| Lil Jon |
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| Background information |
| Birth name |
Jonathan Smith |
| Also known as |
The King of Crunk |
| Born |
1971 |
| Origin |
LaGrange, Georgia |
| Genre(s) |
Crunk/Southern hip hop |
| Occupation(s) |
rapper |
| Years active |
'90s-present |
| Label(s) |
BME Recordings/TVT Records |
Lil Jon (born Jonathan Smith in Atlanta, Georgia 1971) is an American rapper and hip hop producer. He is best known as a pioneer of the sub-genre of hip hop known as "crunk" (a combination of elements of Bounce Music, Southern hip hop and bass music). His group, Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz, is one of crunk's most notable acts.
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Contents
- 1 Biography
- 2 Cultural Icon
- 3 Discography
- 4 Music sample
- 5 Trivia
- 6 Production and/or Appearances
- 7 External links
- 8 Headline text
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Biography
Lil Jon graduated in 1989 from Atlanta's Douglass High School. Lil Jon also hosted a radio show on BET. He started doing remixes for artists Jamaal, Too $hort, Xscape, and Total. He worked for So So Def between 1993 and 2000.
In 2000, Lil Jon reemerged on the hip-hop scene with an independently recorded album entitled "We Still Crunk" that was distributed by the Atlanta based Southern Music Distribution.
Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz returned in 2001 with Put Your Hood Up. This caused controversy because of the cover which featured Lil Jon wrapping himself in a confederate flag. "Bia Bia" the single from the album featuring Ludacris, Too Short, and Chyna White became a hit in clubs throughout the U.S., and also made the top twenty downloads on MP3.com.
In 2002, Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz released their breakthrough album Kings of Crunk. The first single, "I Don't Give a Fuck" featuring Mystikal and Krayzie Bone became another dancefloor filler. However, it was "Get Low" with the Ying Yang Twins and its catchy hook that became a breakout hit. It reached the top five in a composite worldwide Reggaeton chart (compiled from U.S., German, French R&B charts) in 2003 and Internet download charts. It also went into the top forty in markets such as Germany and Australia in 2004. Based on the success of "Get Low", Kings of Crunk reached the top twenty of the U.S. album chart in September 2003. Lil Jon put out a compilation CD and DVD in 2003 called Alpha Nigga featuring remixes of "Get Low" featuring Busta Rhymes and Elephant Man as well as the Ying Yang Twins. Jon also produced the hit single "Salt Shaker" for the Ying Yang Twins.
In 2004, Lil Jon also helped produce two other big hits of the year. One was for the new R&B artist Ciara, also out of Atlanta. "Goodies" her debut single, featured Petey Pablo and reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lil Jon also helped produce Petey Pablo's "Freek-A-Leek".
Lil Jon released his new album called Crunk Juice, which features contributions from proteges Lil Scrappy and Bo Hagon, mega-producer Rick Rubin, R. Kelly, Ice Cube, Timbaland, Usher, and Ludacris, and one of Lil Jon's punk heroes, The Bad Brains. The double-CD Crunk Juice includes remixes of Daddy Yankee's Reggaeton hit "Gasolina," as well as skits from comedians Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock. He will also be working with KoЯn for a track on their next album for release later in 2005.[1].
In June 2005, Ashton Kutcher failed to "punk" Lil Jon. He was boarding a plane headed for Las Vegas, but Kutcher used actors to play customs agents to tell him that he was actually headed for Ecuador. Lil Jon quickly identified members of the "customs agents" from previous episodes of the program, and asked for Kutcher to reveal himself. Lil Jon is currently one of four celebrities to thwart an attempted "punking" by Ashton Kutcher. Later in an interview Lil Jon quipped, "You can't Punk the King of Crunk."
For most of 2005, Lil Jon concentrated on production, overseeing forthcoming records for several artists off of his BME Recordings including: Trillville, Lil Scrappy, Oobie, E-40, BHI and Bo Hagon. He also went through protracted renegotiations with TVT, hinting at the likelihood that he would leave the label.
In 2005, Lil Jon was in the videogame Tony Hawk's American Wasteland as a secret character.
On February 22, 2006, Lil Jon announced that he had settled business matters with TVT: "After a long battle and negotiations with TVT, we worked out our differences. TVT cut the check and now it¹s time for me to get back to work."[2] The "work" in question is his first solo album, Crunk Rock, the release of which is planned for later in 2006. The hit single Snap Yo Fingers gained huge popularity through the debut of the music video on MTV.
