Kings Of Crunk

“Kings of Crunk” is the fourth studio album by Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz, released in October 2002 through BME Recordings and TVT Records.

The story

Recorded across more than a dozen studios in Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans, Memphis, New York and Yonkers during 2001 and 2002, the album followed a run of regional releases. It was preceded by the singles “Play No Games” and “I Don’t Give a F***,” but its fortunes changed with “Get Low,” released as a single in February 2003, which became the group’s breakthrough hit and drove sales long after release.

Sound and production

Lil Jon produced the entire album and served as an executive producer. The record distills the crunk formula into its most direct form, with stark synth lines, hard-hitting 808 drums and shouted, chant-driven hooks designed for club and stadium energy.

Legacy

“Kings of Crunk” debuted at number 15 with about 71,000 copies sold and later peaked at number 14 on the Billboard 200, number 2 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 1 on Independent Albums. It passed two million U.S. sales by late 2004, was certified double platinum by the RIAA and ranked as the top-selling independent album of that period. It made Lil Jon one of the most in-demand producers of the mid-2000s and pushed crunk into the pop mainstream.

More from hip hop in 2002.