Despite having a name that could set fans down a rabbit hole during a routine Google search, the Hot Boys stand proudly as one of hip-hop's most legendary groups. The New Orleans based collective consisted of Juvenile, Turk, B.G., and a youthful Lil Wayne, produced by the stalwart Mannie Fresh and overseen by the ever-watchful eye of Birdman. Boasting three studio albums to their name, their beloved sophomore release Guerilla Warfare officially celebrates its twenty-first birthday -- making it quite a few years older than Lil Wayne was when he recorded his contributions.
While the project is lined with Cash Money classics, its sonic aesthetic capturing the distinctive tone that immediately set the quartet apart, there's something standout about the simplistic menace of "Respect My Mind." Retaining the signature Mannie Fresh bounce, the legendary producer laces a minor-key backdrop over which all four emcees get busy. Given how many comfortably acknowledge Lil Wayne as a current-day rap GOAT contender, it's always fun to listen back to where it all began, tracing his lyrical evolution from the source. That's not to take anything away from Juvie, Turk, and B.G, all of whom put in work here -- check out the song now, and take a walk down memory lane with Hot Boys' Guerilla Warfare.
QUOTABLE LYRICS
N***s be terrified from us cause they know how we play
Them n****s hide from us or catch 3 from a K
I'm just a scrub, I can't scuff; I'm too light to fight
I'm Lil' too thin to win so I ride at night
