400 degree tour

Juvenile 400 Degreez: A Revolution in Hip-Hop Culture

Hotter Than 400 Degreez : A Deep Dive into Juvenile’s Classic

From nola streets to hip-hop elite: juvenile 400 degreez.

Who’s Juvenile , you ask? Only the man who took the ’90s by storm, rocking the mic like it owed him money. Terius Gray, a.k.a Juvenile, is our main man behind 400 Degreez . If you’ve ever bobbed your head to “Ha” or “Back That *zz Up,” you’ve got him to thank. If not, well, buddy, your playlist needs some serious CPR. And we have it below in a guide to Juvenile  400 Degreez.

The Heat Behind the Beats: Why 400 Degreez Still Sizzles

Released in 1998, Juvenile 400 Degreez wasn’t just an album but a seismic event in the hip-hop world. It’s like techno meeting Southern hip-hop while Biggie Smalls is DJing the party. Sound crazy? That’s because it was a mix of Southern bounce and unapologetic lyrics. This album made Juvenile the king of Cash Money Records.

How 400 Degreez Stirred the Hip-Hop Pot

What was so darn special about this album, you ask? 400 Degreez didn’t just impact the hip-hop scene; it broke the darn thing, picked up the pieces, and glued them back together with a beat. It added the Cajun spice to the hip-hop gumbo and brought the Southern rap scene into the limelight. New Orleans had Mardi Gras, but now it had something else to celebrate: Juvenile’s revolutionary sounds. Get a taste of some of his hits and watch Juvenile’s performance on NPR’s TinyDesk.

Juvenile 400 Degreez: The Making

Inspiration and conceptualization: or how juvenile got his groove.

From the swamps of Louisiana, Juvenile emerged with a sound as unique as a crocodile wearing sunglasses. Inspired by the streets and his life experiences, Juvenile cooked up an equal parts raw, funky, and infectious album. It’s like jazz met rap in a back alley, and they decided to throw a party together.

Collaboration with Other Artists: The Dream Team

Not flying solo, Juvenile enlisted the big guns of Cash Money Records, including the Hot Boys and Mannie Fresh. Together, they created tracks that were more addictive than Grandma’s pecan pie. It’s like the Avengers of hip-hop, each with their own superpower, converging for one big, bass-thumping mission.

Production Techniques: The Wizardry Behind 400 Degreez

400 Degreez production was more finely tuned than a cat stalking a mouse. The beat magician, Mannie Fresh, wove a production tapestry that even Dr. Dre would envy. Layering samples, beats, and hooks resulted in an album that still sounds fresher than a mint julep on a hot New Orleans day.

And that, dear reader, is just the tip of the iceberg. Or, in this case, the tip of the turntable. Keep reading as we dig deeper into the Juvenile 400 Degreez symphony. Got your headphones ready?

400 Degreez : Track-by-Track Analysis

“intro”.

Hold on to your hats, folks! The intro to Juvenile’s 400 Degreez is like the doorbell ringing at a party hosted by Beyoncé. You know something big is about to happen, and you just can’t help but do the happy dance. Juvenile’s setting the tone, and trust me, it’s not elevator music.

“Ha”

With “Ha,” Juvenile basically invented a new punctuation mark for the hip-hop language. It’s a rhythmic chant, a catchy hook, and a life philosophy all rolled into one. If “Ha” doesn’t make you want to dance, you might want to check if your feet are still attached. Watch the video below to get a taste of the Magnolia Projects.

“Gone Ride With Me”

This is where Juvenile invites you to ride shotgun on a musical road trip. It’s like “Thelma & Louise” but with less cliff-diving and more bass. Buckle up; it will be a smooth ride with Juvenile at the wheel.

“Flossin’ Season”

If “Flossin’ Season” were a movie, it’d be “The Great Gatsby” with a beat. It’s all about the glitz, the glam, and flaunting what you’ve got. A celebration of success, this track’s more dazzling than a disco ball in a jewelry store.

“Ghetto Children”

Taking a turn to the real, “Ghetto Children” is Juvenile’s poignant homage to life in the streets. It’s like a bowl of gumbo, filled with rich flavors and depth. This track’s got soul, and it’s serving it up hot.

“Welcome 2 Tha Nolia”

Juvenile’s rolling out the red carpet, and you’re invited. “Welcome 2 Tha Nolia” is a musical housewarming, filled with swagger and bounce. Grab a drink, find a spot on the dance floor, and let Juvenile guide you.

“U.P.T.”

Representing his hometown, Juvenile’s “U.P.T.” is a shoutout to Uptown New Orleans. It’s jazz, it’s rap, it’s a musical jambalaya. You can almost taste the beignets.

“Run For It”

“Run For It” isn’t just a song; it’s an adrenaline rush. It’s like “Chariots of Fire” with more fire. Whether you’re running towards something or away from it, this track’s going to keep you moving.

“Ha” (Hot Boys Remix)

The original “Ha” was so good that Juvenile remixed it with the Hot Boys. It’s like adding hot sauce to an already perfect dish. More flavor, more heat, more “Ha.”

“Rich N****z”

Here’s a track that throws modesty out the window and replaces it with diamond-studded sunglasses. “Rich N****z” is a swaggering ode to the good life, and it’s as subtle as a gold-plated limousine. If this song were a person, it’d wear a top hat, monocle, and fur-lined cape – all while rapping.

“Back That Azz Up”

Let’s be real; if you’ve been to a wedding, bar mitzvah, or Tuesday afternoon at the grocery store, you’ve probably danced to “Back That Azz Up.” It’s the unofficial anthem for anyone with a posterior and the desire to shake it. This track is more fun than a barrel of twerking monkeys and as iconic as the Mona Lisa’s smile. It features Mannie Fresh and a fresh-faced Lil Wayne. Read more about Juvenile’s iconic track.

“Off Top”

With “Off Top,” Juvenile flexes his lyrical muscles and does some serious poetic weightlifting. It’s a showcase of skill, a tour-de-rhyme faster than a cheetah with a caffeine addiction. Try to keep up; riding a rap rollercoaster with no seatbelts is like riding a rap rollercoaster!

“400 Degreez”

The title track of the album, “400 Degreez,” is so hot it might just singe your eyebrows. Juvenile’s not just on fire; he’s a full-blown volcanic eruption of beats and flow. This track’s the main course, serving up a spicy helping of pure, unadulterated Juvenile.

“Juvenile On Fire”

Speaking of fire, “Juvenile On Fire” is like a musical flamethrower. It’s Juvenile’s manifesto, his declaration of dominance, and it’s as subtle as a fire alarm in a library. If you’re not already a fan, this track will convert you or leave you scorched in its wake.

Conclusion to Juvenile 400 Degreez

These tracks continue the rollercoaster ride that is “400 Degreez,” each with its own unique flavor. From party anthems to soul-stirring reflections, Juvenile’s cooking up a musical feast, and there’s a seat at the table just for you.

And there you have it, a tour de force through the sights and sounds of “Juvenile 400 Degreez.” If this album were a meal, you’d need to loosen your belt a couple of notches by now.

FAQS ABOUT JUVENILE’S 400 DEGREEZ

1. Who designed the 400 Degreez art?

The iconic album cover art for 400 Degreez was crafted by Pen & Pixel, the graphic design company renowned for their distinctive album covers for a slew of hip-hop and southern rap legends throughout the ’90s and early 2000s.

2. Is 400 Degreez by Juvenile explicit?

Absolutely, 400 Degreez contains explicit content. Juvenile delivers raw, unapologetic lyrics that vividly depict his experiences and views. Listener discretion is indeed recommended.

