Lil Jon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lil Jon
Lil Jon in 2024
Background information
Born	(1971-01-17) January 17, 1971 (age 54) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genres	Southern hip-hop crunk EDM
Occupation(s)	Rapper disc jockey record producer entrepreneur music executive
Instruments	Vocals keyboards synthesizer drum machine sampler
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Epic Republic Geffen Interscope Black Market
Signature

Jonathan H. Smith (born January 17, 1971), known as Lil Jon, is an American rapper and music producer. He helped create a type of hip-hop music called crunk. His unique voice and music style were very important in making crunk popular in the early 2000s. He was also the leader of the music group Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz, and they released five albums together.

Lil Jon produced many popular songs that reached the Billboard Hot 100 chart. These included "Salt Shaker" by Ying Yang Twins and "Yeah!" by Usher. "Yeah!" won Lil Jon a Grammy Award. As a main artist, three of his own songs were in the top ten: "Lovers and Friends", "Get Low", and "Snap Yo Fingers". His first solo album, Crunk Rock, came out in 2010.

In 2013, Lil Jon released "Turn Down for What" with DJ Snake. This EDM song became very successful. It was certified 8 times platinum, meaning it sold millions of copies. The song won a Billboard Music Award. Its music video was nominated for a Grammy Award and reached over 1 billion views on YouTube by 2020. Lil Jon has had eight number one songs on Billboard's Rhythmic chart.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Lil Jon grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the oldest of five children. His father was an aerospace engineer, and his mother worked in the military medical field. Three of his siblings also joined the military.

He went to Beecher Hills Elementary and Southwest Middle School in Atlanta. His mother said he was a very smart and independent child who loved to read. In middle school, he became good friends with Robert McDowell, Dwayne "Emperor" Searcy, and Vince Phillips. These friends later became his business partners.

The four friends loved skateboarding. They even worked at a popular skate and bike shop called Skate Escape. Lil Jon went to Frederick Douglass High School for a special program and was in the marching band. They often went to concerts to see bands like Agent Orange and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

When he was 15, Lil Jon taught himself to DJ. His parents were strict, but they let him practice by hosting parties in their basement. These "Old E and Chicken Parties" became very popular with local teens. Lil Jon also started DJing at local dance clubs. He became a resident DJ at Phoenix, a popular Atlanta nightclub. There, he met famous artists like Jermaine Dupri and Mary J. Blige.

Music Career

Early Career with So So Def Recordings

After high school, Lil Jon continued to DJ in Atlanta clubs. This is where he met Jermaine Dupri, who was starting his record label, So So Def Recordings. Dupri hired Lil Jon as an A&R (Artists and Repertoire) executive because he knew everyone in the clubs.

As Executive Vice President of A&R, Lil Jon helped create the So So Def Bass All-Stars album series. The first album, released in 1996, sold over 500,000 copies and was certified gold. It included the hit song "My Boo" by Ghost Town DJ's. This song was later used by Ciara in her 2013 hit "Body Party". In 2016, "My Boo" became popular again because of a viral dance video. Lil Jon also released So So Def Bass All-Stars Vol. II (1997) and So So Def Bass All-Stars Vol. III (1998). During this time, Lil Jon also worked as a radio personality and DJ for Atlanta radio station V-103.

Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz

In 1995, Lil Jon formed a rap group called Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz with Big Sam and Lil' Bo.

First Albums and Breakthrough

In 1996, the group released their first song, "Who U Wit?". This song helped make the word "crunk" famous in hip-hop. In 1997, they released their first album, Get Crunk, Who U Wit: Da Album. Their songs "Who U Wit" and "Shawty Freak a Lil Sumtin'" appeared on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

In 2000, the group released their successful album We Still Crunk!! through their new label, Black Market. The song "I Like Dem Girlz" from this album reached number 55 on the Billboard R&B chart.

