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Jonathan H. Smith (born January 17, 1971), better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, DJ, and record producer. Regarded as a progenitor of the club-oriented
hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...
subgenre crunk, his production and voice presence were instrumental in the genre's commercial breakthrough in the early 2000s. He was also the front man of the group Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz, with whom he has released five albums. Having been credited on most crunk releases throughout the 2000s, Lil Jon produced several of the genre's ''Billboard'' Hot 100 hits including " Salt Shaker" by Ying Yang Twins, " Cyclone" by
Baby Bash Ronald Ray Bryant (born October 18, 1969), better known by his stage name Baby Bash (formerly Baby Beesh), is an American rapper. His first two albums, '' Savage Dreams'' (2001) and '' On Tha Cool'' (2002), were released by the independent Housto ...
, " Damn!" by YoungBloodZ, " Freek-a-Leek" by Petey Pablo, " Goodies" by
Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. She was discovered by record producer Jazze Pha in the early 2000s, and rose to prominence with her debut studio album, ''Goodies ...
, and " Yeah!" by Usher. The latter won Lil Jon a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Performance as part of his five
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
nominations. As a lead artist, three of his own singles — " Lovers and Friends" (with the East Side Boyz featuring Usher and Ludacris), " Get Low" (with the East Side Boyz featuring Ying Yang Twins), and " Snap Yo Fingers" (featuring E-40 and Sean P) — have peaked within the chart's top ten. His debut studio album, '' Crunk Rock'' (2010), was met with lukewarm critical and commercial response. In 2013, Lil Jon released " Turn Down for What" (with DJ Snake), an EDM single that has been certified 8× platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). The song went on to win the ''Billboard'' Music Award for Top Dance/Electronic Song. Its accompanying music video was nominated for Best Music Video at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards, and passed the milestone of 1 billion views on
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in 2020. Listed as one of the Top ''Billboard'' Music Award Winners of All Time in 2016, Lil Jon has amassed his eight number one singles on ''Billboard''s Rhythmic chart.


Early life

Smith was born in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
, and raised in a middle-class neighborhood located in Southwest Atlanta. He is the oldest of five children born to his father, an aerospace engineer with former military service, and his mother, with a medical career within the military. Three of his siblings would later follow their parents' lead and also serve in the United States military. Smith attended Beecher Hills Elementary School and Southwest Middle School, both located within the Atlanta Public Schools district. His mother described him as a high achiever early on in addition to being independent and a passionate reader. While in middle school, Smith became lifelong friends with Robert McDowell, Dwayne "Emperor" Searcy (future DJ and radio personality for Radio One's WHTA), and Vince Phillips (named as one of ''Billboard'''s Top Music Lawyers since 2020), who would become business partners. The foursome quickly became immersed in the
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culture and would later work at Skate Escape, a popular skate and bicycle shop near the city's iconic Piedmont Park. While his best friends attended Benjamin E. Mays High School, Smith attended Frederick Douglass High School for their magnet program and was a member of the marching band. They also began to frequently attend concerts at the Masquerade, to see their favorite bands, including
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and
Red Hot Chili Peppers The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982, consisting of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (musician), Flea (bass), John Frusciante (guitar), and Chad Smith (drums). Their music incorporates elements of a ...
. At the age of 15, Smith taught himself how to DJ, and although his parents were strict, they gave him a chance to work on his DJ skills by allowing him to have house parties in the basement of the family home, citing that they would rather have him under their watch than for him to "be in the street somewhere wilding out". The parties, hosted by Smith and Searcy, " Old Eng and Chicken Wing" became popular with local teens. In addition to working at the skate shop, Smith also began spinning at house parties and working in local dance clubs as a DJ. Eventually, Smith became an in-house DJ at Phoenix, a popular Atlanta nightclub at the time. It was there he would meet established music artists such as
Jermaine Dupri Jermaine Dupri Mauldin (born September 23, 1972) is an American rapper and record producer. Raised in Atlanta, Georgia as the son of Columbia Records executive Michael Mauldin, he began his career in music at the age of nine. He discovered th ...
, TLC, the Notorious B.I.G., Craig Mack, and Mary J. Blige.


