Hood Hop

“Hood Hop” is the debut studio album by J-Kwon, released on April 6, 2004, through So So Def Recordings and Arista Records.

The story

J-Kwon, born Jerrell C. Jones in St. Louis, was 17 when his debut single “Tipsy” was released. He had signed with Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def, an imprint of Arista, arriving a year after Chingy and four years after Nelly had brought national attention to St. Louis rap. “Tipsy” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 2004 after 14 weeks on the chart, reached the top ten in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and topped the UK R&B Singles Chart. The album arrived while the single was still climbing.

Sound and production

Most of the album was produced by the Trackboyz, the St. Louis production team behind “Tipsy”, with additional work from Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox. Guests include the St. Lunatics, Eboni Eyes, Big B, Jermaine Dupri and Sadiyyah, who sings on the second single, “You & Me”. The official remix of “Tipsy”, released separately, added fellow St. Louis rappers Chingy and Murphy Lee.

Legacy

“Hood Hop” sold 125,000 copies in its first week, peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and No. 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and finished at No. 122 on the Billboard 200 year-end chart for 2004. The RIAA certified it gold, and “Tipsy” was certified platinum. Critics were mixed. RapReviews praised J-Kwon’s earnestness but doubted his “long-term staying power”, USA Today called the material “uninspired, by-the-numbers tracks”, and Rolling Stone described him as “an argument against drafting high school rappers straight to the pros”. J-Kwon later returned to the title with “Hood Hop 2” and “Hood Hop 2.5” in 2009. Alongside “Country Grammar” and Chingy’s “Jackpot”, the album marks the peak years of St. Louis rap on the national charts, when Nelly, the St. Lunatics, Chingy and J-Kwon all reached the top ten of the Billboard 200 within four years.

Released April 6, 2004. More from hip hop in 2004.