Crunk Juice
2004 studio album by Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz
Crunk Juice is the fifth and final studio album by American Southern hip hop group Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz .[ 1] It was released on November 16, 2004, under BME Recordings and TVT Records . The production was primarily handled by Lil Jon himself, who also collaborated in the executive production, alongside Bryan Leach, Rob McDowell, Emperor Searcy, Vince Phillips , the Neptunes and Rick Rubin. The album includes guest appearances from rappers and singers, like R. Kelly , Ludacris , Ice Cube , Usher , Bun B from UGK , Jadakiss , Nas , T.I. , the Ying Yang Twins and Pharrell .
Lil Jon's next solo album, Crunk Rock , released on June 8, 2010, did not feature the East Side Boyz. As of 2022, Crunk Juice remains as the last release to feature the East Side Boyz.
Singles
Crunk Juice was supported by four singles.
Lead single "What U Gon' Do " was released on November 2, 2004.[ 2]
The second single "Lovers & Friends ", was released on November 9, 2004.
The third single "Real Nigga Roll Call ", was released on December 21, 2004.
The fourth single "Get Crunk", was released on vinyl.
Crunk Juice debuted at number 31 on the US Billboard 200 chart.[ 3] In its second week, the album jumped to number three on the Billboard 200, selling 363,000 copies.[ 4] It became Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz' first top-ten album in the United States. In the third week, the album remained in the top-ten on the Billboard 200, selling 196,000 copies.[ 5] The album was certified 2x Multi-Platinum by the RIAA on January 12, 2005.[ 6]
Critical reception
Crunk Juice received a wide range of reviews. Rating the album four stars out of five, David Jeffries of AllMusic called the album "just as exciting and remarkably powerful" as Back in Black by AC/DC , adding: "Production by production, record by record, Lil Jon has become a more detailed producer."[ 8] Steve Jones of USA Today , rating the album three out of four stars, praised the album for "show[ing] that crunk comes in more than one flavor" in the R&B-themed "Lovers & Friends" and what he called an "experiment in crunk rock" in the Rick Rubin -produced "Stop Fuckin' With Me".[ 17]
In contrast, for a three-and-a-half stars out of five review, Orisanmi Burton of AllHipHop commented: "What the album lacks in artistry and maturity, it makes up for in energy and rhythm."[ 7] Critics in Lil Jon's hometown Atlanta also offered mixed reviews. Sonia Murray of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution called Lil Jon a "more numbingly simple chanter than noteworthy rapper...[who] now has the cachet to get A-list acts to join in on the inanity."[ 9] Creative Loafing Atlanta expressed shock at the presence of "Lovers & Friends", with one critic calling it "something they'd play at an eighth-grade dance."[ 18] Neil Drumming of Entertainment Weekly graded the album with a C, calling the songs "practically all hook...recited ad nauseam in Jon’s throaty growl...with over-the-top vitriolic rants and nausea-inducing misogyny."[ 10]
Other reviews were more scathing. Lee Henderson of PopMatters called Lil Jon "the Raffi of gangsta rap" due to "reduc[ing] rap to endless and incredibly stupid choruses of nasty-talk" in the album.[ 19] Matt Ozga of Prefix panned the album for what he called Lil Jon's "questionable ability as a producer" and "fingernails-on-an-eardrum voice" and lyrics with "vile, witless anti-woman venom", in rating the album 2.5 out of five points.[ 13] Pete Cashmore of NME rated the album four points out of 10: "It’s almost laughably one-note, devoid of nuance, stunted of vocabulary and aeons too long."[ 12]
Flavored malt beverage
Crunk Juice is also the name of a once popular flavoured malt beverage launched by Gila Brew Co., LLC. It was made by 7th Street Brewing. They announced in 2011 they were going to relaunch the brand and have new package designs and a new flavours with a smoother taste. It was made available to purchase in several major US cities like Philadelphia.[ 20]
