STILL FLY W/ DC YOUNG FLY, KARLOUS MILLER, & MANNIE FRESH | 85 SOUTH SHOW
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Manny Fresh claims to have created the original 'bounce' beat, which was initially called 'that beat' by New Orleans club-goers.
- ❖He was the 'drug dealer's favorite DJ' because his presence guaranteed a crowd, facilitating their street business.
- ❖Fresh insisted that Cash Money Records transition from street activities to fully committing to music, giving them a two-month ultimatum.
- ❖The Big Tymers' debut was a strategic move to break out of the New Orleans-only bounce market and appeal to a broader Southern audience.
- ❖Juvenile was discovered at a bus station and signed after rapping 15 songs back-to-back, demonstrating raw talent.
- ❖The iconic 'Back That Azz Up' beat was spontaneously created by Fresh tapping on a restaurant table in Nashville.
- ❖Juvenile initially passed on the beat for 'Top Back,' which T.I. later used to create a hit.
- ❖Fresh believes a producer should always create beats on the spot, tailored to an artist's personality, rather than sending pre-made packages.
- ❖He laments that hip-hop producers diluted their value by accepting low pay for 'exposure,' unlike other music genres where fees increase over time.
- ❖Fresh views YoungBoy Never Broke Again as a 'new Tupac' due to his immense, loyal following and ability to maintain relevance even while incarcerated.
- ❖He advises artists to prioritize self-investment and trust their own judgment over relying on external industry figures who may not care about their career.
- ❖Fresh emphasizes the importance of humility and rebuilding relationships, especially for older artists returning to the scene, to capitalize on new financial opportunities.
Insights
1The Genesis of New Orleans Bounce and Early DJ Influence
Manny Fresh describes how he inadvertently created the foundational 'bounce' beat in New Orleans clubs. As an underage DJ, he would bring his drum machine and improvise beats. Club-goers would demand 'that beat,' leading to the sound's widespread adoption through cassette tapes. This era established Fresh's reputation as a producer before he even understood the term, highlighting the organic, community-driven nature of early hip-hop innovation.
Fresh states, 'So that was my first introduction to producing and I didn't even know it was producing. I just thought it was just me doing some extra [expletive]... And one of the first bounce beats was some [expletive] that I had in my drum machine. The [expletive] that all y'all heard the um getting ready song. Getting ready getting ready. I used to always play that beat.' He confirms creating the bounce at .
2Strategic Evolution of Cash Money Records: From Bounce to Mainstream Rap
Manny Fresh was instrumental in Cash Money's pivot from a local New Orleans bounce label to a national rap powerhouse. Recognizing bounce's limited market, he pushed for a new sound with the Big Tymers, focusing on aspirational lyrics about Cadillacs and space shuttles to break out of the regional confinement. This shift, followed by signing and developing artists like Juvenile with albums like '400 Degrees,' was a conscious decision to broaden their appeal and take the label seriously beyond street ventures.
Fresh recounts, 'The bounce [expletive] was slow money... So that was the birth of the big timers. And we was just like, what can we do that we going to get out of [expletive] New Orleans? And I was like, Bro, we could do some [expletive] that's never been done before. We going to do this [expletive] bigger than any [expletive] have ever done it.' He later adds, 'I think that was the moment when Baby took it serious... I think we should change the whole momentum of this [expletive] to rap.'
3The Producer's Art: Tailoring Beats and Challenging Artists
Fresh advocates for a hands-on, in-person production style where beats are crafted specifically for an artist's personality and flow, rather than simply sending pre-made 'beat packages.' He believes a true producer guides the artist, suggesting changes to lyrics, song structure, and even challenging them to explore new topics, ensuring a cohesive and unique sound for an entire project.
When asked if he sends pre-made beats, Fresh responds, 'I I rather make it on the spot for real... Because I rather find some [expletive] that fit your personality.' He later illustrates this by saying, 'It's kind of like up to up to the producer to kind of challenge the artist... Sometimes you got to tell, bro, let me tell y'all something funny... Baby going to start that [expletive] off with my earrings cost 50 my [expletive] teeth. I was like, Hey, bro. We told you [expletive] WE TALKING ABOUT' (referencing a political song).
4Dilution of Producer Value and Hip-Hop's Unique Downward Trend
Manny Fresh critically observes that hip-hop is the only music genre where the value of producers has decreased over generations. He recalls a time when super-producers like himself, Pharrell, and Timbaland would collectively demand higher fees, refusing to undercut each other. This solidarity was broken when younger producers started accepting low pay for 'exposure,' leading record labels to devalue their work and replace them with 'carbon copies,' ultimately diluting the unique sonic identities that once defined hip-hop.
