NEW YORK (AP) — As DJ Mannie Fresh’s trademark “ladies and gentlemen” catchphrase ricocheted throughout the office, a giddy Juvenile, draped in white with his signature bandana, playfully swayed back and forth to the beat of his musicians. It wasn’t surprising that the native of New Orleans — a city known for brass bands and live music — felt at home for his Tiny Desk Concert. What is remarkable? Just weeks prior, the legendary rapper had been unaware of the popular, stripped-down, live music series.

An April social media suggestion that he perform for the National Public Radio series — amplified by his “Wtf is a tiny desk” reply – sent social media into a frenzy. Details were ironed out within days, resulting in one of 2023’s most notable live performances just two months later.

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“I don’t know if there’s a Tiny Desk award or something like that — maybe I would be the one to get it,” laughed Juvenile, referencing the excitement around his performance that’s drawn nearly 7 million views. “I’ve been getting so much love,” said the 48-year-old “Back That Azz Up” artist.

NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series, which began almost 15 years ago as a niche online platform mainly highlighting rock and folk musicians, has established itself as one of music’s premiere platforms. It now includes performers from across genres, providing countless pop culture moments.

Becky G says her October appearance was a defining moment.

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“It was such a milestone …some people want to forget certain things in their life so badly,” said the 26-year-old Latina star, who ended her predominately Spanish-language set with “Shower,” a song released nearly a decade ago. “Maybe we’re supposed to remember them, to remember how far we’ve come.”

That sentiment can be applied to the Tiny Desk Concert series itself, which began after its creators attended a performance where an artist was not heard.

THE GENESIS

Folk artist Laura Gibson felt deflated after her 2008 South by Southwest show in Austin, Texas. The Thirsty Nickel bar allowed noisy 6th Street revelers who didn’t purchase tickets to enter, and they had no interest in listening to the soft-spoken artist.

“Mid-set, I was like, ’Why did I drive all the way down to Texas … What am I doing with my life?” Gibson remembered. “I felt like ‘I really just want to go hide somewhere and cry.’”

Bob Boilen, director of NPR’s flagship program “All Things Considered,” and NPR Music editor Stephen Thompson were in attendance. Wanting to provide Gibson with an environment they felt she deserved, they invited her to play at their Washington, D.C., headquarters. Her performance was filmed and uploaded to NPR’s website.

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“Stephen and I stand up at the desk, and we tell that story and we say: ‘This might be the start of something. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.’ We didn’t know,” said Boilen, who retired in October after 35 years at NPR. He started there in 1988 as a production assistant and eventually directed “All Things Considered” for nearly two decades.

Despite positive feedback on the NPR Music blog, creating a series wasn’t a thought. But weeks later, indie rock-folk musician Vic Chesnutt was in town, so they invited him to play. After his set, Boilen and Thompson realized they were onto something special.

“People strategize and plot things out,” said Boilen, a musician himself who co-founded the new-wave band Tiny Desk Unit in 1979. “Sometimes it’s just straight inspiration that makes something great, and not a lot of planning.”

THE PROCESS

Tiny Desk producers sort through hundreds of weekly pitch emails regarding artists of all genres, famous and unknown, international and domestic, while also monitoring social media. (Remember Juvenile?) Purely promotional, artists aren’t compensated for performance or travel.

The rules are simple: Equipment that amplifies sound or voice, like vocal monitors or Auto-Tune, aren’t allowed. Musicians collaborate with producers on the setlist, and all performers — no matter how many — should fit behind what was Boilen’s functioning desk.

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