Lil Wayne and the Hot Boyz were the very first artist the Outlawz worked with as they joined Rap-A-Lot records.
After Tupac’s passing, the Outlawz would sign to Death Row records with the intention of keeping an eye on Tupac’s catalog. However the decision to join the world’s most dangerous record label came with Suge Knight being locked up for the kicking incident in Vegas.
The Outlawz and Death Row records, led by Reggie Wright Jr., had their differences. According to Napoleon, the group felt the label was not “moving fast enough” when it came to releasing the Outlawz album.
After requesting their release from the contract, Outlawz would go ahead and sign with J. Prince’s Rap-ALot Records. Prince who had a good relationship with Geronimo Pratt, kept his word when dealing with the Outlawz which made it a great experience working under the label.
“The first songs we ever done with J. Prince, believe it or not, was with Lil Wayne,” recalled Napoleon during an interview with Bomb1st. “The first time we went to Houston to record, he had Cash Money. Lil Wayne, Baby, Turk and them had a group called Hot Boyz and this was one of the first songs we had ever done in Ra-A-Lot studios. And, I believe after J-Prince heard us, that’s when he signed us.”
Eventually the Outlawz left Rap-A-Lot records, as they continued their independent journey. In 2002, the group released ‘Neva Surrenda (The Rap-A-Lot Sessions,’ 14 songs recorded during their time with J-Prince’s label. One of the songs featuring Hot Boyz on ‘What Side You On?’