Career


1991–2000: So So Def Recordings

After graduating from high school, Lil Jon continued to work as a DJ in popular downtown Atlanta clubs; it was there he met
Jermaine Dupri Jermaine Dupri Mauldin (born September 23, 1972) is an American rapper and record producer. Raised in Atlanta, Georgia as the son of Columbia Records executive Michael Mauldin, he began his career in music at the age of nine. He discovered th ...
. When it came to hiring an A&R to lead his Atlanta-based record label So So Def Recordings, Dupri stated that "All I could think about was Lil Jon, because he was the person in the clubs. He knew people, DJs knew him. I had to hire him." After he was promoted to Executive Vice President of A&R, Lil Jon recruited DJ Smurf, Shawty Redd, Raheem the Dream, and Playa Poncho with others to create the compilation album series, '' So So Def Bass All-Stars'' as his first project. Released on May 12, 1996, the album was a success, selling over 500,000 units and was certified gold by the
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
on September 19, 1996, four months after its initial release. The album, executive produced by Lil Jon, included the hit single " My Boo" by Ghost Town DJ's. It was sampled by
Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. She was discovered by record producer Jazze Pha in the early 2000s, and rose to prominence with her debut studio album, ''Goodies ...
in her 2013 hit single " Body Party". In 2016, 20 years after its initial release, the song re-entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart at number 29 due to a viral dance video. Lil Jon completed the series, releasing ''So So Def Bass All-Stars Vol. II'' (1997) and ''So So Def Bass All-Stars Vol. III'' (1998). Apart from his label commitments, Lil Jon was a radio personality and DJ on Atlanta radio station, V-103, continued to produce music for outside music artists, and was still working as a DJ at popular clubs around the city.


1995–2005: Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz

In 1995, Lil Jon collaborated with Big Sam and Lil' Bo to form a rap group: Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz. In 1996, the group released their debut single, "Who U Wit?". The song is credited as bringing the term " crunk" into hip-hop currency. In 1997, the group released their debut album '' Get Crunk, Who U Wit: Da Album''. The singles, "Who U Wit" and "Shawty Freak a Lil Sumtin'", charted on the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
chart at number 70 and number 62, respectively. In 2000, through the newly created label Black Market, the group released their breakthrough album '' We Still Crunk!!'', which featured the single "I Like Dem Girlz", which reached number 55 on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart and number 3 on the ''Billboard''
Hot Rap Tracks Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) is a chart released weekly by '' Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stat ...
chart. Bryan Leach, formerly an A&R executive at the now defunct New York-based label TVT Records, heard about the group and attended their Atlanta show. He was blown away by the group's immense energy. Leach told
HitQuarters HitQuarters was an international music industry publication and contact database founded in 1999. It was noted for its in-depth interviews with industry figures, as well as its A&R and manager contact directory, free artist promo pages and song ...
: "It was like early
Beastie Boys The Beastie Boys were an American Hip-hop, hip hop and Rap rock, rap rock group formed in New York City in 1979. They were composed of Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (vocals, guitar), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Mike D, ...
, when they had the energy of a rock group but they were rapping and it was just so different. Jon and I even referred to Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz as the black Beastie Boys because that energy is what crunk music is all about." By 2002, Leach signed Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz to TVT Records with Black Market delivering the albums to the label. The group released the album '' Put Yo Hood Up'', which combined previously released tracks with new ones. " Bia' Bia'" (featuring Ludacris, Too Short, Big Kap, and Chyna Whyte) was the group's first single to be played nationally. "Bia' Bia'" peaked at number 97 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number 47 on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart. The album was certified gold by the RIAA in June 2002. In 2002, the group released their sophomore studio album under the label '' Kings of Crunk'' with the song "I Don't Give a Fuck" (featuring Mystikal and Krayzie Bone) as the first single. It peaked at number 50 on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart. The group's next single, " Get Low" (featuring Ying Yang Twins), became popular in nightclubs nationwide; it reached the top ten on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The album was certified multi-platinum by the RIAA in August 2004. The song was also featured in '' Need for Speed: Underground'', which plays in the main menu as well as gameplay. In 2003, the group released '' Part II'', a remix album of previously released singles with a two new songs. In 2004, Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz released what would be the group's last studio album, '' Crunk Juice''. The lead single " What U Gon' Do" (featuring Lil Scrappy) peaked at number 22 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, number 13 on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart, and number 5 on the ''Billboard'' Rap chart. The second single, " Lovers and Friends" (featuring Usher and Ludacris), peaked at number 3 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, number 2 on the ''Billboard'' R&B Chart, and number 1 on the ''Billboard'' Rap chart. The album was certified multi-platinum in January 2005, two months after it was released. In 2005, after releasing six studio albums together and amidst ongoing creative and financial conflicts with TVT, the group disbanded.


