the hook for "Back That Azz Up" about half a year before finishing the 400 Degreez album.[2] Mannie Fresh was impressed upon hearing the lyrics and began producing a beat that he thought would fit the lyrics.[2] Fresh's production featured a distinctive bounce beat, reminiscent of New Orleans' music scene, as noted by Dino Delvaille, then an A&R executive for Universal Music.[2]

During their Nashville recording session, Juvenile recalled the urgency of completing the song. Lil Wayne, present in the studio, insisted on contributing a New Orleans chant to the end of the song, which they incorporated into the final version.[2] Based on the content of the song, there were three edited versions of the song, which allowed for radio stations to choose between playing "Back That Thang Up" and the edited version of "Back That Azz Up". Johnny Kenaya was in the studio with Juvenile and Mannie Fresh while the record was playing. He gave the green light on the project to go on. The former had redone amended lyrics, while the latter was edited as is (with the word "ass" left intact). Also, the edited album version had "ass" backmasked along with other expletives. "Back That Thang Up" only came out on the single, the compilation Universal Smash Hits in 2000, and Juvenile's Greatest Hits in 2004.

Reception

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Allmusic critic Jason Birchmeier named "Back That Azz Up" among "the best songs to come out of the late-'90s Dirty South boom."[3]

Complex has included "Back That Azz Up" in some best-of lists, ranking it no. 4 among the "50 best New Orleans rap songs" in 2011 and including it in its 2022 list "32 Best Twerking Anthems".[4][5] In 2021, Rolling Stone ranked the song no. 478 in its list "Top 500 Best Songs of All Time".[6]

Live performances

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In February 2020, Juvenile performed "Back That Azz Up" with billionaire businessman Tom Steyer at Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina during Steyer's Democratic Party presidential primary campaign.[7][8] While Juvenile performed the lyrics, Steyer danced onstage alongside his wife and daughter before delivering a speech targeted to youth and minority voters.[9][10] Steyer withdrew from the presidential race the day after the performance[11] in part due to a weak showing in that state's primary.

Court ruling

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In Positive Black Talk, Inc. v. Cash Money Records, Inc. (2004), the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit concluded that the song did not infringe the copyright of DJ Jubilee's song "Back That Ass Up".[12][13][14][15]

Remix

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In 2021, Juvenile released "Vax That Thang Up", a remix whose lyrics encouraged vaccination for COVID-19. The song, also featuring Mannie Fresh and Mia X, was sponsored by Match Group's dating app BLK.[16] "Vax That Thang Up" was released to mixed reactions. Juvenile responded to critics by claiming that his goal was not to force listeners to receive the vaccine, but instead that they "get educated on it, and make the right decision".[17]

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (1999) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[18] 19
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[19] 5
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[20] 9

Year-end charts

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Chart (1999) Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[21] 75

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[22] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "The 100 Greatest Rap Albums of All Time (100-26): Staff List". Billboard. 2024-07-01. Archived from the original on 2024-08-22. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Abrams, Jonathan (July 4, 2024). "The Booty-Shaking Anthem That Still Endures, 25 Years Later". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  3. ^ Birchmeier, Jason. "400 Degreez". allmusic. Archived from the original on June 8, 2012. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  4. ^ Nostro, Lauren (January 22, 2022). "32 Best Twerking Anthems". Complex. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  5. ^ Noz, Andrew (May 18, 2011). "The 50 Best New Orleans Rap Songs". Complex. Archived from the original on May 21, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  6. ^ "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 2021-09-15. Archived from the original on 2021-11-22. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
  7. ^ Kreps, Daniel (29 February 2020). "Watch Tom Steyer Dance to Juvenile's 'Back That Azz Up' Performance at South Carolina Rally". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  8. ^ Newell, Jim (29 February 2020). "Tom Steyer Gives South Carolina One Last, Bizarre Show". Slate. Archived from the original on 2020-03-20. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  9. ^ Brooks, Ryan (29 February 2020). "Tom Steyer's Weird And Weirdly Amazing Last Rally In South Carolina". BuzzFeed News. Archived from the original on 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  10. ^ Ordoña, Michael (1 March 2020). "Tom Steyer's dance moves go viral, at his expense. He's not alone among dancing candidates". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  11. ^ "Watch Tom Steyer and Juvenile Perform "Back That Azz Up"". Pitchfork. 29 February 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-03-20. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  12. ^ Cohen, Julie E.; Loren, Lydia Pallas; Okediji, Ruth L.; O'Rourke, Maureen A. (2015). Copyright in a Global Information Economy. Wolters Kluwer Law & Business. ISBN 978-1-4548-6327-4. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  13. ^ Spera, Keith (2012). Groove Interrupted: Loss, Renewal, and the Music of New Orleans. Macmillan Publishers. p. 240. ISBN 978-1-250-00764-3. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  14. ^ "Jury Sides With Juvenile In Song-Theft Case". Billboard. 6 May 2003. Archived from the original on 20 September 2014. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  15. ^ "Court Ruling" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2010-07-05.
  16. ^ D'Zurilla, Christie (7 July 2021). "Ready to 'Vax That Thang Up'? Juvenile, Mannie Fresh and Mia X have a song for you". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  17. ^ "Juvenile Says Critics of 'Vax That Thang Up' Are Missing the Point: 'Just Get Educated'". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2021-08-02. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  18. ^ "Juvenile Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  19. ^ "Juvenile Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  20. ^ "Juvenile Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
  21. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1999". Archived from the original on 2009-07-09. Retrieved 2010-08-28.
  22. ^ "American single certifications – Juvenile – Back That Azz Up". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
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