Hip-hop icon Juvenile continues to earn royalties from his classic 1998 hit “Back That Azz Up,” which Drake famously sampled on his 2011 album Take Care. Over a decade later, Juvenile and his longtime collaborator Mannie Fresh are still reaping the financial rewards from the New Orleans anthem’s impact on the music industry.
In a recent interview with HipHopDX’s Jeremy Hecht, Juvenile reflected on hearing Drake’s reinterpretation, “Practice,” for the first time. He recalled how he immediately recognized the potential of Drake’s twist on his song, saying, “I was told it wasn’t gonna be like mine, and they were like, ‘Listen to it.’ And I thought, ‘This is Drake—of course, we’re clearing it!’ But I gave it a listen and saw he made it his own. It worked!”
Juvenile revealed that the success of the sample continues to pay off, noting he still receives checks from various artists who have sampled the track over the years. Major stars like Beyoncé, City Girls, Kanye West, and Ty Dolla $ign have all drawn inspiration from the beat, keeping it relevant across generations.
“I actually do [still get random checks from that],” Juvenile shared. “Shout out to all the cats that wanna sample it. Me and Mannie Fresh still own our publishing and everything, so please, sample it!”
Juvenile’s legacy lives on through these timeless samples, proving that the impact of “Back That Azz Up” only grows stronger with each new generation of artists and listeners.