2006–present: Solo career

In 2006, Lil Jon, in an attempt to fulfill his obligations to TVT, released the single " Snap Yo Fingers" (featuring E-40 and Sean P). The song peaked at number 7 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and was certified platinum on November 22, 2006. After the song was released, Lil Jon vowed to never to record for TVT Records again. In 2008, TVT Records, embroiled in legal battles, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In 2009, Lil Jon was featured alongside
Sean Paul Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques (born 9 January 1973) is a Jamaican dancehall musician. Paul's first album, ''Stage One'', was released in 2000. He gained international fame with his second album, ''Dutty Rock'', in 2002. Its single "Get Busy ...
on Jay Sean's double platinum single " Do You Remember" that was featured in the 2010 remake of '' The Karate Kid''. On February 16, 2010, Lil Jon released a song with Jamie Drastik called "How Many Girls" which is as a track to Drastik's mixtape, ''The Magnet''. On June 8, 2010, Lil Jon release his first solo album, '' Crunk Rock'', through Universal Republic Records. It featured artists such as
LMFAO LMFAO (an initialism for Laughing My Freaking Ass Off) was an American electronic dance music duo consisting of Redfoo and Sky Blu (rapper), Sky Blu. Redfoo is the youngest son of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy and Nancy Leiviska. Sky Blu ...
, Ying Yang Twins, Pitbull, 3OH!3, Ice Cube, Waka Flocka Flame, Stephen Marley, and Damian Marley among others. The album peaked at number 8 on the ''Billboard''
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip-hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Luminate. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated January 30, ...
chart and reached number 5 on the ''Billboard'' Top Rap Albums chart. The single, " Hey" (featuring 3OH!3), was also featured on the soundtrack for MTV's '' Jersey Shore'' with the entire cast appearing in the music video. The second single, "Outta Your Mind" (featuring LMFAO), was featured in the film ''Project X'' and used by Alex & Twitch on the Fox television series, '' So You Think You Can Dance'', which is considered to be the finest hip-hop routine ever performed on the series. Lil Jon said that "after the crunk era, I was fried from producing so much," eventually rediscovering a passion for performing as a DJ after discovering DJ Spider. This led to him meeting Steve Aoki, with whom he teamed up alongside Laidback Luke to record the song "
Turbulence In fluid dynamics, turbulence or turbulent flow is fluid motion characterized by chaotic changes in pressure and flow velocity. It is in contrast to laminar flow, which occurs when a fluid flows in parallel layers with no disruption between ...
", released on May 14, 2011, as a digital download in the United Kingdom and was released on July 17, 2011, as an EP. The radio edit version of the song was included on the bonus track version of Aoki's debut album '' Wonderland''. The song is also the current official goal song for the
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...
. In July 2011, he released a song with LMFAO called "Drink" through Ultra Records. It was used in the trailer for the film '' The World's End''. In 2012, he appeared on three songs featured in the film '' Step Up Revolution'' and on the film's soundtrack. He would go on to perform one of the songs from the film, " Goin' In" by
Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), also known by her nickname J.Lo, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and businesswoman. Lopez is regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of her time, credited with breaking ...
on the season finale of television series ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
''. In 2013, Lil Jon collaborated with DJ Snake and released " Turn Down for What" on
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
. The song reached number 1 on ''Billboards Rhythmic and Hot Dance/Electronic Songs charts, number 2 on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart, number 4 on the Hot 100, and number 5 on the
Mainstream Top 40 Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/contemporary hit radio, CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played o ...
. The song has had significant use in media and was certified 6× platinum by the RIAA. Lil Jon also partnered with Zumba Fitness to create a new nightclub tour titled "Zumba Nightclub Series" and for the Zumba Fitness series, he released a new song called "Work". On July 22, 2014, Lil Jon released the single " Bend Ova" (featuring
Tyga Micheal Ray StevensonMicheal Ray Stevenson
) on Epic Records. The song was featured in the two part series finale of the NBC television series '' Parks and Recreation''. " Take It Off" (featuring Yandel and
Becky G Rebbeca Marie Gomez (born March 2, 1997), known professionally as Becky G, is an American singer and actress. Born and raised in Inglewood, California, she first gained recognition in 2011 for her cover version, cover versions of popular song ...
) was released on July 22, 2016, and the single "Alive" (featuring Offset and
2 Chainz Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (formerly Tity Boi), is an American rapper and actor. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip-hop duo Playaz Ci ...
) was released in 2018 on
Geffen Records Geffen Records (formerly The David Geffen Company from 1980 to 1992 and Geffen Records Inc. from 1993 to 2004) is an American record label, founded in late 1980 by David Geffen. Originally a music subsidiary of the company known as Geffen Pi ...
. In December 2018, Lil Jon released the
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single "All I Really Want for Christmas" (featuring Kool-Aid Man) in cooperation with the Kool-Aid brand of soft drinks. In 2018, Lil Jon appeared in volume two of the
Future The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ex ...
-led soundtrack for the film '' Superfly''. The following year, he appeared in the soundtrack for '' Spies in Disguise'', curated by Mark Ronson. Lil Jon made a cameo in Usher's Super Bowl LVIII halftime show, performing "Turn Down for What" and his portion of "Yeah!". Lil Jon appeared at the 2024 Democratic National Convention and introduced the
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
delegation during the ceremonial roll call. He performed "Turn Down for What" and "Get Low", and instead of rapping "To the window ... to the wall!", he rapped " VP Harris ... Governor Walz".