Lil Jon also starred in a documentary for the music video of Twisted Transistor, a song by the nu-metal band Korn along with Snoop Dogg, Xzibit and David Banner. He also made a cameo in Date Movie and in Scary Movie 4 along with the porno Snap Yo Fingers, LITTLE BOYS. He has been married since 2004.
Lil Jon's "Get Low" features on the 2003 videogame Need For Speed Underground, but was heavily cut due to explicit lyrics.
Cultural Icon
Lil Jon garnered increased fame when he was parodied by humorist Dave Chappelle on Chappelle's Show. Chappelle parodied aspects of Lil Jon's performance style, mainly his frequent, exaggerated use of phrases such as "What!?" "Okaaay!" and "Yeeah!". The sketches often featured Lil Jon, as played by Chappelle, in some sort of everyday situation where he would make use of these few catch phrases. Lil Jon himself appeared in one of the sketches where he had a phone conversation with the parody version of himself. Lil Jon has also been parodied in the movies Date Movie and Scary Movie 4.
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Discography
Albums
| Album cover |
Album information |
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Get Crunk, Who U Wit: Da Album
- Released: October 21, 1997
- Chart positions: ??
- Last RIAA certification: ??
- Singles: "Get Crunk", "Who U Wit?", "Shawty Freak a Lil' Sumtin'"
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We Still Crunk!
- Released: August 15, 2000
- Chart positions: ??
- Last RIAA certification: ??
- Singles: "I Like Dem Girlz", "Put Yo Hood Up"
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Put Yo Hood Up
- Released: May 22, 2001
- Chart positions: #43 US
- Last RIAA certification: Gold
- Singles: "Bia Bia", "I Like Dem Girlz", "Put Yo Hood Up"
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Kings of Crunk
- Released: October 8, 2002
- Chart positions: #15 US
- Last RIAA certification: 2x Platinum
- Singles: "Throw It Up", "I Don't Give A F**k", "Get Low"
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Part II
- Released: November 25, 2003
- Chart positions: #37 US
- Last RIAA certification: ??
- Singles: "Get Low Reggae Remix"
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Crunk Juice
- Released: November 16, 2004
- Chart positions: #3 US, #52 UK.
- Last RIAA certification: 2x Platinum
- Singles: "What U Gon' Do ", "Real N***a Roll Call", "Lovers and Friends "
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Crunk Rock
- To be Released: October 31, 2006
- Chart positions: N/A
- Last RIAA certification: N/A
- Singles: "Snap Yo Fingers"
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Singles
| Year |
Song |
U.S. Hot 100 |
U.S. R&B |
U.S. Rap |
UK singles |
Album |
| 2001 |
"Put Yo Hood Up" |
— |
#80 |
— |
— |
Put Yo Hood Up |
| 2002 |
"Nothin's Free" |
— |
#61 |
— |
— |
Put Yo Hood Up |
| 2003 |
"I Don't Give A Fuck" (Feat. Mystikal & Krayzie Bone) |
— |
#50 |
— |
— |
Kings of Crunk |
| 2003 |
"Get Low" (Feat. Ying Yang Twins) |
#3 |
— |
— |
— |
Kings of Crunk |
| 2003 |
"Damn!" (YoungBloodz Feat. Lil Jon) |
#4 |
#2 |
#1 |
— |
Drankin' Patnaz |
| 2004 |
"Yeah!" (Usher Feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris) |
#1 |
#1 |
— |
#1 |
Confessions |
| 2004 |
"Salt Shaker" (Ying Yang Twins Feat. Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz) |
#9 |
#9 |
#2 |
— |
Me & My Brother |
| 2004 |
"Let's Go" (Trick Daddy Feat. Lil Jon & Twista) |
#7 |
#10 |
#4 |
— |
Thug Matrimony: Married To The Streets |
| 2004 |
"What U Gon' Do" (Feat. Lil' Scrappy) |
#22 |
#13 |
#8 |
— |
Crunk Juice |
| 2005 |
"Real Nigga Roll Call" (Feat. Ice Cube) |
— |
#61 |
— |
— |
Crunk Juice |
| 2005 |
"Lovers and Friends" (Feat. Usher & Ludacris) |
#3 |
#2 |
#1 |
— |
Crunk Juice |
| 2005 |
"Get Crunk" (feat. Bo Hagon) |
— |
#59 |
— |
— |
Crunk Juice |
| 2006 |
"Snap Yo Fingers" (Feat. E-40 & Sean Paul of the YoungBloodz) |
#7 |
#1 |
#2 |
— |
Crunk Rock |
Music sample
Trivia
-Lil Jon is a hidden character in Tony Hawk's American Wasteland.
