A staple of the Dirty South era of hip-hop, Atlanta rapper and producer Lil Jon made Southern crunk music an international sensation.
• Before rap, Jon was a popular Atlanta club DJ. He caught the attention of So So Def Recordings boss Jermaine Dupri, who hired him as a talent scout.
• In 1997, Jon cofounded Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz, the rap trio best known for the 2002 album Kings Of Crunk. Their classic single “Get Low” reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
• Jon produced a string of early-’00s hits, such as Ciara’s “Goodies” and Usher’s “Yeah!”, both of which topped the Billboard Hot 100.
• In a series of memorable 2004 sketches, comedian Dave Chappelle impersonated Lil Jon on his series Chappelle’s Show. This vaulted Jon’s signature ad-libs—“Yeah!” “What?” “OK!”—into the realm of popular culture.
• “Lovers and Friends,” off Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz’s 2004 album Crunk Juice, peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
• Jon’s platinum-certified 2006 club anthem “Snap Yo Fingers” reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
• In 2010, Jon issued his solo debut album, Crunk Rock. The diverse list of guests artists includes 3OH!3, Ying Yang Twins, and Damian and Stephen Marley.
• Jon and French producer DJ Snake’s 2013 smash “Turn Down for What” topped Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart and went sextuple platinum.
• Saweetie’s double-platinum 2019 hit “My Type” samples Jon’s production on Petey Pablo’s 2003 hit “Freek-A-Leek.”