Other ventures


BME Recordings

In 2004, Lil Jon, Robert McDowell, Vince Phillips, and Dwayne "Emperor" Searcy launched BME Recordings in a joint venture with Warner Bros. Records and released '' The King of Crunk & BME Recordings Present: Trillville & Lil Scrappy'' (2004), with Lil Jon producing most of the album. The single " Some Cut" has been a favorite of samplers over the years. The label entered the
San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a List of regions of California, region of California surrounding and including San Francisco Bay, and anchored by the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose, California, S ...
hyphy music scene with Bay Area rapper E-40, releasing the album, '' My Ghetto Report Card'' (2006) with the Lil Jon-produced single " Tell Me When to Go". The label released the album '' Bred 2 Die, Born 2 Live'' (2006) by Lil Scrappy.


Acting career

In 2003, Lil Jon was the voice of Jang Ryang in the American remake of the South Korean film '' Volcano High'', broadcast on MTV. After he was famously parodied by comedian Dave Chappelle, he would go on to make numerous appearances on the
Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American Cable television in the United States, cable television channel, channel owned by Paramount Global through its Paramount Media Networks, network division's Paramount Media Networks#MTV Entertainment Group, MTV Ente ...
series '' Chappelle's Show''. He has since appeared on various television shows including André 3000's animated series '' Class of 3000'', '' Crank Yankers'', '' Robotomy'', '' Hell's Kitchen'', '' Tiny House Nation'', ''Hollywood Puppet Show'', ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
'', '' About a Boy'', '' The Celebrity Apprentice'', and '' All-Star Celebrity Apprentice'', '' Bar Rescue'', '' The Bachelorette'', '' Hip Hop Squares'', and a commercial for Bud Light. Lil Jon is a fan of the television series '' The Walking Dead'' and has made multiple appearances as a guest on '' Talking Dead''. On January 29, 2019, a
Pepsi Pepsi is a Carbonated water, carbonated soft drink with a cola flavor, manufactured by PepsiCo which serves as its flagship product. In 2023, Pepsi was the second most valuable soft drink brand worldwide behind Coca-Cola; the two share a long ...
Super Bowl commercial featuring Lil Jon, rapper Cardi B, and actor Steve Carell was released. In 2022, Lil Jon teamed up with interior designer Anitra Mecadon for the HGTV series'' Lil Jon Wants to Do What?'', centered around home renovations.


