Rapper-producer Jonathan "Lil Jon" Smith is best known for turning everyday words like "yeah" and "okay" into bloodcurdling sonic extravaganzas. He's crafted hits for the likes of Usher and Ludacris; ...

The current #1 song in America isn't Memphis rap, but it wants to be Memphis rap so badly. Drake's new album Honestly, Nevermind is mostly a full-length exploration of house and club music styles, but ...

I fucked up, and I’ll admit it. A few months back I reviewed a compilation called Crunk Classics, with songs by dirty south superstars like Lil Jon and Petey Pablo, and I tore it a new asshole. “TVT’s ...

Hip-hop and booze are a match made in marketing heaven. Jay-Z made $2.5 million last year endorsing Budweiser and others; Diddy pushes Ciroc Vodka; Kanye West appears in Absolut ads. But Lil Jon went ...

Duke Deuce has been grinding on the streets of Memphis for years. The son of local legend Duke Nitty, Deuce is a walking emblem of Memphis’ history as a beacon of rap music. It wasn’t until 2017, ...

With its irresistible hip-hop beats and shouted refrains, crunk music incites a fervor in fans that’s reminiscent of a religious experience. “I would define crunk as more of a spirit,” explains rapper ...

If Ciara is crunk's sweet young queen, Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz are its rabble-rousing kings. They like to eat, sleep and drink crunk, and appear incapable of releasing an album or finishing a ...