Maps of Music

500 Degreez (2002)

Where the lyrics of 500 Degreez take you, and where it was really made.

The title was a deliberate reply to Juvenile's 400 Degreez, and Lil Wayne later called the album a rebellion record.

Key places

Recording sessions at PatchWerk in Atlanta (2002)

Recording site PatchWerk Recording Studios — Recording sessions for 500 Degreez took place at PatchWerk Recording Studios in Atlanta, one of two studios named for the album's recording work. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording sessions at Sony Studios in New York (2002)

Recording site Record Plant Studios — Recording sessions for 500 Degreez also took place at Sony Studios in New York. The point is placed at the city center because the exact building location is not given. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• 500 Degreez: third solo studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne
• Released July 23, 2002 through Cash Money Records and Universal Records
• Titled as a continuation of the naming sequence of 400 Degreez (1998) by fellow Hot Boys rapper Juvenile
• Produced by Cash Money in-house producer Mannie Fresh, except two tracks by Jazze Pha
• Guests: Big Tymers, TQ, Blaque, Cristale, Petey Pablo, Tateeze; cameos from Big Tigger and Rob Nice
• Singles were released along with music videos for "Way of Life" and "Where You At"

Background

• A year before release, Wayne was the only Hot Boys member left under Cash Money Records
• Turk, B.G. and Juvenile left the group and the label over financial disagreements
• Wayne suggested the title 500 Degreez to label head and mentor Birdman
• 400 Degreez had already sold four million copies by December 19, 2000
• In a 2015 interview Wayne called it a rebellion album, meant to show that Juvie was gone and they were still there
• Juvenile threatened to release 600 Degrees, but that project never materialised

Recording

• Recording sessions took place at PatchWerk Recording Studios in Atlanta and Sony Studios in New York

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• Born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. on September 27, 1982, in New Orleans; signed to Cash Money Records at age 11 after being discovered by Birdman in 1993.
• Early career as B.G.'z and then Hot Boys (formed 1997) with Juvenile, B.G. and Turk; the group reached mainstream success with Guerrilla Warfare (1999).
• Solo breakthrough with Tha Block Is Hot (1999), certified platinum within a month of release.
• Tha Carter III (2008) sold over 1 million copies in its first week and won the Grammy for Best Rap Album; its single "Lollipop" topped the Billboard Hot 100.
• Founded Young Money Entertainment in 2005; the label signed Drake, Tyga and Nicki Minaj.
• Has sold over 120 million records worldwide and won five Grammy Awards.
• Released Tha Carter VI in 2025 and was named the first male artist to surpass Elvis Presley in Hot 100 entries.

Legacy

• Often described as one of the most influential artists of the 21st century.
• His style and use of Auto-Tune influenced modern hip-hop, especially the development of trap.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Critics gave the album average reviews overall
• AllMusic's John Bush praised Mannie Fresh's smooth, laid-back production and top-flight beats
• AllMusic's John Bush also praised Wayne's drawling delivery and Petey Pablo's guest spot
• Stylus Magazine's Brett Berliner highlighted lead single "Way of Life" for its trademark southern flair
• Rhapsody's Sam Chennault said the album has a score of killer hooks and infectious Dirty South beats
• Rhapsody's Sam Chennault found Fresh's ad libs among the funniest in the business
• HipHopDX's DeMarco Williams called it just another average Cash Money Records release
• RapReviews' Steve 'Flash' Juon said the only hot thing about the album is the Fresh beats
• USA Today's Steve Jones said Wayne covered too much of the same bling-bling and gangsta territory
• The Village Voice's Keith Harris said Wayne's between-track ad libs are more entertaining than his actual rhymes

Records

• Debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 and atop the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in the United States
• 141,000 copies sold in the first week
• Wayne's second US top-ten debut and second number-one R&B album, after Tha Block Is Hot (1999)
• Certified gold by the RIAA as of September 3, 2002, for sales over 500,000 copies in the United States
• Lead single "Way of Life" peaked at number 71 on the Hot 100, number 23 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, number 26 on Hot Rap Songs and number 27 on the Rhythmic chart

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The title continues the naming sequence of Juvenile's 400 Degreez from 1998, a fellow Hot Boys rapper and ex-labelmate.
• Wayne said in a 2015 interview that the album was a rebellion record meant to show the group was still present after Juvenile left.
• Juvenile threatened to release a project titled 600 Degrees, which never materialised.
• Track 3 contains elements from a song originally performed by Dennis Edwards.
• Juvenile's manager and Birdman later negotiated one more solo album for Juvenile on Cash Money, Juve the Great in 2003, without Wayne.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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