Guided meditation

Lil Jon released two albums of guided meditation in 2024. His first album of guided meditations, ''Total Meditation'', was released on February 16, 2024. His second album of guided meditations, ''Manifest Abundance: Affirmations of Personal Growth'', was released on May 10. Lil Jon's goal with these guided meditations is to help people find peace and worry less by developing a new way of thinking through meditation. Lil Jon meditates daily with affirmations.


Soul Chakra

Lil Jon founded wellness brand Soul Chakra in 2024. The brand offers a range of products and services aimed at promoting holistic well-being, including crystals, apparel, and guided meditation albums.


Musical style and influences

Jason Birchmeier of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
has described Lil Jon's production as "bass-heavy", and his album '' Put Yo Hood Up'' as having "a long and varied list of guest rappers to accompany the beats". Describing that album with guest performers, Birchmeier remarked: "The end result is an album that resembles a street-level mixtape rather than a traditional artist-oriented album". Lil Jon was specifically influenced by 2 Live Crew, 8Ball & MJG, Three 6 Mafia, Outkast, Geto Boys, UGK, N.W.A, DJ Toomp, Dr. Dre, and Sir Mix-a-Lot. Alex Henderson, also of AllMusic, contrasted Lil Jon's style of "rowdy, in-your-face, profanity-filled party music" with other Southern rappers, those who "have a gangsta/thug life agenda" and those who convey "serious sociopolitical messages". Lil Jon has also found influence in rock music, having worked with Rick Rubin and Korn. He expresses this influence in his aggressive delivery and 'yelling' style of rap. He was seen on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of All-Time program wearing a Bad Brains T-shirt, and he used to listen to Lynyrd Skynyrd while growing up in the South in the 1970s.


Personal life

In 2004, Lil Jon married Nicole and together they have a son, Nathan (known as DJ Young Slade). Lil Jon has stated that one of his greatest joys is seeing everything come full circle with his son, who has been DJing since the age of 11. He is an avid fan of all of Atlanta's sports teams which included the
NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
's Atlanta Thrashers until they relocated to
Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...
in 2011. He also follows the
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teams, claiming that being in the city during the 2017 Las Vegas shooting and seeing the community response made him want to support what he calls his second home. His support for the
Vegas Golden Knights The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Golden Knights compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division ...
led to him appearing in the team 2019 documentary ''Valiant'', and being given a Stanley Cup ring after their 2023 title, which he wore during the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show. He is also a fan of the University of Tennessee Volunteers and DJ Sterl the Pearl, who adopted his hit song "Turn Down for What" on third downs, changing it to "Third Down for What". On October 4, 2014, Lil Jon made an appearance via Jumbotron encouraging the Volunteers to beat the University of Florida Gators; and also visited the Volunteers, giving them a pep talk. Lil Jon is a notable Atlanta resident and appears on advertisements in Hartsfield-Jackson Airport welcoming new arrivals to the city. He also appears on the Jumbotron at Mercedes-Benz Stadium during
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
and Atlanta United games. During Super Bowl LIII held in Atlanta in 2019, Lil Jon appeared in the NFL's "This Is Atlanta" promotional video to welcome incoming visitors to the city, alongside fellow Atlanta residents, former
Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
basketball player Dominique Wilkins, former
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...
baseball player Chipper Jones, civil right icons Congressman John Lewis and former congressman, Ambassador to the United Nations and Mayor of Atlanta Andrew Young, rappers Big Boi and Killer Mike, singer Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas of TLC, comedian Jeff Foxworthy, and television personality Ryan Seacrest. Organized by Jermaine Dupri, a host of Atlanta area high school drummers, local brass musicians and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra also appeared and supplied the underlying music. Lil Jon also appeared in
CBS Sports CBS Sports is the American sports programming division of Paramount Global that is responsible for sports broadcasts carried by its broadcast network CBS and streaming service Paramount+, as well as the operator of its cable channel CBS Sports N ...
' official open of the network's coverage of the game. In 2024, Lil Jon converted to
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
.


