Juvenile Performs Greatest Hits Set For NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series [Watch]

News

By Stu Kelly / July 3, 2023

New Orleans native Juvenile recently appeared on NPR Music‘s popular live performance Tiny Desk concert series. The famed hip-hop artist took the intimate audience through a 23-minute long set that featured hyped renditions of 10 songs spanning his illustrious career, including “Set It Off” and “Slow Motion” to “Back That Azz Up” and “Rodeo.”

The performance featured a full backing band along with Mannie Fresh, the Cash Money Records producer who helmed nearly the entire slate of hits they performed there. Even the Hot Boys single “I Need a Hot Girl,” which Fresh produced, got a spotlight despite Juvenile only appearing in its music video.

“Y’all don’t know, that’s my favorite part of the song right there,” Juvenile told the room after trading bars with a hyped-up Fresh. “I ain’t even on the song, but I’m in the video. I love that part of the song so much, but I like the part where Turk comes on. And I know Turk don’t like me right now, he really wanna punch me in the face — that’s still my lil bro. But listen, that part of the song had to be the best part of the song when he come in.”

Juvenile surfaced “Project Bitch,” the Cash Money Millionaires record he and Lil Wayne built out around Turk’s “I Need a Hot Girl” verse, featuring special guests Trombone Shorty and Jon Batiste. “Whoever brought two Grammy winners to Tiny Desk?” Juvenile asked. “Give me love.” The highlight of the performance came when Juvenile welcomed a cellist and violinist from the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra to perform an orchestral rendition of “Back That Azz Up” to close out the set. 

Watch the full performance below.