3. How many albums did 400 Degreez sell?

400 Degreez was a roaring commercial hit, clocking in sales of over four million copies in the United States alone. This massive achievement earned it a 4x Platinum certification by the RIAA, spotlighting both Juvenile and the Cash Money Records label.

4. Who was at the production helm of 400 Degreez ?

Mannie Fresh masterfully orchestrated the beats and rhythms of 400 Degreez. As the main producer for Cash Money Records during that era, Mannie Fresh was instrumental in defining the unique and unforgettable sound of the album.

5. Where is Juvenile from?

Juvenile, born as Terius Gray, proudly represents The Magnolia Projects in New Orleans, Louisiana . The city’s rich musical tapestry and vibrant cultural backdrop played a pivotal role in shaping his musical prowess and distinct sound.

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New Orleans rapper Juvenile stopped by WDSU ahead of his big New Years Eve concert.

Juvenile is celebrating the 25th anniversary of 400 Degreez.

Juvenile has had a successful year between debuting his own beer, Juvie Juice and performing on NPR's Tiny Desk.

He was also honored with a Congressional Record from Washington, D.C. for his contribution to rap and honored by the New Orleans City Council for his accomplishments.

Juvenile and Mannie Fresh are set to perform with the Tiny Desk Band on New Year's Eve at the Saenger Theater at 9 p.m.

Tickets are on sale now on Saenger's website .

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400 Degreez

By Paul A. Thompson

July 15, 2018

There’s a title card, but within seconds, the setting is unmistakable:

You see the rows of buildings stretching out toward the horizon, seemingly vacant and endless. A hard cut and suddenly, the frame fills with action: Juvenile in the foreground, perched over a puddle, a sea of Magnolia residents waving their arms behind him, hanging from balconies, poking curious heads out of windows. That’s you with that big-body Benz, ha?

You see Juve shirtless, shimmering with sweat; he’s grimacing in front of convertibles; he’s showing off his gold fronts in jarring close-up; he’s rapping animatedly—skinnier than you expect, all elbows and sharp angles—in front of a mural bearing the projects’ official name, C.J. Peete; he’s dancing around a porch while the family that lives there sits motionless; he’s mugging in a hallway next to Baby and Mannie Fresh ; he’s shadowboxing.

The rest of Magnolia pops to life, either in eerily real tracking shots or in static frames that might as well be portraits. Kids jump on cast-off mattresses. Women in church clothes pose soberly—so do EMTs, with arms crossed in front of their ambulance. Magnolians get chased and cuffed and clutched by their fathers. There are roller skaters and pickup basketball games. A man on crutches hobbles down a street lit only by that ambulance’s siren lights; a boy feeds a piece of deli meat to a dog; money is counted and blurs until the bills are indistinguishable.

This is “Ha,” one of the most singularly brilliant rap songs of the 1990s. It’s been interpolated by people who win Pulitzers and bitten by countless young rappers, either in their formative periods or when they fly a little too close to the sun. Its video , directed by Marc Klasfeld, is genuinely stunning—spare but stylized, high art from self-consciously low production budgets, a four-minute blueprint for the rap videos that would come after the massive budgets from the Hype Williams era evaporated. There are no yachts. The whole thing takes place in and around Magnolia, where Klasfeld and his team set up camp for three days. Juve claimed that “all the drug dealers shut down” to accommodate production.

Even today, “Ha” sounds like it’s from the future, except when it sounds like it’s from the lobby of your building. Juve is sly and sarcastic, writing in the second person, ribbing you about child-support payments and switching to Reeboks and finally figuring out how to use your triple-beam. Juve laughs and sneers and, occasionally, commiserates. It’s a writing exercise. It’s also the platonic ideal of a rap song: mean, minimal, funny, foreign. Mannie’s beat is a rattling, electronic taunt, and its coda, which could have easily anchored another hit song, is free and acrobatic and full of bounce.

But underneath the grit and grinning was a mission statement. “Ha” announced to America that Cash Money Records, a New Orleans label that had made a well-timed pivot to rap, would be taking over in the new millennium. Universal had agreed, in a historically lucrative deal , to throw its weight behind the smaller label, and Cash Money countered with Juve’s third record, 400 Degreez . It’s a masterpiece—swaggering but paranoid, pained but free. It’s the sweatiest, funkiest parts of New Orleans culture packaged for export, and it would go on to become one of the most consequential rap records of its era and the next.

Long before the Universal deal, Cash Money was a shoestring operation founded by a pair of brothers, Bryan and Ronald Williams. (You know Bryan as Baby or Birdman ; if you know Ronald, you know him as Slim.) At first, it was a label for bounce music, the tight, energetic genre built on bass and various chops of the “Dragnet” theme. And it’s impossible to talk about bounce and rap in New Orleans without talking, first, about Mannie Fresh. Byron Thomas was the son of a DJ who gave his son instruments and hardware before he knew what to do with them; when Byron heard Afrika Bambaataa ’s electro-futurist “ Planet Rock ,” the gear started to make sense. He adopted the name Mannie Fresh and embarked on a career DJing and producing that would make him one of the most acutely influential producers in the history of Southern music.

From his earliest drafts, Mannie’s beats were deliriously danceable; soon, they were also punishing. He was able to flit between bounce and rap (and marry the two), but as Cash Money moved fully into hip-hop, he became the chief architect of its sound. Musically, he was Cash Money. It was one of his beats for a U.N.L.V. song called “ Drag ’Em in the River ,” that first attracted the attention of a young rapper who had been going by the name Juvenile.

Juve was born Terius Grey in March of 1975 and spent much of his formative years in those Magnolia Projects in Uptown New Orleans. While he was still in his teens, Juve had a foot in the city’s rap and bounce music scenes. With basically no recorded music, he was playing a near-endless string of raucous live shows, marching from spot to spot, hole-in-the-wall bar to high school parking lot, rapping for anyone who would listen. It worked. According to Mannie, people in the city would know the lyrics to Juve’s songs before they were ever released, simply from seeing him tear down tiny venues over and over again; his debut single, a collaboration with DJ Jimi called “ Bounce for the Juvenile ,” was exhibit A.

Before Cash Money, Juve—on wax, at least—wasn’t the unmistakable presence he would become. But when he linked with Mannie, the evolution came rapidly. The pair had been orbiting one another for a while, but operating in slightly different circles. They finally, officially, met at a bus stop, where Mannie asked Juve to rap. He did: song after song after song. The contract came through almost immediately. By the end of 1997, Mannie had produced (and Cash Money had issued) two albums with Juvenile in a starring role, a solo record called Solja Rags and Get It How U Live!! , an album by the Hot Boys, Cash Money’s supergroup that paired Juve with B.G., Turk, and a young rapper named Lil Wayne . Juve had just turned 22 when that first Hot Boys album dropped, but he was the oldest member of the group—barely out of his adolescence but forced into a grizzled, world-weary role.

You could hear it in his voice. Starting on Solja Rags , Juve became one of the most distinctive rappers imaginable, his delivery evoking the blues but nimble enough to navigate whatever stuttering, gridless drums Mannie used to challenge him. When he was cursing Bill Clinton and Bob Dole , he sounded as if he could be 18 or 58, smirking on a porch somewhere.

