Lil' Jon & The East Side Boyz - Crunk Juice

Genre hip hop Publisher TVT Records External Links TVT Records

Despite being almost entirely responsible for one of the most popular sounds in hip-hop in recent years, I can't help wonder whether or not Lil' Jon is a self conscious individual. Joining the ranks of Rick James and Prince, last year comedian Dave Chappelle donned Jon's signature sunglasses, gold fronts and jewel encrusted chalice in a series of hilarious skits exploiting the rapper's trademark shouts of "WHAT?", "YEAH!" and "OKAAAAAAAAY!" As far as cable viewers knew, there was little else to the artist than those three words, and I believe that Lil' Jon took this to heart. If this is true, Crunk Juice is then a stellar effort by the artist to display his true versatility, and at the same time continue to sell crunk to the world by the case.

Unsurprisingly, the absolutely immense guest list Crunk Juice boasts plays a major role in preventing the album from being merely 15 versions of "Get Low." Jon wisely limits appearances from usual collaborators Ying Yang Twins, Trillville and Lil' Scrappy (but is smart enough to feature the latter on the excellent first single "What U Gon' Do?), and reaches deep into the never-ending palate of MCs looking to do guest appearances. Jon employs elder statesmen of southern rap like UGK's Bun B and the group 8Ball & MJG in addition to the south's two current elite MCs, Ludacris and T.I. But the list doesn't stop there. New York heavyweights Jadakiss and Nas drop in for the closing hip-hop grab bag "Grand Finale." L.A. legends Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube drop by too, the latter of whom is featured on "Real Nigga Role Call" as well as "Grand Finale."

While Lil' Jon does handle a majority of the production on the album, again he is smart enough to turn some songs over to other producers so that the sound does not grow tired. On the album's finest moment, "Stop Fuckin Wit Me!" Jon puts my current favorite trend in hip-hop into use, that being a really old school flavor of production like that found on recent cuts such as Nas and Ludacris' "Virgo," The Roots' "Web" and "BOOM!", and most famously Jay-Z's "99 Problems," which shares the same producer as "Stop Fuckin Wit Me!," none other than Rick Rubin. In a song perhaps more appropriately titled "Death Metal Could Never Crunk Like This," Rubin creates a simple drum track structured around the blazing riffs of Slayer's "South Of Heaven" and "Raining Blood." Featuring only Lil' Jon on vocals, he angrily vents about the challenges of finding a job and struggling to pay child support to his baby's mama ("They ain't hire no niggas like me in that bitch! / Tattoos, gold teeth, nigga! Dreads and shit!") Perhaps an even more interesting question than a business' reaction to the artist is what the reaction in the club will be to this song. I'll be the first to admit my lack of first hand knowledge about Atlanta area nightlife, but I have a hunch that Slayer is not a favorite there. However, if anyone can make it work, it's Lil' Jon, and this track single handedly serves as a testament to the diversity of the material found on Crunk Juice.

Lil' Jon is also quick to prove that he is not solely a one trick producer either. The second third of the album could be described as the slow jam section, as the producer creates three silky smooth tracks for R&B singers Oobie, Usher and R. Kelly to croon over, proving that he can make tracks meant to be listened to during more intimate post-club encounters. This triad is intelligently broken up with the wonderful "Aww Skeet Skeet!" a DJ Flexx produced track tailor made for the dance floor that would make an excellent choice for a second single.

Fortunately, the abundance of guests does not take the show away from Lil' Jon, Lil' Bo Hagon and Big Sam, who make up the East Side Boyz. Amidst the array of offered sonic material, Crunk Juice still has plenty of tracks akin to what made songs like "Get Low," "Damn!" and "Neva Eva" so great. The aforementioned "What U Gon' Do," along with "Real Nigga Role Call," "Contract," and "White Meat" are the definition of crunk, and are four more songs that the artist can add to the already long list of tracks bearing what will be considered his signature sound, or even legacy, in the future.

Crunk Juice is artistically an enormous step forward for an artist that many critics and hip-hop snobs refuse to take seriously. While anyone who would take Lil' Jon seriously for more than five minutes probably needs to schedule a CAT Scan for themselves in the near future, there is no denying that Crunk Juice is an extremely solid and ultimately fun album. Long live the Kings.