Juvenile(I)
- Actor
- Music Department
- Composer
Teruis "Juvenile" Gray was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and grew up between his family's houses in the 10th ward and in the 3rd Ward Magnolia Housing Project. A child prodigy, Juvenile started writing professionally in his early teens and earned his moniker after being sought after to create the records that would become the foundation of Bounce Music. Starting with "Being Myself" in 1995, Juvenile has released 12 albums including the top selling album by a black solo rapper of all time "400 Degreez" and multiple other recordings including as the leader of the group The Hot Boys selling over 10 million albums worldwide. Juvenile is credited with being the first Southern rapper to get national airplay with his seminal recording "Ha". Juvenile's classic song "Back That Azz Up" has spread the music and culture of New Orleans globally and is enjoyed at peak celebrations by millions for the last 25 years. Mr Gray has also enjoyed a string of successful business ventures including his custom furniture business Made By Juvie and his popular beverage Juvie Juice brewed on the same street as his great-grandmother's & grandfather's house.
In 2023, "WTF is a Tiny Desk and no!" are the words that led to one of the most publicized journeys any musician has ever taken to get to NPR headquarters. That was Juvenile's response to Twitter user @theylovemyke's request for him to play a Tiny Desk concert. The result was one of the most raucous experiences in the history of NPR's Tiny Desk, featuring Jon Batiste, Trombone Shorty, and the 400 Degreez Band along with melodic beat architect, DJ Mannie Fresh.
"Juvenile's Tiny Desk Concert is the celebration of America we needed today" -L.A. Times
In 2024, His special guest appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was ranked among "Best Surprise Performances at Coachella 2024" by Rolling Stone.
In 2025, Juvenile partnered with Crown Royal and Starter in a philanthropic venture launching a limited edition Super Bowl LIX starter jacket, along with Mannie Fresh and Drew Brees, all proceeds from jacket sales were donated to The Foundation for Louisiana. Juvenile was also highlighted by Apple Music in a special series for his contributions to Hip-Hop and the city of New Orleans. He also recently released several new singles including "Party" featuring Mannie Fresh.
In 2023, "WTF is a Tiny Desk and no!" are the words that led to one of the most publicized journeys any musician has ever taken to get to NPR headquarters. That was Juvenile's response to Twitter user @theylovemyke's request for him to play a Tiny Desk concert. The result was one of the most raucous experiences in the history of NPR's Tiny Desk, featuring Jon Batiste, Trombone Shorty, and the 400 Degreez Band along with melodic beat architect, DJ Mannie Fresh.
"Juvenile's Tiny Desk Concert is the celebration of America we needed today" -L.A. Times
In 2024, His special guest appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was ranked among "Best Surprise Performances at Coachella 2024" by Rolling Stone.
In 2025, Juvenile partnered with Crown Royal and Starter in a philanthropic venture launching a limited edition Super Bowl LIX starter jacket, along with Mannie Fresh and Drew Brees, all proceeds from jacket sales were donated to The Foundation for Louisiana. Juvenile was also highlighted by Apple Music in a special series for his contributions to Hip-Hop and the city of New Orleans. He also recently released several new singles including "Party" featuring Mannie Fresh.