By the beginning of ’98, Cash Money and its artists were accruing power throughout Louisiana and the rest of the South. The title track from Juve’s album had been a local hit. B.G.’s album sold 25,000 copies; the Hot Boys tripled that. In March, Baby and Slim signed that infamous distribution deal with Universal, the terms of which quickly took on the qualities of myth: a three-year contract with a $2 million advance annually, a $1.5 million credit on each of up to six albums each year, and an 80/20 profit split in favor of Cash Money. The deal had largely been centered on the Big Tymers—Mannie’s collaboration with Baby—but as soon as the ink was dry, Mannie insisted that Universal push Juvenile to the foreground.

Cash Money was then operating like a factory: Mannie would cook up beat after beat and hook after hook, and artists would be in various studio rooms writing, trying out ideas, with all efforts dedicated to whoever’s album was next on the docket. But as Juvenile became the label’s flagship artist, and as everyone’s focus turned to forging his new album, the process changed in two key ways. For one, the raps often came before the music. There are moments on 400 Degreez when Juve stops a verse at 14 bars or runs past the usual 16. Juve hadn’t learned, or wasn’t bothering to count out his bars; he would simply tell Mannie what and how he was going to rap, then let the producer build a beat around him. As Mannie recalled in 2014 , “ 400 Degreez was already wrote, I just had to put music to it.”

The second divergence from Mannie’s usual process is that, unlike the other rappers on the label, Juve would bring his own hooks to the songs rather than let them be mapped out by the producer. As specific and streetwise as he was, those years winning over NOLA crowds honed his sense for how to manipulate a room. That knack for pop makes the album jell; it lets him float through songs like “Ghetto Children” and stuff melodies into the verses on “Gone Ride With Me” and “Follow Me Now.” (The latter song, in particular, is an absolute joy; the way he opens with a syncopated “I want me a—mil/To see just how it—feel” throws your shoulders into motion immediately.) Juve had long been toying with these parts of his toolkit, but on 400 Degreez he grew into a different rapper entirely, one more in command of his skillset and with a more innate feel for where each song could take him, musically. On the intro, Mannie says this is the new record from “the dude that brung you ‘Put up your “Solja Rag,”’ referencing that lighter, thinner proto-“Ha” from the year before. But Juve wasn’t the same dude—he was a little older, a little better in tune with the bounce.

Which is good, because when Juve forgets to smile, 400 Degreez can turn incredibly grim. It’s an album about what it’s like to be baptized in fire and the ways you need to be resourceful in order to survive—not to escape Hollywood shootouts, but to grit your teeth and keep creditors off your back, to keep from getting carjacked by kids who are bored and lashing out. On “Ghetto Children,” Juve raps: “I got bills to pay/I can’t be playing with you jokers.” On “Run for It,” Wayne is itching to jump out of trees and attack his enemies, but Juve writes about how he’d rather see the violence on TV. He’s seen and done enough to know how scarring it’s all been but can’t sit back and reflect without worrying. On “Gone Ride With Me,” the goal isn’t a big-body Benz, it’s rent money.

That paranoia—about kids who are ready to knock him off, about cops, about acts of God—seeps into the album’s crevices. Juve’s songwriting is, at its resting state, playful, buoyant, full of asides and knowing advice; he is in control. So when things seem out of his grasp (see his opening verse on “Off Top”), the record becomes not just frantic, but desperate, even hopeless. This feeling comes only in brief spurts, but compared to the poise that Juve usually trafficks in, it rattles the calm. “Ha” aside, Juve is most captivating when he’s at his most urgent, like on the title track: “You see me? I eat, sleep, shit, and talk rap/You seen that ’98 Mercedes on TV? I bought that/I had some felony charges—I fought that/Been sent to no return but still was brought back.” And even on “Ha,” the chorus casts the song as something more existential: “You know what it is/To make nothing outta something.”

And sometimes the joy and id and Gothic fear all blur into one. Near the end of the sessions for 400 Degreez , Mannie and Juve got the idea to resurrect one of those songs that had been a reliable concert staple in New Orleans, but had never been properly recorded, one that Juve had been rapping to the “ Paid in Full ” loop. The title might not have been stylized yet, but it was the early skeleton of what would eventually become “Back That Azz Up.”

That skeleton nearly shared its name with DJ Jubilee’s Jackson 5-sampling hit from the same period in 2003, Jubilee would sue Juvenile, Cash Money, and Universal, and lose. But Mannie sensed that Juve’s version was the one. It just needed the right beat. “[I knew] if we put 808 drums under this with the bounce, we got the hood,” the producer told Complex in 2012. But “we got to get white America too, how do we do that?”

The answer was strings. In the video , two men emerge from the fog like specters, one in a wheelchair, both slinging violins. That’s the song’s slow, morbid intro, a call for bodies to report to the dancefloor not just from the bar or the booths, but from beyond the grave. The men disappear and are replaced by Juve, in a white tee, who leans toward the camera and fires one of the most famous warning shots in all of rap’s history: “Cash Money Records taking over for the nine-nine and the two-thousand.” Then the 808s.

That video became inescapable on MTV. It served, along with “Ha,” B.G.’s “ Bling Bling ,” Wayne’s “ Tha Block Is Hot ,” and the Hot Boys’ “ I Need a Hot Girl ,” as the takeover. Despite being a last-minute addition to the album, “Azz” in particular distilled the label’s vision into a single song. It’s a rave in a haunted mansion: the song’s bass (and baseness) warp and contort its ornate flourishes. It’s the maximalist endpoint of that bounce-rap fusion. Wayne’s ad-libs-on-steroids cameo earmarks him as an obvious future star. And Juvenile raps like getting his partner to bend over is a matter of life and death, which it very obviously is.

400 Degreez is too idiosyncratic to have sprung from the minds of anyone but Juve and Mannie, but they didn’t seal themselves off from the rest of Cash Money. Nearly half the album’s songs feature some combination of the Hot Boys. One of the more interesting payoffs of this is that you get to catch the other three members at various stages in their development: that “Run for It” verse is jarring for how clearly Wayne patterned his flow after Juve’s, but B.G., who wrestles the formless posse cut “U.P.T.” into his own hands, is already a practiced star.

The best group song—and the album’s single greatest moment outside of those tentpole singles—is the anxious, defiant, unbelievably goofy “Flossin’ Season.” B.G. flashes a watch that you can see from a block away; Wayne sounds fully formed for once. Two different men compare their stunting to Evel Knievel; you can practically hear Baby arguing with an auto-body shop about how many PlayStations can realistically fit inside a Hummer. But it’s the principals who make the song transcend. Mannie’s beat and the urgency in Juve’s voice give “Flossin’ Season” its relentless forward motion—the quality that makes a song about watches sound like a matter of family honor. When Juve can’t make it to the bar without being hit on, it seems like the “Odyssey”; Mannie brags, in order, that he has: a burgundy jet, cities named after him; a big dick, a million dollars, and a Nissan Pathfinder; a half a mil riding on the Lakers; a Lexus that comes out in two years (it’s parked by the projects) and a motorcycle that comes out in 12 (it has the Batman fins); and a ring that Liberace can’t afford. Come over here and give a millionaire a hug.

There are traces of Universal’s handwringing, and signs that the label’s priorities got crossed during production. Words like “homicide” and “pistol” are occasionally censored, but they left in embarrassing errors: in the liner notes and on the CD itself, Mannie Fresh is credited as “Manny” Fresh. Fortunately, as on previous Cash Money releases, the art was handled by the legendarily gaudy Houston design firm Pen & Pixel. There’s Juvenile: propped up among the flames like Frankenstein’s monster. There are models pacing through a library. The “z” in Degreez has two vertical lines through it, as in “$.” But the album was a massive commercial success. It reached No. 9 on the Billboard 200—peaking in September 1999, almost a year after its release, due to the sustained strength of “Back That Azz Up”—and, in 2011, was certified quadruple platinum.

