Mannie Fresh linked up with Juvenile and Mia X to encourage people to get vaccinated in 2021 with a “Back That Azz Up” remake named “Vax That Thang Up” – but he had no idea of the backlash that would come with it.
In a new interview with AllHipHop published on Sunday (January 1), the famed producer reflected on the pro-vaccination record and how baffling the polarizing reaction to it was.
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“When we did the ‘Vax That Thang Up’ song or whatever, it wasn’t a song—it was just a parody telling people to get vaccinated,” Fresh said. “But it was something that I believed in and I was saying to folks, ‘If you don’t, it’s okay. You don’t have to go and do this. It’s not that serious.’
“But there were people saying, ‘You destroyed the song and this song was the greatest song!’” he continued. “And I’m like, ‘Do you know the title of the song?’ It’s called ‘Back That Azz Up.’ I’m like, ‘Did you listen to the lyrics of this song?’”
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“Vax That Thang Up” was made in collaboration with dating app BLK, and much like the title suggested, it encouraged Americans to get vaccinated to get back to doing the things they enjoy in a safe manner.
“Girl you look good once you vax that thang up,” Juve raps on the reworked hook. “You a handsome young brother once you vax that thang up/Dating in real life, you need to vax that thang up/Feeling freaky all night, you need to vax that thang up.”
The song wasn’t the only record Mannie Fresh got backlash for as of late.
Last summer, he collaborated with Amber Rose for her debut rap single “Get Your Hoe On,” which was a provocative remake of the Big Tymers’ 2000 hit “Get Your Roll On.” In addition to appearing in the video, Mannie also reworked the beat for Amber – and social media wasn’t pleased.
“Ban Amber Rose from all recording studios,” one Twitter user wrote, while another added, “Who the fuck let amber rose bean head ass in the studio and remake Getcha Roll On?.”
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“Amber Rose is now rapping…Got Mannie Fresh on the Beat…I guess he said shit she paying lol,” another wrote. “But on a serious note…Hip Hop has become a joke… Some of these songs I wouldn’t have wasted the damn studio time on!”
Check out more reactions to the record here.
