Hot Boys
| Company type | Hip hop group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Headquarters | New Orleans, Louisiana , United States |
| Products | Hip hop music |
| Parent | Cash Money Records (initially) |
The Hot Boys (also known as Hot Boy$) are a hip hop ensemble originating from Uptown New Orleans, Louisiana. Established in 1997, the group consists of rappers B.G., Lil Wayne, Juvenile, and Turk.
Their initial album, Get It How U Live! (1997), was released under the independent label Cash Money Records. Although the album received varied critical reception, it reached number 37 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and sold approximately 400,000 copies within the United States, primarily through regional sales. Following Cash Money Records' partnership with Universal Records, their sophomore effort, Guerrilla Warfare (1999), debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 chart. This album sold 142,000 units in its opening week and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
By 2003, the group had dissolved as Juvenile, Turk, and B.G. departed from Cash Money due to financial disagreements, leaving Lil Wayne as the only original member still signed to the label. Despite their split, a posthumous compilation titled Let 'Em Burn (2003), containing tracks recorded between 1998 and 2000, was released and peaked at number 14 on the Billboard 200.
Legal challenges impeded reunion attempts: Turk received a 14-year prison sentence in 2006 and was released in 2012; B.G. was sentenced to 14 years in 2012 and freed in 2023. Since then, the Hot Boys have issued one collaborative remix of Turk's "Zip It" and have resumed activity as of 2024.
History
The Hot Boys came together in mid-1997, featuring B.G., Lil Wayne, Juvenile, Turk, and Lil Derrick—Birdman’s nephew—who exited shortly after their debut album and passed away in 2002.
Their first appearances were on B.G.'s It's All on U, Vol. 1, followed by their debut group album Get It How U Live!, which sold over 300,000 copies predominantly within New Orleans. In 1998, Cash Money secured a $30 million distribution agreement with Universal Records, paving the way for major releases such as Juvenile's 400 Degreez, which achieved quadruple Platinum status. The Hot Boys were heavily featured on hit singles including "Back That Azz Up" and "Ha," as well as on Platinum-certified albums by B.G. and Lil Wayne.
On July 27, 1999, they dropped Guerrilla Warfare, which topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and reached number five on the Billboard 200 list. The album spawned singles like "We On Fire" and "I Need A Hot Girl," with the latter reaching number 65 on the Billboard Hot 100. Mannie Fresh produced every track on this project, with additional input from Big Tymers and Birdman.
By 2003, monetary disputes prompted B.G., Turk, and Juvenile to exit Cash Money Records; Lil Wayne remained affiliated. The label released Let 'Em Burn, consisting of previously recorded material. Following this period, solo ventures took precedence: Lil Wayne emerged as the most commercially successful artist with multiple Gold-certified albums and founded Young Money Entertainment; Turk served a prison term from 2006 until his release in 2012; Juvenile and B.G. eventually reconciled with Cash Money.
The group remained inactive until a partial reunion occurred in 2009 when Lil Wayne invited Juvenile and B.G. to join him on tour. Plans for a full reunion were hindered by legal complications—B.G.’s arrest in 2009 and subsequent incarceration until 2023 delayed these efforts. After Turk’s release in 2012, all members collaborated on a remix of "Zip It," with B.G.’s verse recorded while imprisoned.
In later years, The Hot Boys—excluding B.G.—appeared in music videos such as 2 Chainz’s "Used 2" and performed collectively at Lil Wayne’s Lil WeezyAna Fest in August 2015. Additionally, Lil Wayne reunited with Juvenile and Big Tymers on the track "Hate" in 2016.
B.G. was released from prison in September 2023.
On May 19, 2024, Juvenile announced via Instagram Live that Hot Boys had reunited and were working on a forthcoming studio album.
Since that announcement, the group has been actively touring.
On November 2, 2024, The Hot Boys reunited at Lil Wayne’s Lil’ WeezyAna Fest held in New Orleans—their first joint appearance in over fifteen years—followed by a brief tour scheduled for 2025.
Studio albums
| Album | Release details | Highest chart rankings | Sales figures | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | ||||
| Get It How U Live! |
|
— | 37 |
|
|
| Guerrilla Warfare |
|
5 | 1 |
|
|
| Let 'Em Burn |
|
14 | 3 | ||
Collaboration albums
- Baller Blockin' alongside Cash Money Millionaires (2000)
As lead artist
| Song title | Year released | Top chart positions | Associated album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | US Rap | |||
| "Neighborhood Superstar" (featuring Big Tymers) |
1997 | — | — | — | Get It How U Live! |
| "We on Fire" | 1999 | — | 49 | Guerrilla Warfare | |
| "I Need a Hot Girl" (featuring Big Tymers) |
65 | 23 | — | ||
| "Rock Ice" (featuring Big Tymers) |
— | — | — | Blue Streak: The Album | |
| "My Section" | 2003 | — | — | — | Let 'Em Burn |
| "Gangsta Nigga" | — | — | — | ||
| Song title | Year released | Album featured on | Performing artist(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.P.T. | 1998 | 400 Degreez | Juvenile |
| Ha (Remix) | |||
| "The Hood (It's All Good)" | 1999 | 'The Wood (soundtrack)' | Big Tymers |
| "Play'n It Raw" | 'Chopper City in the Ghetto' | 'B.G.' | |
| "Ballers (Cash Money Remix)" | 'Ghetty Green' | 'Project Pat, Big Tymers' | |
| "Hypnotize Cash Money" | 'CrazyNDaLazDayz' | 'Tear da Club Up Thugs, Big Tymers' | |
| "Kisha" | 'Tha Block Is Hot' | 'Lil Wayne' | |
| "Hope You NIggas Sleep" | 'Born Again' | 'The Notorious B.I.G., Big Tymers' | |
| "A Million and One Things" | 'Tha G-Code' | 'Juvenile' | |
| "We Ain't Stopping'" | '2000' | 'I Got That Work' | 'Big Tymers' |
| "My Life" | '2000' | 'I Got That Work' | 'Big Tymers' |
| "Millionaire" | 'Backstage: Music Inspired by the Film' | 'DJ Clue, Big Tymers' | |
| "Hit U Up" | 'Lights Out' | 'Lil Wayne' | |
| "4 Minutes" | '2001' | 'Project English' | 'Juvenile' |
Filmography
- Baller Blockin' (released in 2000)
External links
- Articles with short description
- Cash Money Records artists
- American hip-hop groups
- Southern hip-hop groups
- African-American musical quartets
- Musical groups from New Orleans
- Musical groups founded in 1997
- Musical groups disbanded in 2001
- Musical groups reunited in 2007
- Gangsta rap groups
- 1997 establishments in Louisiana
- Musical groups disestablished in 2001