Philanthropy

Lil Jon has worked to help children in underdeveloped countries gain access to a proper education. He has helped to fund two schools in the village of Mafi Atitekpo in
Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...
, in partnership with the charity Pencils of Promise. The first, Abomayaw D.A. Kindergarten, opened in October 2017. The second school, Mafi Atitekpo DA Primary School, broke ground in January 2018 and will enroll 313 children. In 2019, Pencils of Promise honored both Lil Jon and Trevor Noah in recognition of their charitable efforts at the charity's annual gala. In 2018, a 16-year-old student of Douglass High School reached out to rapper and alumnus Killer Mike via
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in a last-chance attempt to raise money to cover expenses for the school marching band to travel to
New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
to march in the annual Mardi Gras parade. To his surprise, Killer Mike not only responded positively, but also enlisted the help of fellow alumni Lil Jon and T.I. They and donors covered the trip for the students.


Discography


Solo album

*'' Crunk Rock'' (2010)


Collaboration albums

With the East Side Boyz *'' Get Crunk, Who U Wit: Da Album'' (1997) *'' We Still Crunk!!'' (2000) *'' Put Yo Hood Up'' (2001) *'' Kings of Crunk'' (2002) *'' Crunk Juice'' (2004) With Kabir Sehgal *''Total Meditation'' (2024) *''Manifest Abundance: Affirmations for Personal Growth'' (2024)


Awards and nominations


American Music Awards

The
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by Dick Clark Productions since 1974. Nominees are selected on commercial performance such as sales and airplay. Winners are determined by a poll of the public and ...
is an annual awards ceremony created by
Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ...
in 1973. Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz has received two nominations, winning one for Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Band/Duo/Group. , - , 2003 , , Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz , , Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Band/Duo/Group , , , - , , , Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz , , Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Band/Duo/Group , ,


BMI London Awards

Broadcast Music, Inc. awards held in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
to honor songwriters for their accomplishments in Europe. , - , rowspan="1", 2009 , , rowspan="1", " The Anthem", , Pop Award , , , - , rowspan="1", 2011 , , rowspan="1", " Do You Remember" , , Pop Award , ,


BMI Pop Awards

Broadcast Music, Inc. awards honor songwriters for their accomplishments in
pop music Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom.S. Frith, W. Straw, and J. Street, eds, ''iarchive:cambridgecompani00frit, The Cambridge Companion to Pop ...
. , - , rowspan="1", 2005 , , rowspan="1", " Damn!" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2005 , , rowspan="1", " Get Low" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2005 , , rowspan="1", " Freek-a-Leek" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2005 , , rowspan="1", " Yeah!" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2005 , , rowspan="1", Himself , , Songwriter of the Year , , , - , rowspan="1", 2006 , , rowspan="1", Himself , , Songwriter of the Year , , , - , rowspan="1", 2006 , , rowspan="1", " Goodies" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2006 , , rowspan="1", " Lovers and Friends" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2006 , , rowspan="1", " Salt Shaker" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2011 , , rowspan="1", " Do You Remember" , , Most Performed Songs, , , - , rowspan="1", 2015 , , rowspan="1", " Turn Down for What", , Most Performed Songs, , , -


BMI Urban R&B/Hip-Hop Awards

Broadcast Music Inc. awards honor songwriters and publishers for their accomplishments in R&B and
hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...
. The award was previously named BMI Urban Award. , - , rowspan="1", 2003 , , rowspan="1", " Move Bitch" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2004 , , rowspan="1", " Damn!" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2004 , , rowspan="1", " Get Low" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2004 , , rowspan="1", " Goodies" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="2", 2005 , , rowspan="2", Himself , , Songwriter of the Year , , , - , Top Urban Producers , , , - , rowspan="2", 2005 , , rowspan="2", " Freek-a-Leek" , , Ringtone of the Year , , , - , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2005 , , rowspan="1", " Salt Shaker" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="2", 2005 , , rowspan="2", " Yeah!" , , Song of The Year , , , - , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2006 , , rowspan="1", " Lovers and Friends" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2007 , , rowspan="1", " Snap Yo Fingers", , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2007 , , rowspan="1", " U and Dat" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2008 , , rowspan="1", " Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2008 , , rowspan="1", " Cyclone" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2008 , , rowspan="1", " This Is Why I'm Hot" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2017 , , rowspan="1", " For Free" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2020 , , rowspan="1", " My Type" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2021 , , rowspan="1", " Best on Earth" , , Most Performed Songs , , , - , rowspan="1", 2021 , , rowspan="1", " Tap In" , , Most Performed Songs , ,


Grammy Awards

A
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
(stylized as GRAMMY) is an award presented by the Recording Academy to recognize achievement in the music industry.