-The NHL team the Atlanta Thrashers' goaltender Kari Lehtonen has a depiction of Lil John on his mask.
-Lil' Jon has appeared in Date Movie and Scary Movie 4. Scary Movie 4 incorrectly credited him as "Lil John".
-The song Stop Fuckin' Wit Me featured on Crunk Juice features a beat sampled from a song from the thrash metal band Slayer, the song was the ever-infamous Raining Blood. This is the second instance where Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz have used a Slayer song (the first being Mandatory Suicide).
-Lil Jon used to be a nerd in high school.Photos of him in high school exist in the internet.
Production and/or Appearances
(list is not complete)
8 Ball & MJG
- "Look At The Grillz" (feat. T.I. and Twista)
- "Outfit"
54th Platoon
- "Holdin It Down" ft. Lil Jon
Akon
Amerie
Big Kuntry King
Birmingham J.
Black Eyed Peas
Bo Hagon
- "Drop Dem Boes" (feat. Lil Jon)
- "Wuz Up" ft. Fabo Diamond & Princess (Of Crime Mobb)
- "The Streetz" ft. Mr. Wardz
- "You Don't Really Want It"
- "Coke In Ya Nose" ft. Lil Scrappy
- "Gone" ft. Lil Scrappy & Trillville
- "Buck Back"
Bone Crusher:
- "Get Up On It" (feat. Chamillionaire)
Bow Wow
Bravehearts
- "Quick To Back Down" (feat. Nas and Lil' Jon)
- "Cash Flow"
Brooke Valentine
- "Girlfight" (feat. Big Boi and Lil Jon) #23 US
Bun B
- "Trill Recognize Trill" (feat. Ludacris)
Ciara:
- "Goodies" (feat. Petey Pablo) #1 US, #1 UK
Chyna Whyte
Crime Mobb
- "Knock If You Buck" ft. Lil Scrappy
- "Rock Yo Hips
David Banner
- "Might Getcha"
- "Choose Me"
- "Treat Me Like A" (feat. Jadakiss; un-released version featured Lil' Jon)
DMX
- "What It Be" ft. Trick Daddy & Lil Jon
E-40:
- "Tell Me When To Go" (feat. Keak Da Sneak) #35 US
- "U and Dat" (feat. T-Pain and Kandi Girl) #13 US
- "White Girl" (feat. Bun B, Pimp C of UGK, and Juelz Santana)
- "I'm Da Man" (feat. Mike Jones)
- "Anybody Can Get It" ft. Lil Jon & Bonecrusher
- "Rep Yo City" (feat. Bun B, Lil Jon, Petey Pablo, and 8-Ball; also appeared on Lil Jon's "Kings of Crunk" CD.)
Elephant Man
- "Jook Gal" (feat. Bone Crusher and Lil Jon)
- "Spin Ya Rag"
Famlay
Fat Joe
- "Lean Back (Remix)" (feat. Mase, Lil' Jon, and Eminem)
Freeway
- "Rep Yo Click" ft. Lil Jon
Gillie Da Kid
I-20:
- "Break Bread" (feat. Ludacris)
Ice Cube:
- "Go To Church" (feat. Snoop Dogg and Lil' Jon)
- "Holla At Cha Boy"
- "You Gotta Lotta That" (feat. Snoop Dogg)
Janet Jackson
- "Call On Me Lil Jon Remix" ft. Nelly
Janielle
- "Caught Him Looking" ft. Shawna
Jody Breeze Take It Outside ft. Lil Jon & Pastor Troy
Juvenile
Kanye West
Krayzie Bone
- "Get'chu Twisted"
- "Shut Da Club Down"
Labba
Letoya Luckett
- "I'm Good" ft. Lil Jon & Ebony Eyez
Lil Flip
Lil' Jon:
- all songs on "Crunk Juice" and "Kings of Crunk"
- "Snap Ya Fingers" (feat. E-40 and Sean Paul) #7 US
Lil' Scrappy:
- "Head Bussa" (feat. Lil' Jon)
- "No Problem" #29 US
- "Gangsta Gangsta" (feat. Lil' Jon)
- "You Don't Know" ft. Bohagon
- "F.I.L.A." ft. Trillville
- "Knock His Ass Out" ft. Trillville & Lil Jon
Lil' Wayne
Ludacris:
- "Move Bitch" (feat. Mystikal and I-20) #10 US
- "Move Bitch Remix" ft. Three 6 Mafia
Luke
- "Some Head Tonight" ft. Lil Jon & Jolly Boi
Mario
Mobb Deep:
- "Real Gangstaz" (feat. Lil' Jon)
Master P
MC Hammer
Mobb Deep
- "Real Gangstaz" ft. Lil Jon
Oobie
- "P. Control" ft. Elephant Man
Olivia
Nivea
- "Okay" (feat. Lil Jon and Youngbloodz) #40 US
Petey Pablo:
- "Freak A Leek" #7 US
- "Give It Up"
- "Fire"
- "You Don't Want Dat"
Pitbull:
- "Culo" (feat. Lil' Jon) #32 US
- "Toma" (feat. Lil' Jon)
- "305 Anthem" (Feat. Lil Jon)
- "Bojangles" #91 US
- "Esa Loca" ft. Lil Jon
- "Dope Boyz"
- "We Don't Care"
- "Dime Remix" ft. Ken-Y
P$C
- "I'm A King" (feat. Lil' Scrappy) #67 US
- "I'm King Remix" Ft. Lil Scrappy
Rasheeda
- "Rock Away" ft. Lil Scrappy
- "Tonight" ft. Lil Jon
Rated R
RL of Next
Silk The Shocker
- "We Like Them Girls" ft. Master P.