A music executive named Bryan Leach from TVT Records saw the group perform in Atlanta. He was amazed by their energy. He said they were like "the black Beastie Boys" because their energy was what crunk music was all about. By 2002, Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz signed with TVT Records. They released the album Put Yo Hood Up, which included old and new songs. "Bia' Bia'" was their first song played across the country. The album was certified gold in 2002.

Kings of Crunk and Later Success

In 2002, the group released their next album, Kings of Crunk. The song "Get Low" became very popular in clubs and reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified multi-platinum by 2004. "Get Low" was also featured in the video game Need for Speed: Underground. In 2003, they released Part II, which was a remix album with two new songs.

In 2004, Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz released their last album together, Crunk Juice. The song "What U Gon' Do" reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. The second song, "Lovers and Friends" with Usher and Ludacris, reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the Billboard Rap chart. The album was certified multi-platinum in 2005. After releasing six albums and having disagreements with TVT, the group broke up in 2005.

Solo Career

In 2006, Lil Jon released the song "Snap Yo Fingers". It reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum. After this, Lil Jon decided not to record for TVT Records again. In 2008, TVT Records faced legal problems and went out of business.

In 2009, Lil Jon was featured on Jay Sean's song "Do You Remember". This song was later in The Karate Kid movie in 2010. On June 8, 2010, Lil Jon released his first solo album, Crunk Rock. ..... The album reached number 8 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The song "Hey" was on the soundtrack for MTV's Jersey Shore. Another song, "Outta Your Mind," was in the movie Project X.

Lil Jon said that after the crunk era, he was tired from producing so much music. He found his passion for performing again as a DJ. This led him to meet Steve Aoki, and they worked together on the song "Turbulence" in 2011. This song is now the official goal song for the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team.

..... It was used in the movie trailer for The World's End. In 2012, he appeared on three songs in the movie Step Up Revolution. He also performed one of these songs, "Goin' In" by Jennifer Lopez, on the TV show American Idol.

In 2013, Lil Jon worked with DJ Snake on "Turn Down for What". This song became a huge hit, reaching number 1 on several Billboard charts. It has been used a lot in movies and TV shows. Lil Jon also partnered with Zumba Fitness to create a "Zumba Nightclub Series" and released a new song called "Work" for the fitness program.

On July 22, 2014, Lil Jon released "Bend Ova" with Tyga. This song was featured in the TV show Parks and Recreation. "Take It Off" with Yandel and Becky G was released in 2016. In 2018, he released "Alive" with Offset and 2 Chainz. In December 2018, Lil Jon released a Christmas song called "All I Really Want for Christmas" with the Kool-Aid brand.

In 2018, Lil Jon appeared on the soundtrack for the movie Superfly. The next year, he was on the soundtrack for Spies in Disguise. Lil Jon made a surprise appearance at Usher's Super Bowl LVIII halftime show in 2024, performing "Turn Down for What" and "Yeah!".

Lil Jon also appeared at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. He introduced the Georgia delegation and performed "Turn Down for What" and "Get Low". He changed some of the lyrics to mention political figures.

Other Activities

BME Recordings

In 2004, Lil Jon, Robert McDowell, Vince Phillips, and Dwayne "Emperor" Searcy started BME Recordings. They worked with Warner Bros. Records. They released albums like The King of Crunk & BME Recordings Present: Trillville & Lil Scrappy (2004), with Lil Jon producing most of the music. The song "Some Cut" from this album has been used by many other artists. The label also worked with Bay Area rapper E-40, releasing his album My Ghetto Report Card (2006) which included the Lil Jon-produced song "Tell Me When to Go".