On a less quantifiable level, it helped Southern rap pierce the mainstream. It was the tip of the spear that preceded the region’s rule over the 2000s and 2010s. (Of course, that shine would be mostly reserved for Atlanta; even when Cash Money’s last, best hope finally made it, Lil Wayne fled his ravaged New Orleans for Miami.) JAY-Z , who was red hot following that year’s Vol 2: Hard Knock Life , tried to grapple with “Ha” on one of its two remixes, but despite being near his technical peak, he couldn’t find the right bounce to really sell his verse. In a way, that foreshadowed the next decade and a half for New York: trying to keep up with the South, but unable to match its first step.

But for Juve himself, things were never this good again. A few years later, he left Cash Money, claiming—as many artists have since—that Baby and Slim weren’t paying him anything near what he was owed. Both B.G. and Turk were sentenced to long terms in prison. Wayne, perhaps improbably, became the best rapper on the planet before realizing that he, too, was getting robbed. Mannie left the label. In 2005, Juve’s home was destroyed by Katrina; in 2008, his 4-year-old daughter and his daughter’s mother were murdered. Even his biggest commercial success was blackened by death: In 2004, a year before the hurricane, “ Slow Motion ” got Cash Money its first No. 1 hit in part because the song became a de facto tribute for Soulja Slim, who was murdered the day before Thanksgiving 2003 in the front yard of the house he bought for his mother.

Rap moves so fast that it can be difficult to pin down a new style’s influences beyond its most immediate predecessors. But what Juvenile and Mannie Fresh were doing in 1998 is part of the DNA for much of modern hip-hop, from the way Juve would bake melodies into his verses to the way Mannie blueprinted so much of our current sample-free production. 400 Degreez looms large over the genre, the way Juve’s sunglassed face lurks above the burning blocks on the album cover. It’s a strange, inimitable collage, full of fear and fire, unmistakably New Orleans and unrelentingly inventive.

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• Featured / Lifestyle / Lito the Gawd

400 Degreez 25th Anniversary

by Carl Henderson · June 12, 2023

When Andre Benjamin thought he could stand up to east coast bias at the 1995 Source Awards. He gave a bewitching declaration divulging that: “The South Got Something to Say.” I don’t think even he realized how thunderous that something would be, nor that over 25 years later we would still be talking.

The backstory is important because that moment painted a picture for so many future Southern musical aspirations. And specifically any dressed in Camouflage Bandannas, White T Shirts, and Reeboks.

In New Orleans, we have an expression:

“Do you want a cold drink?”

If you are from the N.O. you understand this donation is not cold water. What you are being offered is fellowship in the form of a carbonated beverage. 400 Degreez hit the nervous system like a sprite from a Mcdonald’s fountain in the early 2000s, with one hit you were hooked!

November 3rd, 1998 voodoo in audio from out the Magnolia Project struck the planet and moved the earth off its axis. For 25 years 400 Degreez has been a staple not only around New Orleans, not only Southern Hip Hop but tied to the lore of hip hop in general. At this moment in time, 400 Degreez is as American as a bowl of gumbo. To highlight the 25th anniversary I was able to speak to some fans of the album who will be attending the concert at The Howard Theatre in Washington, DC. I will include their testimonies throughout the piece.

That bass on Ghetto Children is underdog music.. Who’s The MF. Juvie is probably one of the most underrated storytellers in rap history. Need all those songs at Howard Theatre man.- @NFLMaliik

The album, the third from Juvenile with occasional assistance from the Hotboys created a force greater than any hurricane wind known to man. 400 Degreez isn’t just an album. It’s a feeling, a manifesto with survival steps for hotboys and hotgirls worldwide. It’s the devil on your left shoulder and God on your right shoulder. Truly the definition of balancing good and evil but settling right in the middle because it’s more fun that way. “Ghetto Children ” finds a young Terius Grey and his gritty voice detailing intricate commandments of hood politics, systemic despair, and neighborhood diplomacy, while still being powerful enough to not succumb and intently dream of change. As someone who grew up 2 blocks from Juvie hearing this album everywhere, seeing it on BET, MTV, and The Box certainly gave me the inspiration to dream.

You can thank him for these words.

“My favorite Juvenile song is “Gone Ride With Me”.

400 Degreez painted a vivid picture for me. I remember where I was when it came out. I remember being in Oklahoma the following summer and hearing “Back That Azz Up” number one on their radio countdowns. That wasn’t normal. I went to Mexico a year ago, met some Houston people, they knew 400 Degreez start to finish. It was a classic then, and a classic now.

Juvenile is important because he signifies a shift not just in southern rap but all of hip hop that is still present today. He was part of a culture shift, and was on the front line. Over two decades later….he still on fire.” -Chris C.

“Back that Azz Up” (which at its core is bounce music with a gangsta twist) The second single off the album (sampled from UGK’s “Underground”) created a new National Anthem for the twerkers worldwide. 25 years later you can’t go to a function anywhere and not hear “Back That Azz Up”. And not just a black function, this song gets major play from any race or demographic you can think of.

Honestly speaking, “Back That Azz Up” might be gentrified at this point.

I once saw the song performed in sign language at a concert, there is not a person on the planet that has not heard it. Easily one of the most recognizable songs within the first two seconds of the beat dropping. When the strings start playing, followed by the words, “Cash Money Taking Over For the 99 and the 2000s” everybody knows exactly what time it is, at this very moment you need to run to the dance floor. Guys start looking around the party for the big fine mommas, adjusting their pants for maximum “maneuverability” for the incoming backs well….being  backed. The hot girls fix their hair, eyeing the room for the ballers, adjusting their clothing for maximum flexibility to back the backup. A cultural phenomenon.

“Favorite song: Ghetto Children 400 degrees is my childhood.

It’s old New Orleans. It’s talent shows and teen summits. It’s motivation. It’s nostalgic to listen to 400 degreez as an adult and think back to old New Orleans. Catching the RTA after school, listening to the CD on a CD after school.

Juvie is important because he is a trailblazer. He was a part of the movement that showed the rest of the country that New Orleans had talent. Juvie is a New Orleans great. He is a New Orleans figure. You can not think New Orleans and not think juvie. You can’t think Juvie and not think New Orleans. Juvie has kept it uptown even through the years. Even with the success, he still comes back to his roots.’ -Jackie M

I guarantee your sister, grandma, aunt, baby mother, and favorite cousin have all fallen victim to Juvie crooning, “Girl you workin’ with some ass yea, you bad yea”. You don’t have to take my word for it, though. You can simply visit Juvenile’s twitter bio.

If you want it straight from the master Azz-backer upper himself. “Over 1 billion Azzes Backed” is what it reads.

Besides New Orleans, D.C. being a chocolate city, is a perfect spot for the 25th-anniversary show. D.C. is filled with transplants, many from New Orleans and other southern places. The DMV has 12 HBCUs (Shout out Howard, Hampton, Virginia State, Virginia Union, Virginia U Lynchburg, Norfolk State, Virginia State, Bowie State, Coppin State, Morgan State, Univ of Maryland Eastern Shore, and University of District of Columbia) in the area. I know from experience that nobody backs that thang up like an HBCU. “Back That Azz Up” being the United negro gyrate anthem, it certainly deserves to be performed in our nation’s capital; I am confident this was scribed in the old testament. Juvenile tagged me in a tweet I was able to speak to people about their relationship with the album. People I’d never corresponded with before; mainly from the east coast, but we left the conversations feeling like old friends who grew up together and were excited we could come together again. 400 Degreez brought us together like Sunday dinner at Big Momma’s house.