MTV Video Music Awards

An MTV Video Music Award (abbreviated as a VMA) is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in the music video medium. , - , rowspan="1",
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
, , rowspan="1", " Get Low" (with the East Side Boyz and Ying Yang Twins) , , Best Rap Video, , , - , rowspan="4",
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
, , rowspan="4", " Yeah!" (with Usher and Ludacris) , , Video of the Year, , , - , Best Male Video , , , - , Best Dance Video , , , - , Best Choreography , , , - , rowspan="4",
2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
, , rowspan="4", " Turn Down for What" (with DJ Snake) , , MTV Clubland Award , , , - , Best Direction , , , - , Best Visual Effects , , , - , Best Art Direction , ,


MTV Video Music Awards Japan

, - , rowspan="1",
2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
, , rowspan="1", " Yeah!" (with Usher and Ludacris) , , Video of the Year , ,


MTV Europe Music Awards

, - ,
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
, , " Yeah!" (with Usher and Ludacris) , , Best Song , ,


Filmography


Film

*'' Soul Plane'' (2004) *'' Boss'n Up'' (2005) *'' Date Movie'' (2006) *'' Scary Movie 4'' (2006)


Television

*'' Volcano High'' (2003) *'' The Sharon Osbourne Show'' (2003) *'' Mad TV'' (2003, 2005) *'' All of Us'' (2004) *'' Like Family'' (2004) *'' Chappelle's Show'' (2004) *''How I'm Living'' (2004) *'' The Andy Milonakis Show'' (2005) *'' MTV Cribs'' (2005) *'' Wild 'n Out'' (2006) *'' Criss Angel Mindfreak'' (2006) *'' Pimp My Ride UK'' (2006) *'' Crank Yankers'' (2007) *'' Class of 3000'' (2007) *'' Robotomy'' (2010) *'' Freaknik: The Musical'' (2010) *'' Ridiculousness'' (2012) *'' The Celebrity Apprentice'' (2011, 2013) *'' The Jenny McCarthy Show'' (2013) *'' Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen'' (2013) *'' Master of the Mix'' (2013) *'' The Eric Andre Show'' (2014) *'' About a Boy'' (2014) *''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' (2014) *'' Comedy Bang! Bang!'' (2015) *'' Hell's Kitchen'' (2016) *''Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry'' (2016) *'' Talking Dead'' (2017) *'' Tiny House Nation'' (2017) *'' The Bachelorette'' (2018) *'' Bar Rescue'' (2018) *''Hollywood Puppet Show'' (2018) *'' The Rap Game'' (2019) *''Lil Jon Wants to Do What?'' (2022)


Video games

*'' Tony Hawk's American Wasteland'' (2005) *'' Def Jam: Icon'' (2007)


See also

* List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards * List of artists who reached number one in the United States *
Honorific nicknames in popular music When describing popular music artists, honorific nicknames are used, most often in the media or by fans, to indicate the significance of an artist, and are often Pantheon (religion), religious, Kinship terminology, familial, or most frequentl ...
*
List of best-selling singles This is a compendium of the best-selling single (music), music singles. The criterion for inclusion is to sell at least ten million copies worldwide. The singles listed here were cited by reliable sources from various media, such as digital j ...
* List of ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart achievements and milestones


References


External links


Official website
* {{Authority control 1971 births Living people 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American male musicians African-American crunk musicians American crunk musicians African-American DJs African-American male rappers 21st-century American male rappers African-American Muslims African-American record producers American hip-hop DJs American hip-hop record producers Grammy Award winners for rap music Hardcore hip-hop artists Rappers from Atlanta American dance musicians Atlantic Records artists American music industry executives Epic Records artists Geffen Records artists Southern hip-hop musicians Interscope Records artists Hype men MTV Video Music Award winners Republic Records artists TVT Records artists Universal Records artists 21st-century African-American musicians 20th-century African-American musicians Converts to Islam Muslims from Georgia (U.S. state)