Juvenile removed from first class on American Airlines flight

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Juvenile removed from first class on American Airlines flight

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By Sky Industry News

Aug 21, 2024

Hip Hop star Juvenile (Terius Gray) was removed from American Airlines' first class on an overbooked flight, while his wife was allowed to stay. Rather than accept a seat in the main cabin, he chose to leave the aircraft, asserting his celebrity status and claiming the airline made a mistake.

Juvenile's 1998 album "400 Degreez" reached number nine on the Billboard 200 and went quadruple platinum. The album featured the single “Back That Azz Up” with Mannie Fresh and Lil Wayne, which helped popularize New Orleans Bounce music.

Expressing frustration at being singled out by the airline, Juvenile questioned why he was downgraded instead of his wife. He stated, "I’m a celebrity, I’m telling you, there’s gonna be repercussions. I’m gonna get off the plane, I’m not gonna let y’all disrespect me like that."

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In a post shared by AllHipHop on Instagram, Juvenile expressed further dissatisfaction with American Airlines on social media: "I feel played @AmericanAir but yall not getting away w this one … im boarding another airline rn so Fort Worth ill see you soon."

Juvenile has had several legal issues in the past. He was arrested in 2001 for a fight outside a Miami nightclub, in 2002 for assaulting his barber, in 2003 on drug charges, in 2010 for marijuana possession while recording music in Louisiana, and in 2017 for failing to pay $170,000 in child support.

Despite these incidents, Juvenile maintains significant influence. A video of him dancing with billionaire Tom Steyer to “Back That Azz Up” surfaced before the 2020 South Carolina Democratic presidential primary. However, his endorsement did not help Steyer secure any delegates despite spending over $190 million on his campaign.