‘My favorite song on the album is “Gone Ride With Me”. I’m born and raised in DC. The album came out when I was a Sophomore in college (Morgan State University) so it was one of the soundtracks to my college years. I remember playing it A LOT, and being entrenched in not just Juvenile’s “off the porch” rap style, but also by Mannie Fresh’s production as well. During that era, a lot of producers had a “signature” sound, but I felt like Mannie was very diverse with his sound, and I was just like “wow”.

As a DJ, to see that “Back That Azz Up” came out when I was in college at an HBCU, and is STILL a staple at HBCU parties and parties in general is amazing. The song is truly the definition of a classic, and it still gets everyone that loves shaking their azz going. Lol’ -@DJHeatDC

I’ve previously stated this and to quote myself, “HA might be the most futuristic-sounding song of all time”. Juvenile wrote this song in a spaceship moving blocks on a pyramid while drinking Juve Juice. Juvenile exhibits compassion and lyrical dexterity, asking caring thought-provoking questions in a call-and-response rhyme scheme. The song has an indigenous feeling to it. Juvie litters affirmations all over the track for you to manifest a better existence.

Sometimes we all randomly yell out, “That’s you with that badass Benz Ha, That’s you can’t keep an ole lady..” feeling great fulfillment after doing so – remember this if you don’t remember anything else:

Juvenile cares if don’t nobody else cares.

“Ha” is the lead single off the album. The world didn’t know what to make of it. Juvenile rapped from the perspective of a clairvoyant neighborhood with Don Lemon detailing the ins and outs of what he saw in his section. Listening to this song for the first time must’ve sounded like pig Latin to the untrained ear.

But in the South? “Ha” was like your mom calling you to her house for assistance with the reward for your service being a pot of big butter beans. “Ha” was home cooking, it just felt good and it left you full, but you still wanted more if left overs were available. “Ha ” was named by BillBoard as one of the best 500 songs of all time. That simply was not supposed to be possible, there’s no way Andre saw that coming after the Source awards.

You a paper chaser, you got yo block on fire. Remain in the G, til the moment you expire — You know what it is: you make nothin out of somethin, you handle yo biz—and don’t be cryin and sufferin. -Juvenile, Ha

Over 20 years after its release 400 Degreez made the award winning video game series “MLB The Show” soundtrack. Yes that’s right, people were stealing bases in the year 2021 , singing Juvenile. That doesn’t happen without a home-run being produced “Off Top” in 1998. 400 Degreez required Jay-Z to jump into a lane foreign for him at the time on the “Ha” remix. This was before Big Pimpin’.

And anytime an album can produce a song (400 Degreez) replicating its album title you know you’re working with something legendary. “You see me, I eat, shit, and talk rap” is one of the most iconic opening lines of all time musically. The skits still sound fresh, and the Mannie Fresh filled production doesn’t feel the age of someone who can finally rent a car without restrictions.The Pen & Pixel cover will forever be a part of the elite group of album covers.

The overall point being, the beauty of this project along with Juvenile is that it has all aged well 25 years later.

Juvenile’s influence in 2023 still reigns supreme and stands next to the remarkable flows created in 1998, some that are being borrowed throughout the rap game presently today. I’m inclined to say that if 400 Degreez doesn’t happen, it’s a fair chance we may not get Future. Lord Hendrix has gone on record many times to speak glowingly about Juvenile. But not just Future, Juvenile’s melodic, sing-songy flow created a lane for many artists. His musical DNA is seen throughout artists like Drake, Lil Baby, Young Boy, and many more. It is an incredible feat for400 Degreez to still be relevant after 25 years. Especially considering that 1998 was overflowing with classic projects, and Juvenile may have been the least-known rapper to release an album that year. 25 years of 400 Degreez is a testament to staying true to yourself, true to your vision, and never compromising your authenticity.

“When you broke you drove Ha” is a phrase acquired from surviving life’s fires. Once life throws you in a frying pan, coming out of the fire is nothing. The album is about enduring tragedy and triumph but finding time to ball out because tomorrow is not promised. You could place Juvenile anywhere on the planet. He would still be Juvenile, you can take the man out of Uptown, but you can’t take Uptown of the man. So if you get asked how you want your sandwich dressed, know that you aren’t being asked about wardrobe.

If you are in the D.C. area on June 14th do yourself a favor and pay homage to the patron Saint of the Magnolia. Tickets are still on sale but are selling quickly.

Per the website, Juvie is performing with a live band featuring members of Trombone Shorty, Prince, and Pretty Lights. Jon Batiste is confirmed as a guest on the show. With anticipation growing around the concert I’m sure he’s gonna give a performance worthy of the album. 5x platinum, and Twenty-five years later, 400 Degreezstill drawing top billing. Happy 25 years Juve The Great! Cheers to you. If he ain’t a hot boy, then what do you call that?

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Best Rolling Stones 80s Songs: 20 Essential Tracks

Is blink-182’s ‘enema of the state’ the definitive pop-punk album, best ronnie wood songs: 20 essential tracks, uncaged soul: how sting broke free in the 80s, how the kingston trio revived folk music and got america singing, ‘tyger’: behind tangerine dream’s william blake-inspired visions, ‘electronic meditation’: behind tangerine dream’s reflective debut album, master p to release two 90s lps on vinyl, vengaboys announce ‘the greatest hits collection (we like to party)’, two classic 1990s snoop dogg albums are getting vinyl reissues, eminem interpolates steve miller band on new song, ‘houdini’, beastie boys announce 30th anniversary edition of ‘ill communication’, snow patrol announce new album ‘the forest is the path’, disney unveils new teaser trailer for ‘moana 2’, juvenile’s pioneering album ‘400 degreez’ gets reissue.

The record will be available in a digital deluxe format, with a 2LP color vinyl to follow.

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Over two decades after its original release, Juvenile ’s seminal third studio album, 400 Degreez , is set to be given a deluxe reissue.

The album is the rapper’s best-selling record in his career to date and has been certified four times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

In celebration of 400 Degreez , which reinvented the hip-hop scene in 1998 and cemented Juvenile’s status as a pioneer of Southern rap, UMe will release a new deluxe edition of the record. A digital deluxe edition will arrive on March 29, followed by a 2LP color vinyl on April 26.

Both editions will feature two new bonus tracks, titled “Party” and “We Be Blowing Money.” The rest of the tracklist, meanwhile, will include the album’s 18 original songs, from the Lil Wayne -featuring “Run For It,” to the Jay-Z remix of “Ha.”

Back in 1999, 400 Degreez peaked at No.2 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No.9 on the Billboard 200. It featured the hit single “Back That Azz Up” – which continues to enjoy viral success to this day – and won R&B Album of the Year at the 1999 Billboard Music Awards.

The album was named one of Rolling Stone ’s 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time in 2020, while many critics and publications have praised Juvenile and 400 Degreez for their impact on hip-hop. “Imagining Wayne hitting the highest peaks of rap stardom a decade later without Juve’s influence is impossible,” Crack wrote in 2018. “Equally, it’s crazy to imagine rappers like T.I. and Young Jeezy swaggering out of the South in the new century without Juve’s path-finding explorations.”