Track listing
Title Writer(s) Producer(s)[ 21] 1. "Crunk Juice" Lil Jon 0:57 2. "Get Crunk" (featuring Bo Hagon) Smith Cederic Leonard McDowell Norris 4:18 3. "What U Gon' Do " (featuring Lil Scrappy ) Lil Jon 5:20 4. "Real Nigga Roll Call " (featuring Ice Cube ) Smith O.B. Jackson McDowell Norris Lil Jon 5:08 5. "Bo Hagon's Phone Call (skit)" (featuring Bo Hagon) Lil Jon 1:21 6. "Da Blow" (featuring Gangsta Boo ) 5:59 7. "Contract" (featuring Trillville , Jazze Pha , and Pimpin' Ken) Lil Jon 5:53 8. "E-40 Choppin' (skit)" (featuring E-40 ) Lil Jon 0:41 9. "White Meat" (featuring 8Ball & MJG ) Lil Jon 4:47 10. "Stop Fuckin' wit Me" Rick Rubin 5:58 11. "Chris Rock Let's Be Friends (skit)" (featuring Chris Rock ) Chris Rock Lil Jon 0:09 12. "Lovers & Friends " (featuring Usher and Ludacris ) Lil Jon 4:20 13. "One Night Stand" (featuring Oobie) Corey Evans Love Smith Larry Linn LaMarquis Mark Jefferson Norris Tenaia Sanders Lil Jon 4:33 14. "Aww Skeet Skeet" (featuring DJ Flexx) Benny Harley Smith Keith Clagon Raymond Brown DJ Flexx, Scotty Beats (co.) 4:45 15. "Chris Rock in da Club (skit)" (featuring Chris Rock) Rock Lil Jon 0:26 16. "In da Club" (featuring R. Kelly and Ludacris) Lil Jon 4:29 17. "Bitches Ain't Shit" (featuring Nate Dogg , Suga Free , Snoop Dogg , and Oobie) Lil Jon 4:36 18. "Chris Rock Get Lower (skit)" (featuring Chris Rock) Rock Lil Jon 0:33 19. "Stick Dat Thang Out (Skeezer)" (featuring Pharrell and Ying Yang Twins ) The Neptunes 3:55 20. "Grand Finale" (featuring Bun B , Jadakiss , T.I. , Nas , and Ice Cube) Lil Jon 6:48
Notes
Track 6 contains samples of the remix of "Sippin' & Spinnin' [Remix]", as performed by Gangsta Boo , Playa Fly, and Bun B .[ 22]
Track 10 contains samples of "Mandatory Suicide" and "Raining Blood", as performed by Slayer .
Track 12 contains samples of "Lovers and Friends", as performed by Michael Sterling .
Track 17 contains samples of "Tonight", as performed by Kleeer ; and contains an interpolation of "Saturday Love ", as performed by Alexander O'Neal and Cherrelle .
Early pressings of this album erroneously credited Fat Joe (rather than Jadakiss) as one of the rappers in "The Grand Finale".
Bonus remix disc
Confirmed by Artist Direct.
Bonus remix disc[ 23] Title Writer(s) Producer(s) 1. "Vivica A. Fox (Intro)" (featuring Vivica A. Fox ) V. Fox Lil Jon 0:19 2. "What U Gon' Do (Jamaica Remix) " (featuring Elephant Man and Lady Saw ) J. Smith, M. Hall, O. Bryan, S. Norris Lil Jon 5:48 3. "What U Gon' Do (Latino Remix) " (featuring Pitbull and Daddy Yankee ) A. Perez, J. Smith, S. Norris Lil Jon 5:09 4. "Lean Back (Remix) " (featuring Fat Joe , Mase , and Eminem ) J. Smith, J. Cartagena, M. Betha, M. Mathers, R. Smith, S. Storch Scott Storch (co.) 5:08 5. "Let's Go (Remix) " (featuring Trick Daddy and Twista ) C. Young, C.C. Mitchell, J. Smith, M. Young Lil Jon 3:24 6. "Ménage à Trois" (featuring Bo Hagon) Chuck Leonard, J. Lewis, J. Smith Lil Jon 2:49 7. "Gasolina (DJ Buddha Remix)" (featuring Daddy Yankee, Pitbull, and N.O.R.E. ) A. Perez, J. Smith, R. Ayala, V. Santiago DJ Buddha 4:44 8. "Chris Rock Crunk Rock (skit)" (featuring Chris Rock ) C. Rock Lil Jon 0:24 9. "Roll Call (Crunk Rock Remix)" (featuring Ice Cube ) C.P. Love, D. Jenifer, G. Miller, J. Smith, LaMarquis Mark Jefferson, O.B. Jackson, P. Hudson, R. McDowell, S. Norris Lil Jon 5:10 10. "Roll Call (Edited) (Bad Brains Band Remix)" (featuring Ice Cube) D. Jenifer, G. Miller, J. Smith, O.B. Jackson, P. Hudson, R. McDowell, S. Norris Lil Jon, Bad Brains 5:08
DVD
Music videos[ 23] Title 1. "What U Gon' Do" (Music video) 4:50 2. "Roll Call"
Live performances Title Live at 2. "Confessions /Yeah! " (performed by Usher , Lil Jon , and Ludacris ) 2004 MTV Video Music Awards 5:52 3. "Footage video" 2004 MTV Movie Awards 4. "Hot 97.1 Summer Jam Performance" (performed by Lil Jon and the Eastside Boyz, Pitbull, and Ying Yang Twins includes footage) 2004 Summer Jam
Extra Title 5. "BET's How I'm Living" (Interview) 6. "The Making of Crunk Juice Album"