Acting and TV Appearances

In 2003, Lil Jon was the voice of a character in the American version of the South Korean film Volcano High. He also appeared many times on the TV show Chappelle's Show after comedian Dave Chappelle famously made fun of him. Since then, he has been on many TV shows, including Class of 3000, Crank Yankers, Hell's Kitchen, Tiny House Nation, American Idol, The Celebrity Apprentice, and Bar Rescue. He is a big fan of the TV show The Walking Dead and has been a guest on Talking Dead multiple times. In 2019, Lil Jon was in a Pepsi Super Bowl commercial with Cardi B and Steve Carell. In 2022, Lil Jon started a show on HGTV called Lil Jon Wants to Do What?, where he helps people renovate their homes.

Guided Meditation

Lil Jon released two albums of guided meditation in 2024. His first album, Total Meditation, came out on February 16, 2024. His second album, Manifest Abundance: Affirmations of Personal Growth, was released on May 10, 2024. Lil Jon wants these meditations to help people find peace and worry less by learning new ways of thinking. He meditates every day using affirmations.

Soul Chakra

In 2024, Lil Jon started a wellness brand called Soul Chakra. This brand offers products and services to help people feel good, including crystals, clothing, and his guided meditation albums.

Musical Style

Lil Jon's music is known for its strong bass. His album Put Yo Hood Up featured many guest rappers. This made the album feel like a mix of different artists rather than just one.

Lil Jon was influenced by groups like 2 Live Crew, Three 6 Mafia, and N.W.A. His music is often described as loud, energetic, and party-focused. He has also been influenced by rock music and has worked with rock artists. He shows this influence in his strong, yelling style of rapping. He has worn a Bad Brains T-shirt and listened to Lynyrd Skynyrd when he was growing up.

Personal Life

In 2004, Lil Jon married Nicole. They have a son named Nathan, who is known as DJ Young Slade. Lil Jon is very happy that his son is also a DJ, starting at age 11.

He is a big fan of all of Atlanta's sports teams. He also supports the Las Vegas teams, saying that being in the city during the 2017 Las Vegas shooting made him want to support his "second home." His support for the Vegas Golden Knights hockey team led to him appearing in their 2019 documentary Valiant. He even received a Stanley Cup ring after their 2023 championship, which he wore during the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show. He also supports the University of Tennessee Volunteers and their DJ, who uses Lil Jon's song "Turn Down for What" for third downs, changing it to "Third Down for What."

Lil Jon is a well-known resident of Atlanta. He appears in advertisements at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport welcoming visitors. He also appears on the big screen at Mercedes-Benz Stadium during Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United games. During Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta in 2019, Lil Jon was in an NFL video welcoming visitors to the city. He was with other famous Atlanta residents like Dominique Wilkins, Chipper Jones, and John Lewis.

In 2024, Lil Jon became a Muslim.

Helping Others

Lil Jon has worked to help children in developing countries get a good education. He has helped fund two schools in Ghana, Africa, with the charity Pencils of Promise. The first school opened in October 2017. The second school started being built in January 2018 and will teach 313 children. In 2019, Pencils of Promise honored Lil Jon and Trevor Noah for their charity work.

In 2018, a 16-year-old student from Douglass High School asked rapper and former student Killer Mike for help. The student needed money for the school marching band to travel to New Orleans for the Mardi Gras parade. Killer Mike not only helped but also got Lil Jon and T.I. to help. They and other donors paid for 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

Lil Jon has won many awards for his music.

American Music Awards

He won an American Music Award in 2003 with Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz.

BMI Awards

Lil Jon has won many BMI Pop Awards and BMI Urban R&B/Hip-Hop Awards for his songwriting and for his songs being played often. He was named Songwriter of the Year multiple times.

Grammy Awards

He won a Grammy Award in 2005 for "Yeah!" with Usher and Ludacris. He was also nominated for other Grammy Awards, including for "Turn Down for What" in 2015.

MTV Video Music Awards

Lil Jon has won MTV Video Music Awards. In 2004, "Yeah!" won for Best Male Video and Best Dance Video. In 2014, "Turn Down for What" won for Best Direction.

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)
• 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 (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

In Spanish: Lil Jon para niños

• List of artists who reached number one in the United States
• List of best-selling singles