Fresh states, 'Rap is the only one that [expletive] that up... It went from, we was like, Hey, bro, you think about a Forel, you know, you think about a Manny Fresh, you think about a Timberland... these dudes was getting some crazy [expletive] money to do beats. And just overnight, we all quit. We all quit because [expletive] start doing it for, Hey, it's a good look.'
Bottom Line
The 'stigma' of street life can be leveraged for business, as Cash Money maintained a 'beef' narrative with No Limit for marketing, despite personal friendships among artists.
Perceived rivalries or 'street cred' can be powerful marketing tools, even if the underlying reality is less confrontational. This suggests that controlling public perception, even if it's an exaggerated narrative, can drive engagement and sales.
Businesses can explore creating 'friendly rivalries' or 'competitive narratives' within their market to generate buzz and customer loyalty, even if behind the scenes, relationships are amicable. This could apply to product launches, brand campaigns, or even internal team challenges.
Manny Fresh's father, also a DJ, taught him the profound impact of music: to transport people away from their harsh realities, even in challenging environments like projects adjacent to ballrooms.
The core value of entertainment, particularly music, lies in its ability to provide escapism and emotional relief. This transcends mere technical skill or commercial success, tapping into a deeper human need.
Creators and businesses should focus on the emotional impact and escapist quality of their offerings. Understanding that people seek relief and joy can inform product development, marketing, and overall brand messaging, especially for audiences facing daily stresses.
Lessons
- Prioritize a hands-on, collaborative approach in creative projects: Work directly with collaborators to tailor output to their unique style, rather than relying on generic, pre-made assets.
- Value your creative work and resist undervaluing your services for 'exposure': Learn from past industry mistakes where undercutting fees led to a devaluation of an entire profession.
- Cultivate humility and a willingness to rebuild relationships: Recognize when personal ego or past grievances hinder collective progress, especially when significant financial opportunities are at stake.
- Surround yourself with 'real people' who offer honest feedback: Seek out trusted advisors who will tell you uncomfortable truths, even if it means challenging your own perspective, to prevent catastrophic mistakes.
- Embrace new opportunities and be brave enough to try different paths: Don't be afraid to explore new ventures (like podcasts for a musician) as a means to expand your career and find new avenues for success.
Notable Moments
Manny Fresh's father, DJ Saboo, allowed him to set up and break down his DJ equipment, leading Fresh to observe his father's ability to transport people from their harsh realities through music in 'hole in the wall' ballrooms near the projects.
This early exposure instilled in Fresh a deep understanding of the DJ's power to create joy and escapism, shaping his own career philosophy and the emotional core of his music.
Manny Fresh gave Cash Money Records an ultimatum: either fully commit to the music business or he would leave, as he refused to work with drug dealers who were 'one foot in, one foot out.'
This moment highlights Fresh's conviction and integrity, forcing a pivotal decision that transformed Cash Money from a street enterprise into a legitimate, focused music label.
Manny Fresh describes the spontaneous creation of the 'Back That Azz Up' beat by tapping on a restaurant table in Nashville, which Juvenile then immediately started rapping to.
This anecdote illustrates the organic, improvisational nature of hit-making and the immediate synergy between Fresh's production and Juvenile's lyrical talent.
Manny Fresh recounts T.I. using a beat that Juvenile had previously passed on ('Top Back') and T.I. explicitly stating, 'I'mma show these [expletive] what to do with one of your beats,' referring to Juvenile.
This reveals a competitive dynamic among artists and producers, demonstrating how a rejected beat can become a massive hit in the right hands, and the power of an artist's delivery to 'own' a track.
Quotes
"We gonna do this [expletive] bigger than any [expletive] have ever done it. And we gonna talk about [expletive] [expletive] a Cadillac. We going to talk about space shuttles."
"You see like your job is to actually take these people away from all of the [expletive] that's going. Yeah. And make it a party and in a worse environment..."
"I can't [expletive] with y'all if y'all [expletive] is drug dealers. Like, either y'all going to do it or I'm not going to [expletive] with it. I'm like, We can't have one foot in, one foot out."
"I'm like, Bounce is cool and it's it's it's my baby, but it ain't ready yet."
"Rap is the only one that [expletive] that up. You know what I'm saying? It went from, we was like, Hey, bro, you think about a Forel, you know, you think about a Manny Fresh, you think about a Timberland... all of these calibers of, you know, this this this when when I was doing [expletive] these dudes was getting some crazy [expletive] money to do beats. And just overnight, we all quit. We all quit because [expletive] start doing it for, Hey, it's a good look."
"If you a rapper and you picked up a drum machine, I'd be like, it's over. This [expletive] he done cuz I'm like, now you're doing this job. This not your job, [expletive] Write the raps."
"If you my friend, tell me. And I think a lot of us, you know, you got to surround yourself with real people."
"What did your mama make when she was growing up? What did your daddy make? ... You make that easily when she probably made a year and you doing everything not to do it, not to make it."
Q&A
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