Amidst the ongoing legal war with Cash Money Records and its CEO Bryan "Birdman" Williams, Lil Wayne has been cooking up something special in his hometown of New Orleans for his true fans who were there before the Young Money rapper made it mainstream. According to several reports, Lil Wayne and the former New Orleans hip-hop quartette, the Hot Boys, are set to hit the stage together during the Aug. 28 festival in Champions Square.
While he has yet to reveal the remaining lineup of artists for the festival, Lil Wayne will host the 'Lil WeezyAna Fest' and reunite for a rare performance with Juvenile, Turk, and Mannie Fresh (who produced all of their albums). Unfortunately, one member of the group is left out of the upcoming show – B.G. – who is currently serving a 14-year federal prison sentence for an arrest in 2009 for gun possession and witness tampering.
Together, the Hot Boys recorded three studio albums – Get It How U Live! (1997), Guerilla Warfare (1999), and Let 'Em Burn (2003). B.G. and Juvenile were the first members to acquire regional success before the official formation of the group. The Hot Boys made their first official feature on B.G.'s third album, It's All on U, Vol. In 1997, the group released their debut album Get It How U Live!, selling more than 300,000 copies and peaking at #37 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart.
Cash Money Records went from an independent label with little recognition to grabbing the attention of label executives from Universal Records – signing a $30 million pressing and distribution deal with Universal Records in 1998. With the release of Juvenile's 400 Degreez, which was certified 4X Platinum by the RIAA, the label was on its way to gaining credibility in the music business. The label's in-house producer was Mannie Fresh. His magic on the beats coupled with the members' gangster appeal and fresh lyrics garnered much Billboard chart success: Juvenile's "Back That Azz Up" (#19), B.G.'s "Bling Bling" (#36), and the Hot Boys' "I Need a Hot Girl" (#65).
Eventually, all of the members went their separate ways, except for Lil Wayne, who stuck with the label that led to the birth of Young Money Entertainment. While Wayne obviously was the only former Hot Boy to rise to fame on a larger scale, with a current net worth of $140 million, life wasn’t so bright for the rest of the crew. Based on our latest reports via CNW:
- Juvenile ($500 thousand Net Worth): After officially leaving the group in 2002, Juvenile launched his own label, UTP Records. However, he returned to Cash Money Records a year later, releasing his album "Juve The Great," which featured the hit song "Slow Motion." Following Hurricane Katrina, Juvenile moved back to Atlanta to aid in raising funds and supplies to help Hurricane Victims. In 2006, he returned to New Orleans and released his album "Reality Days," which became his first album to hit number one. Tragically, Juvenile's daughter was shot and killed at the age of 4 in 2008 along with her mother.
- B.G. ($200 thousand Net Worth): In 2001, B.G. left Cash Money Records, claiming a financial dispute with owners Birdman and Ronald "Slim" Williams. He later formed his own label, Chopper City Records. In 2009, B.G. was arrested and later sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for gun possession and witness tampering.
- Turk ($50,000 Net Worth): In 2001, Young Turk split ways with Hot Boys and released his solo debut album, Young and Thuggin, which became a Top 10 hit on the Billboard 200. He was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment in 2005 but was released in 2012 after almost nine years of captivity.
The legacy of the Hot Boys continues to resonate in the hip-hop community, and their reunion at the upcoming festival is highly anticipated by fans. This event not only celebrates their past successes but also highlights the enduring impact of their music on future generations.