Slim
Snoop Dogg
- "Step Yo Game Up (feat. Lil' Jon and Trina)
Stat Quo
Styles P:
- "Can You Believe It" (feat. Akon)
T.I.:
- "Stand Up" (feat. Trick Daddy, Lil' Wayne, and Lil' Jon)
- "King & Queen" ft. Ciara
Teedra Moses
- "You Better Tell Her" (feat. Lil' Scrappy and Pitbull)
Terrence Howard
The All-Stars
- "So Serious" ft. Styles P.
The Game
- "Throw It Up" ft. Lil Jon
TLC
- "Come Get Some" (feat. YoungBloodz)
Too $hort:
- "Blow the Whistle"
- "Shake That Monkey" (feat. Lil' Jon) #84 US
- "You Can't Fuck With Us" (feat. Petey Pablo and N.O.R.E.)
- "Money Maker" (feat. Rick Ross and Pimp C)
- "That's How It Goes Down" (feat. Oobie)
- "Burn Rubber" (feat. Nvs Styles)
- "Hey, Let's Go" (feat. Cutty Cartel and Devin The Dude)
- "Quit Hatin' Pt. 1" (feat. Lil' Jon & Twista)
- "Couldn't Be A Better Player" (feat. Lil Jon)
- "So Siddity" ft. Daz & Kurupt
- "Burn Rubber Part II"
- "Let Em Fight"
- "It's Time To Go"
- "Strip Down"
Trick Daddy
- "Can't Go For That" (feat. DMX & Lil Scrappy)
- "Let's Go" (feat.Lil Jon & Twista)
Trillville:
- "Neva Eva" (feat. Lil' Scrappy) #77 US
- "Get Some Crunk In Yo System" (feat. Pastor Troy)
- "Some Cut" (feat. Cutty) #14 US
- "Hit The Floor" (feat. Lil Scrappy & Bohagon)
- "Trill Niggaz" (feat. Lil Jon)
Usher:
- "Yeah" (feat. Lil' Jon and Ludacris) #1 US, #1 UK
- "Red Light" ft. Ludacris
- "Red Light Remix" ft. Lil Jon & Ludacris
Voltio
- "Chevere" (feat. Notch)
- "Chulin Culin Chunfly" (feat. Three 6 Mafia and Calle 13
Ying Yang Twins:
- "Grey Goose"
- "ATL Eternally" (feat. Pastor Troy and Lil' Jon)
- "Salt Shaker" (feat. Lil' Jon) #9 US
Young Blaze
YoungBloodz:
- "Damn" (feat. Lil' Jon) #4 US
- "Damn Remix" ft. JD, Ludacris, Youngbloodz & Bonecrusher
- "Presidential" #81 US
Young Buck:
- "Shorty Wanna Ride" #17 US
External links
- Lil Jon Online
- Lil Jon at the Internet Movie Database
- MTV Lil Jon page
- MSNBC article on crunk
- Lil Jon's Myspace
Headline text
Categories: Articles with sections needing expansion | 1970 births | Living people | African American musicians | American rappers | People from Atlanta | Hip hop record producers | Grammy Award winners | Rhythmic Top 40 acts | Scary Movie actors | Chappelle's Show | People known by pseudonyms