Last year, Juvenile made his highly-anticipated debut appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk series . The star used the performance to air some of his greatest hits across a 10-song set, including “Back That Azz Up,” “Set It Off,” “Rodeo,” and “Slow Motion.”

400 Degreez (Deluxe) tracklist:

1. Intro 2. Ha 3. Gone Ride With Me 4. Flossin’ Season 5. Ghetto Children 6. Follow Me Now 7. Cash Money Concert 8. Welcome 2 Tha Nokia 9. U.P.T. 10. Run For It 11. Ha – Remix Version (Hot Boys) 12. Rich N____z 13. Back That Azz Up 14. Off Top 15. After Cash Money Concert 16. 400 Degreez 17. Juvenile On Fire 18. Ha – Remix Version (Jay-Z) 19. Party (Bonus Track) 20. We Be Blowing Money (Bonus Track)

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Woman found guilty for first degree murder of 4-year-old in Shawnee County

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - A woman was found guilty for first degree murder of a 4-year-old in Shawnee County.

According to the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office , on Friday, May 31, after a four-day jury trial, Mariann Belair, 24, was found guilty on two counts from a Shawnee County District Court. The counts she was convicted of include:

• Count 1: Murder in the First Degree – Felony Murder
• Count 2: Aggravated Endangering of a Child – Reckless

Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office said the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call seeking help on Oct. 14, 2023, at the 400 block of NE Grattan. When officers and first responders arrived on scene, they found a child suffering from a gunshot wound. The child was later identified as L.P-B., age 4, and she was pronounced deceased shortly thereafter.

The Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office said upon further investigation, police discovered that Belair’s kids were in the living room with Belair prior to the shooting happening. Belair told officers that she had retrieved a Sig Sauer P226 Legion 9 mm semi-automatic handgun from upstairs and moved it to the couch downstairs during this time. When taking a picture with her daughter, Belair’s son took the gun and shot it. Belair then moved the gun from the couch to a center-dresser drawer in an adjacent room before police arrived on scene. In a later search of the residence, officers discovered the gun as well as a bag of methamphetamine and paraphernalia in the drawer.

Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office indicated Belair’s sentencing date has not been set yet.

Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay commends the work of Deputy District Attorney Lauren Amrein, as well as her trial support team, for prosecuting this case. He also commends the investigative work of the Topeka Police Department , specifically the officers that handled this case. Lastly, Mr. Kagay commends the work of the jury for their service.

Copyright 2024 WIBW. All rights reserved.

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Taylor Swift fans wait in 90-degree temperatures for doors to open in Madrid

MADRID — Temperatures in the mid-90s beat down on Taylor Swift fans waiting hours ahead of doors opening to her first night of the Eras Tour in the city. Luckily for many in line, the stadium's curvy upper lip provided shade.

"We've been here more than 24 hours," says Belen Falla, who sat at the very front of the VIP line in a purple "Speak Now" dress with butterfly wings. "I'm coming from Peru, and this is my dream. I've always dreamed of coming half my life to see Taylor Swift."

Falla brought a blanket to sit on, an umbrella to provide shade and friendship bracelets to trade.

"The shade is so nice," she says. "I've seen a lot of people pass out at concerts. I think we're quite lucky."

Behind Falla, Sofia Lopez wore a "Folklore" inspired green dress.

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"I am worried about the heat," Lopez says. "I brought a lot of gummies for the sugar to give me fuel. I've drank water this whole morning, and I'm going to try and finish before 12 p.m. or 1 p.m. so that I'm hydrated and then I'll just go to the bathroom before going in."

The Last Tour is the company tasked as the event producer for Madrid. Its website said opening act Paramore will take the stage at 6:45 p.m. with Swift performing at 8 p.m. Security on-site said portable chargers are not allowed inside. With the heat, fans can bring in a plastic bottle 50 cL's or less. There are a list of forbidden items on the Last Tour website .

Hayley Groff came from Washington, D.C., with her sister. You could see her custom friendship bracelet jacket shine in screaming color.

"It is every single song beaded in the different eras," she says, spinning around to show the hard work that took weeks. "I love friendship bracelets. 'You're On Your Own Kid' is my favorite song. I feel like she wrote it for me."

"Last night at dinner we had a family debate," her sister, Stephanie, chimes in. "I'm the planner, and I mentioned it was going to be in the 90s. I definitely want us to be safe. Somehow I convinced her to go with shorts."

Stephanie's bag contained water bottles and sunscreen among Swift merchandise.

"Health comes first," Stephanie says. "That's why I'm happy there's two of us, because if one needs to use the bathroom, the other can stay put and so on."

Swift sold out two nights at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, home of the Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. She announced a second performance at the beginning of the year after Spanish Swifties pushed for an additional night. More than 450,000 requests to obtain a ticket flooded the Ticketmaster system last summer. The Santiago Bernabéu stadium sold 85,000 tickets each night,  according to Seat Pick .

Madrid is nicknamed "el foro," which means the forum or a place where matters of economic, political and historical significance are discussed. Swift's tour has an interest in all three of those sectors. Swift will head next to Lyon, France, and perform on Sunday and Monday.

Don't miss any Taylor Swift news; sign up for the  free, weekly newsletter This Swift Beat.

Follow Taylor Swift reporter Bryan West on  Instagram ,  TikTok  and  X as @BryanWestTV .

How long to cook chicken thigh in oven at 400?

Cooking chicken thighs in the oven is a simple and delicious way to prepare this versatile cut of meat. But when it comes to getting the perfect cook on your chicken thighs at a temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit, how long should you actually leave them in the oven? Let’s find out!

How Long to Cook Chicken Thigh in Oven at 400?

The average cooking time for chicken thighs in a 400-degree Fahrenheit oven is approximately 25-30 minutes. However, the exact cooking time may vary depending on the size of the chicken thighs and your oven’s characteristics. To ensure they are cooked through, it is essential to use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit, which guarantees that the chicken is safe to eat.

How can I make sure the chicken thighs cook evenly?

To promote even cooking, it is recommended to pat dry the chicken thighs before cooking and trim off any excess skin or fat. Additionally, arranging the thighs in a single layer on a baking sheet with ample space between each piece will help them cook more evenly.

Can I marinate the chicken thighs before cooking?

Absolutely! Marinating the chicken thighs before cooking can enhance their flavor. It is advisable to marinate them for at least 30 minutes, or even overnight, for the best results. Remember to discard any leftover marinade to avoid cross-contamination.

Should I use bone-in or boneless chicken thighs?

Both bone-in and boneless chicken thighs work well for oven cooking. Bone-in thighs may require slightly more cooking time to ensure they reach the desired internal temperature, but they tend to be juicier and more flavorful. Boneless thighs, on the other hand, cook faster and can be more convenient if you prefer to avoid bones.

What other seasonings can be added to the chicken thighs?

Seasonings can vastly enhance the taste of your chicken thighs. Popular options include garlic powder, paprika, dried herbs like thyme or rosemary, lemon zest, or a combination of your favorite spices. Experimenting with different seasonings can lead to delightful flavor profiles.

Can I use a baking dish instead of a baking sheet?

Yes, a baking dish can be used instead of a baking sheet. Just make sure there is enough space between the chicken thighs, and they are not overcrowded. Using a dish with sides can help contain any drippings and make it easier to collect them for making gravy or sauces.

Can I cook frozen chicken thighs at 400 degrees Fahrenheit?

While it is generally recommended to thaw chicken thighs before cooking, you can cook them from frozen if needed. However, the cooking time will be longer, likely around 45-50 minutes, to ensure the chicken reaches the safe internal temperature.

