Lil Wayne 500 Degreez Album Tracklist: Why This 2002 Project Still Sparks Heated Debates

Honestly, if you were around in 2002, the title alone felt like a declaration of war. Or at least a very loud, expensive-sounding middle finger. Lil Wayne was only 19 when he dropped 500 Degreez, and the rap world was already shifting beneath his feet. The Hot Boys were splintering. Juvenile, the label’s undisputed heavyweight at the time, had walked away from Cash Money Records under a cloud of financial disputes.

So, what does Baby (Birdman) do? He hands the keys to the youngest in charge and tells him to outshine the man who made 400 Degreez a multi-platinum staple. It was a bold, borderline petty move.

The lil wayne 500 degreez album tracklist isn't just a list of songs; it’s a time capsule of a teenager trying to carry an entire empire on his back while the veterans headed for the exits. It’s the sound of Mannie Fresh trying to prove that the "Cash Money Sound" was bigger than any one artist who left. You can feel the tension in the beats. You can hear the hunger—and maybe a little bit of the pressure—in Wayne’s voice.

Breaking Down the lil wayne 500 degreez album tracklist

People forget how long albums used to be. This project clocks in at 21 tracks. It’s a marathon. You’ve got the standard Cash Money intro, several radio skits featuring Big Tigger and Rob Nice, and a heavy dose of features from the remaining label faithful.

Here is how the tracklist actually shakes out if you’re looking at the original 2002 release:

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1. Fly Talkin' (featuring Big Tymers)
2. Look At Me 3. Way Of Life (featuring Big Tymers and TQ)
3. Big Tigger Live On The Radio (Skit)
4. Gangsta and Pimps (featuring Baby)
5. Lovely 7. Gangsta Shit (featuring Petey Pablo)
6. Big Tigger Live On The Radio (Skit)
7. Bloodline
8. Where You At
9. Worry Me
10. 500 Degreez
11. Go Hard
12. Young’n Blues
13. Believe That (featuring Blaque and Mannie Fresh)
14. Rob Nice Live On The Radio (Skit)
15. F* You** (featuring Big Tymers)
16. What Does Life Mean To Me (featuring TQ and Big Tymers)
17. Get That Dough (featuring Baby, Tateeze, and Cristale)
18. Fo Sheezy
19. Fly Talkin' Go Home

Mannie Fresh produced almost the entire thing. That’s the magic of that era. He had this weird, bouncy, futuristic-yet-swampy sound that nobody could replicate. However, two tracks—"Believe That" and "Get That Dough"—saw Jazze Pha step behind the boards. It was a rare moment where Cash Money looked outside their internal circle for production, and it gave the album a slightly more "polished" commercial sheen in spots.

The Drama Behind the Title

You can't talk about this album without mentioning Juvenile. In 1998, Juve released 400 Degreez. It went 4x Platinum. It’s widely considered one of the best Southern rap albums of all time. Period.

When Wayne titled his third solo effort 500 Degreez, everyone knew it was a shot. On the very first track, "Fly Talkin'", Wayne basically says that four was mild but five is wild. He was claiming the throne. He was saying, "I'm the only Hot Boy that stayed loyal, and I'm hotter than the guy who left."

It was controversial. Fans were split. Some saw it as Wayne coming into his own, while others felt it was a desperate attempt by Birdman to keep the Cash Money brand relevant by piggybacking off Juvenile’s legacy.

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Standout Moments and "Way of Life"

The lead single, "Way of Life," is basically a masterclass in early 2000s "Bling Bling" aesthetics. It samples T-Connection’s "At Midnight," but most people recognize the vibe from Junior M.A.F.I.A.’s "Get Money." It’s smooth. It’s catchy. It has that TQ hook that makes you want to drive a car with "fished-out fins."

But then you have songs like "Gangsta Shit" featuring Petey Pablo. That was a big deal at the time because Petey was huge coming off "Raise Up." It showed that even though the Hot Boys were gone, Wayne could still pull in heavy hitters from other camps.

Then there’s "Young’n Blues." This is a rare moment of vulnerability for a young Weezy. He talks about the struggles of being famous so young, dealing with girls, and the weight of his lifestyle. It’s a precursor to the more introspective Wayne we’d see on Tha Carter series later on.

Why the Reception Was So Mixed

Critics weren't exactly kind to this album when it dropped on July 23, 2002. If you look back at reviews from places like RapReviews or Rolling Stone, they felt Wayne was coasting. They called his flow "monotone." They thought the album was too long—which, to be fair, 70 minutes is a lot for any 19-year-old to carry.

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There was also the "Gillie Da Kid" factor. Gillie has claimed for years that he ghostwrote a large chunk of this album, specifically mentioning the title track. Whether you believe him or not, his presence as a featured artist (though often uncredited in the main tracklist headings) and as part of the Major Figgas crew added another layer of "what’s going on behind the scenes?" to the project.

Despite the noise, the album still moved numbers. It debuted at #6 on the Billboard 200. It went Gold within two months. People were buying it, even if the "hip-hop purists" weren't convinced yet.

Transitioning to the "Carter" Era

500 Degreez is the bridge. It’s the final album of "Old Wayne" before he grew out his hair, started the "Best Rapper Alive" campaign, and gave us Tha Carter in 2004.

If you listen to the lil wayne 500 degreez album tracklist today, you can hear him experimenting. On "Fo Sheezy," he’s playing with different cadences. On "Look At Me," he’s pushing his voice into higher registers. He was figuring it out. He wasn't the legend he is today, but the foundation was being poured.

Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors

If you're looking to dive back into this era of Cash Money, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Check the Credits: While Mannie Fresh is the architect, pay attention to the TQ features. TQ’s soulful, "West Coast" style hooks gave Wayne a melodic edge that was different from the rougher Juvenile era.
• The Skits Matter: In the digital age, we skip skits. Don't. The Big Tigger skits on this album are a time capsule of how important radio personality culture was to breaking Southern records in the early 2000s.
• Physical vs. Streaming: Some digital versions of the album might have slight variations or "Clean" edits. If you want the raw experience, finding an original 2002 "Parental Advisory" CD is the way to go for the full, unedited tracklist.
• Compare the Evolution: Listen to "500 Degreez" (the song) and then listen to "Bring It Back" from Tha Carter. You’ll see exactly where Wayne decided to stop trying to be the "next Juvenile" and started being the first Lil Wayne.

The album might not be a "classic" in the same way Tha Carter III is, but it’s a vital piece of the puzzle. It’s the sound of a survivor. Wayne stayed when everyone else left, and this tracklist is the proof of that loyalty.