While he may proclaim himself to be one of the Kings of Crunk, Lil Jon’s reputation and persona is more that of a jester, a comical spirit bouncing through the often serious and sometimes aggressive world of popular hip-hop. A jester that starts the revelry, that wastes no time in getting the party started. It’s little wonder that it was the comic Dave Chappelle who started the party on the Lil Jon’s cultural phenomenon.
While most of us no longer join in the drunken cries of “Yeah!” and “OK!” at 2 a.m., it’s hard to join in the rhythm anytime one of Lil Jon’s many collaborations blankets the dance floor. Whether it’s “Culo” with Pitbull, “Damn” with Youngbloodz or the appropriate titled “Yeah!” with Usher and Ludacris, his music is all over the place. Now that he’s added a few awards to his belt, it’s unlikely we’re going to see the trend fade anytime soon.
With the recently released Crunk Juice, Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz seek to capitalize on his status as a musical and cultural icon. The method and means for that capitalization, however, often fall short of the promise. The tracks with the East Side Boyz, which make up most of the first part of the album, are weak and disjointed. They rely heavily on the rhythms and feeling of 2002’s Kings of Crunk so much so that more than one fan has checked album covers to make sure they’re listening to the new one.
The real problem with these tracks is that Lil Jon’s famously varied and catchy beats are noticeably absent. They’re more a rehash of old beats than anything new or exciting. While he was able to get away with re-using Cordell “Scatta” Burrell’s “Coolie Dance” rhythm in “Culo” with Pitbull, a rhythm also being used by the female duo Nina Sky during the same time, “Culo” was carried as much by Pitbull’s driving lyrical cadence as it was by Burrell’s famous rhythm. The exception is the current radio favorite, “What U Gon’ Do” featuring Lil Scrappy. But even this track seems little different from their previous collaboration on “No Problems.”
Those tracks that aren’t rehashes of Kings of Crunk could be more accurately described as rehashes of Jay-Z or Anthrax. Either cashing in on the popularity of the Jay-Z/Linkin Park tour or vainly attempting something “new,” Lil Jon mixes in heavy metal samples alongside his crunk beats, to mixed results. The heavy metal often feels disjointed and out of place, more a gimmick than a real attempt at artistic expression.
But there is real strength in the album. Not surprisingly, it is in his collaborations that Crunk Juice begins to come into it’s own. He again teams up with Ludacris and Usher on “Lovers & Friends,” a wonderful R&B number that will certainly become a chart-topper when released. Usher’s voice and Ludacris’ flow carry the song, while Lil Jon’s remaking of Mary J. Blige’s “Everything” more than makes up for his lackluster lyrical ability.
Chris Rock lends his comedic talent in skits between some of the later songs, while one particularly famous skit comes into play in DJ Flexx’s catchy “Aww Skeet Skeet,” a half joking, half partying play off Dave Chappelle.
Ludacris returns for “In Da Club” comes out as a straight, hard-pumping party hit helped out by R Kelly. Again a solid tune, it fits more neatly into Lil Jon’s vocal range and seems to be a bit more polished, as if they produced it to be a radio hit. With Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Nas, T.I., Ice Cube, Pharrell and the ever-present Ying Yang Twins also contributing to later tracks, it’s little wonder that Crunk Juice will enjoy immense popularity in the coming year.
As popular as it may turn out to be, it will be a mixed blessing for Lil Jon. It showcases his talent for production and collaboration, ensuring more success for him and the East Side Boyz, but it also fails substantially when it gets away from those strengths. With a handful of truly solid tracks, however, it is undoubtedly going to enjoy commercial success that will eclipse that of Kings of Crunk.
Grade: B/C