Should I cover the chicken thighs while baking?

It is generally unnecessary to cover chicken thighs while baking at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Leaving them uncovered will help develop a slightly crispy exterior. However, if you find that the tops of the thighs are browning too quickly, you can loosely cover them with foil for the remaining cooking time to prevent excessive browning.

Can I cook chicken thighs with vegetables at the same time?

Yes, you can cook chicken thighs and vegetables together on the same baking sheet. Just ensure that the vegetables are cut into uniform sizes and placed around the chicken thighs. This allows them to cook together, saving time and effort.

What can I do with the leftovers?

Chicken thigh leftovers are incredibly versatile! They can be used in salads, sandwiches, wraps, or even transformed into a delicious chicken stir-fry. You can also refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days or freeze them for future use.

Are there any safety precautions I should take?

To ensure food safety, always wash your hands and surfaces thoroughly before and after handling raw chicken. Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw and cooked chicken to prevent cross-contamination. Remember to follow proper food handling and storage guidelines to avoid any foodborne illnesses.

What is the nutritional value of chicken thighs?

Chicken thighs are a good source of protein and provide essential nutrients such as vitamins B6 and B12, selenium, and zinc. However, they are higher in fat than leaner cuts of chicken, so it’s important to enjoy them as part of a balanced diet.

Can I use a different oven temperature?

Yes, if you prefer to use a different oven temperature, you can adjust the cooking time accordingly. Lower temperatures will require longer cooking times, while higher temperatures will reduce cooking time. Always check the internal temperature of the chicken thighs to ensure they are cooked to perfection.

What are some variations of chicken thigh recipes I can try?

Chicken thighs are incredibly versatile and can be prepared in various ways. You can try recipes like lemon garlic chicken thighs, honey mustard glazed thighs, BBQ chicken thighs, teriyaki chicken thighs, or even crispy breaded chicken thighs. The possibilities are endless!

About Melissa T. Jackson

Melissa loves nothing more than a good dinner party and spends weeks intricately planning her next 'event.' The food must be delicious, the wine and cocktails must be the perfect match, and the decor has to impress without being over the top. It's a wonder that she gets any time to write about her culinary adventures. She particularly loves all types of fusion cooking, mixing the best of different food cultures to make interesting and unique dishes. Melissa lives in New York with her boyfriend Joe and their poodle, Princess.

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Jennifer Lopez cancels summer tour: ‘I am completely heartsick and devastated’

FILE - Jennifer Lopez participates in a Netflix “Atlas” photo call at the Four Seasons Hotel on Saturday, May 4, 2024, in New York. Lopez has canceled her 2024 “This Is Me...Live” tour, representatives for Live Nation confirmed to the Associated Press. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

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NEW YORK (AP) — Jennifer Lopez has canceled her 2024 North American tour, representatives for Live Nation confirmed to The Associated Press.

“Jennifer is taking time off to be with her children, family and close friends,” they said in a statement.

The tour was to be her first in five years, in support of her first solo album in a decade, “This Is Me.... Now” and its companion film .

The tour was scheduled to kick off on June 26 in Orlando, Florida, and conclude in Houston on Aug. 31. Live Nation shared that attendees who purchased tickets through Ticketmaster will be automatically refunded.

Lopez offered her own statement to fans on her OntheJLo website and newsletter, writing, “I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down. Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary.”

She continued: “I promise I will make it up to you and we will all be together again. I love you all so much. Until next time…”

“This Is Me... Now” was released early this year, 20 years after her hit album, “This Is Me... Then.” Lopez told the AP that the new album was a “miracle,” and “a second chance. And I’d love to capture this moment in time the way that album captured that moment in time.”

RBC Canadian Open picks 2024: Best bets for PGA Tour golf this week

By cody williams | may 28, 2024.

We're heading north of the US border this week to the 2024 RBC Canadian Open, which returns to Hamilton Golf & Country Club for the first time since 2019 when Rory McIlroy ran away from the field. This tournament, of course, gave us some elite scenes when Nick Taylor broke a 70+ year drought to give us a Canadian winner (and for Adam Hadwin to get leveled by security) at this PGA Tour event.

The Par 70 course is quite similar in many ways to what we saw at Colonial last week. Driving accuracy and approach play are crucial and it's a ball-striker's golf course. Rory's win was an outlier to some degree because of his length off of the tee because this isn't necessarily a course that can be bludgeoned to death. That's something we're keeping in mind with our RBC Canadian Open picks.

We need something big with our expert picks too as the golf betting gods have been anything but kind to this point. It was a shutout against us last week in Texas so maybe Canada will live up to its repuation and be nicer. With that, let's get right into our RBC Canadian Open picks for this week at Hamilton.

Note:  All odds are courtesy of BetMGM unless otherwise noted. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. For more betting picks and advice, check out BetSided .

Golf betting record in 2024 through PGA: 15-118-0, -34.33 Units (1-49 on outrights and longshots | -4.6 units at Charles Schwab) | One and Done Total for 2024: $6,744,778.00 (Mark Hubbard $19.292 at Schwab)

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

RBC Canadian Open PGA Tour expert picks: Winner, Top 10 and One and Done

Top 10 pick for the rbc canadian open: davis thompson (+400).

Davis Thompson is a guy we've seen contend on the PGA Tour before, including within the past month when he finished T2 at the Myrtle Beach Classic. He followed that up last week with a solid T17 finish at Colonial. And the profile is enticing. Over the last 12 rounds in this field, he's seventh in SG: Off-the-Tee, sixth in SG: Approach and fourth in SG: Tee-to-Green despite losing (slightly) strokes around the green. His short game has been an issue this year at times but his last two starts have seen that start to level out. If that continues this week at a nice fit for his ball striking, he could absolutely be on the first page of the leaderboard.

Winner pick for the RBC Canadian Open (0.5 Units): Shane Lowry (+2200)

In truth, I think there's a good chance that Rory McIlroy (+400) comes back to Hamilton and gets the win with how he's been playing. But I can't bet that number in good conscience, so we're going with Shane Lowry this week. His ball striking has been a weapon for months now but we finally saw the putter, which had been bleeding strokes, show signs of life at the PGA Championship, gaining in three of the four rounds. He also finished T2 behind Rory at this venue in 2019 and it fits his ideal build for accuracy and ball striking. If the putter stays solid for Lowry, the Irishman should be in the mix again.

One and Done pick for the RBC Canadian Open: Aaron Rai

We'll unpack more on Aaron Rai in just a moment but, since we already burned Lowry as a One and Done pick (poorly) at the RBC Heritage, we're taking the Englishman this week for a strong finish to get us on a nice trajectory down the home stretch for One and Done.

RBC Canadian Open picks: More best bets for PGA Tour this week

Aaron rai to finish top 10 at the rbc canadian open (+320).

We're not making you wait long for the Aaron Rai breakdown. Over the last 20 rounds in this field, Rai is second in Fairways Gained, a key stat this week at Hamilton where being the fairway can be hugely important. Meanwhile, he's made good on that, ranking third in this field in SG: Approach over the last 12 rounds. He's thrived on courses that demand accuracy and ball striking over the past couple of years and, though he bled strokes with the short game at Colonial, he'd gained in his four previous events in that capacity. With that, I like for him to continue a nice run overall of late with a Top 10 finish.

Mac Meissner to finish Top 20 at the RBC Canadian Open (+275)

Maybe my favorite bet of the week and I wouldn't even hate getting even more aggressive than a Top 20 with Mac Meissner. An up-and-comer to some degree, Meissner's last two starts resulted in a T13 at Myrtle Beach and a T5 at the Charles Schwab. That bodes well for him at this course in terms of form and fit but the numbers back it up too. Over the last 16 rounds, Meissner is fourth in this field in SG: Tee-to-Green at 1.397. He's also gaining with the putter. He's an accurate driver whose best skill has been on approach lately and might be in the midst of a legitimate run. It's time to capitalize on that.

Kelly Kraft to finish Top 40 at the RBC Canadian Open (+210)

Talk about way down the board but there's a good reason to be in on Kelly Kraft this year and in this tournament. Over the last 20 rounds, Kraft is third in this field in SG: Approach, first in driving accuracy, and second in greens in regulation. He's played just four times on the PGA Tour in 2023, so the sample size is limited and the short game has been erratic but I can't ignore that tee-to-green profile at this course, so for only a Top 40, I'll take the swing.

Longshot pick to win the RBC Canadian Open (0.1 Units): Mac Meissner (+9000)

Again, I think Meissner is trending toward something big with the way he's playing right now, so I'm also going to sprinkle on him to win outright. Let's have a week!

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Check out Matt Kuchar’s 0-degree lofted prototype Bettinardi putter

The face of Matt Kuchar's Bettinardi putter. (Courtesy GolfWRX)

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Golf is a game of trends, especially as it relates to putting. Over the last several years, the armlock putting style has soared in popularity.

Kuchar is using a unique Bettinardi prototype putter specifically designed for Kuchar’s reverse-armlock putting style, meaning his hands sit behind the golf ball at address. That grip and stroke style necessitates a putter with zero degrees of loft because Kuchar adds loft with his stroke. A standard putter is lofted between two and five degrees, but if Kuchar used that much loft with his hands positioned behind the golf ball, the putter would have far too much effective loft, launching the ball in the air and causing it to bounce too much. A putter with zero degrees of loft helps him offset the stroke style and achieve a quicker roll.

Kuchar, who has deployed a reverse-armlock style since 2021, wanted a putter that measured 40.5 inches so the end of the grip nestled against his inner right forearm. He also wanted to boost stability, feel and acoustics with the putter.

With that in mind, Kuchar looked to Bettindari, who has built his putters since the early 2000s.

“Keeping feel intact, we made some modifications to our BB28 head shape," Bettinardi putter rep Nike Garofalo told GolfWRX.com. "We altered the neck position, keeping it center-shafted but with negative offset, along with an added aluminum insert within the pocket to aid in CG (center of gravity) placement, feel and acoustics. Combining those alterations with our FIT (Feel Impact Technology) Face, we were able to achieve the feel and look that Matt was hoping for.”

The address and back of Matt Kuchar's Bettinardi putter. (Courtesy GolfWRX)

The putter was months in the making. Kuchar saw the final prototype at the Wells Fargo Championship and wasted little time testing the putter. It was in the bag two weeks later at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He led the field in Strokes Gained: Putting and finished T17.

It's not a bad start for his new, one-of-a-kind flatstick.

Kuchar is in the field this week at the RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, where he’ll look to keep the ball rolling – literally and figuratively.

Man accused of killing Star Trek Ticonderoga tour guide, Elvis tribute artist out on bail

A 69-year-old man accused of killing Thomas Krider (most commonly known as T.J. Greene), a beloved Star Trek Ticonderoga tour guide and Elvis tribute artist is out on bail.

"Why does he get to be free and do whatever he wants," said Heidi Greene, wife of T.J. Greene.  "Yes, maybe he's being watched, but he's free and able to walk around and breathe the air and my husband can't."

Ronald Rayher is accused of restraining Greene and administering a substance described as chloroform.

Rayher faces a second-degree manslaughter charge and tampering with physical evidence.

Rayher's lawyer says Rayher's family helped post his bond a few weeks ago, and Greene's death is a tragic accident. Meanwhile, Greene's family is saying the opposite.

"That was my husband, the love of my life," said Heidi Greene. "Never coming back because it wasn't his choice. It was the choice of the murderer."

T.J. Greene was found dead at Rayher's Milton home on April 10th, five days after he was killed.

"He was the brightest light that this world could've had," said Heidi Greene.

Heidi and T.J. were married for 15 years, 16 this July.

Friends say they were the kindest people.

"I met them 10 years ago through a friend who had asked them to take me in," said Stacy Frasier. "They moved me into their house and helped me on my feet. It's not T.J. to just disappear, it's not like him to not contact his wife. It's not like him to just not show up at home."

"They're Good people they always wanted to hang out and be there for people, for anybody. He would take his shirt right off his back," said Kim Lejeune. "When he first went missing, I knew immediately that that's not T.J. at all."

On April 5th, T.J. told his wife he was going to pick up her medicine, and help Rayher move furniture, then come home.

This was the first time she heard about Rayher.

"He picked up the prescription that's how they got him on on the surveillance camera coming out of Target because he picked it up around 12:06 range in the afternoon and then he had messaged at 3:04 saying he got down there and they were gonna be moving the China hutches and then load the box spring into the truck," said Heidi Greene. "He didn't show up at his job the next morning that Saturday and I knew it wasn't like him."

Rayher's lawyer says they were friends for years and had a consensual friendship.

"When you look at the evidence that I've seen so far it's a tragic accident that unfortunately T.J. had just as much if not more to do with than Mr. Rayher did," said Rayher's lawyer Kevin O'Brien.

Friends and family say the allegations are not true, and they are hoping police will bring justice to his death.

"He was not some monster or some sexually deprived man," said Heidi Greene. "He always trusted people way too way too much."

Alan Jackson announces continuation to farewell tour

(Gray News) – Country music Hall-of-Famer Alan Jackson has announced the continuation to his farewell tour, “Last Call: One More for the Road.”

The 2024-2025 leg of Jackson’s tour will initially hit a list of 10 arenas across the country, each marking the last time he’ll ever perform in that city.

“Some of the best times are had right at last call, and this is one last call that you don’t want to miss,” a news release about the tour states.

Jackson’s final tour will serve as one more chance for fans to see and hear the singer-songwriter perform his best-loved songs like “Chattahoochee” and “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere.”

His upcoming performances come as he continues to live with a chronic neuropathy condition, Charcot-Marie-Tooth, that he first revealed in 2021.

CMT causes muscle weakness, walking issues and balance disorders, among other symptoms.

Tickets go on sale for all cities on June 7.

A dollar from every ticket sold will be donated to the CMT Research Foundation , a 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt organization that funds research, and each dollar will be matched by a group of CMTRF donors.

“I’ve been touring for over 30 years – my daughters are all grown, we have one grandchild and one on the way…and I’m enjoying spending more time at home. But my fans always show up to have a good time, and I’m going to give them the best show I can for this Last Call,” Jackson said.

Tour stops include:

• Friday, August 2 Boston, MA (TD Garden)
• Saturday, August 24 Grand Rapids, MI (Van Andel Arena)
• Saturday, September 28 Fayetteville, AR (Bud Walton Arena)
• Saturday, October 26 Kansas City, MO (T-Mobile Center)
• Saturday, November 16 Salt Lake City, UT (Delta Center)
• Saturday, January 18 Oklahoma City, OK (Paycom Center)
• Saturday, February 15 Fort Worth, TX (Dickies Arena)
• Friday, March 7 Orlando, FL (Kia Center)
• Saturday, April 26 Tampa, FL (Amalie Arena)
• Saturday, May 17 Milwaukee, WI (Fiserv Forum)

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