Chopped & Screwed
Title 1. "Crunk Juice Intro" 1:25 2. "What U Gon' Do (featuring Lil Scrappy)" 6:10 3. "Get Crunk (featuring Bo Hagan)" 5:44 4. "White Meat (featuring 8 Ball and MJG)" 5:01 5. "Da Blow (featuring Gangsta Boo)" 6:11 6. "Lovers & Friends (featuring Ludacris and Usher)" 5:34 7. "One Night Stand (featuring Oobie)" 5:45 8. "E40 Choppin" 0:38 9. "Contract (featuring Trillville, Jazze Pha, and Pimpin' Ken)" 6:22 10. "Real Nigga Roll Call (featuring Ice Cube)" 6:18 11. "Watts (Intro)" 0:14 12. "Stop Fuckin with Me" 6:32 13. "Aww Skeet Skeet Intro" 0:52 14. "Aww Skeet Skeet (featuring DJ Flexx)" 4:52 15. "Chris Rock "Let's Be Friends"" 0:20 16. "In Da Club (featuring Ludacris and R. Kelly)" 5:34 17. "Bitches Ain't Shit (featuring Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Suga Free, and Oobie)" 5:16 18. "Grand Finale (featuring Nas, Bun B, T.I., and Ice Cube)" 7:07 19. "Lean Back (Remix) (featuring Fat Joe, Mase, and Eminem)" 4:12 Total length: 79:55
Personnel
Adapted from Artist Direct anad AllMusic[ 24] [ 25] [ 26]
8Ball – primary artist
Scotty Beats – mixing, producer
Big Sam – rapping
Michael Blackwell – photography
Warren Bletcher – assistant engineer, mixing assistant
Bun B – primary artist
Josh Butler – engineer
Chris Carmouche – engineer
Andrew Coleman – engineer
DJ Flexx – audio production, engineer producer, rapping
Nate Dogg – primary artist, rapping
8Ball and MJG – guest artist, rapping
Emperor Searcy – executive producer
Fat Joe – primary artist, rapping
Gary Fly – assistant engineer, mixing assistant
John Frye – engineer, mixing
Gangsta Boo – primary artist, rapping
Abel Garibaldi – engineer
Stephen Georgiafandis – engineer
Bo Hagon – primary artist
Ice Cube – guest artist, rapping
Jazze Pha – guest artist, rapping
LaMarquis Mark Jefferson – bass
R. Kelly – guest vocals
L-Roc – Keyboards
Jason Lader – engineer, mixing
Bryan Leach – executive producer
Jonathan Lewis – producer
Craig Love – guitar
Lil Bo – rapping
Lil Scrappy – primary artist, rapping
Craig Love – guitar
Ludacris – guest artist rapping
Rob McDowell – executive producer
Ian Mereness – engineer
MHG – primary artist
Nas – rapping
The Neptunes – audio production, producer
Oobie – primary artist
Vince Phillips – executive producer
Pimpin' Ken – performer, primary artist
Rick Rubin – producer
Andrew Scheps – mixing
Paolo Sheehy – engineer
Jonathon "Lil Jon " Smith – executive producer, mixing, producer
Snoop Dogg – guest artist, rapping
Scott Storch – keyboards,
Chris Steinmetz – engineer
Suga Free – primary artist
Brian Sumner – engineer
T.I. – primary artist, rapping
Trillville – primary artist
Usher – guest artist, vocals
Mark Vinten – engineer
Benjamin Wheelock – design
Pharrell Williams – guest artist, vocals
Ying Yang Twins – guest artist, rapping
Wassim Zreik – engineer
Danny Zook – sample clearance
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
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^ "What U Gon' Do – Lil Jon" . AllMusic . November 2, 2004. Archived from the original on February 19, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2021 .
^ Whitmire, Margo (November 17, 2004). "Eminem Takes Early 'Encore' To No. 1" . Billboard . Retrieved February 8, 2009 .
^ Whitmire, Margo (November 24, 2004). "Eminem Thankful To Remain No. 1" . Billboard . Retrieved February 8, 2009 .
^ Whitmire, Margo (December 1, 2004). "U2's 'Bomb' Explodes At No. 1" . Billboard . Retrieved February 8, 2009 .
^ Ahale (January 24, 2005). "Crunk Juice Certified 2x" . Hiphopdx . Retrieved October 10, 2018 .
^ a b Burton, Orisanmi (November 28, 2004). "Crunk Juice" . AllHipHop . Archived from the original on December 4, 2004. Retrieved August 11, 2018 .
^ a b Jeffries, David (November 16, 2004). "Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz: Crunk Juice" . AllMusic . Retrieved August 11, 2018 .
^ a b Murray, Sonia (November 16, 2004), "Lil Jon, crew crank up chant with A-list assist" , Atlanta Journal-Constitution , p. E1, retrieved August 11, 2018
^ a b Drumming, Neil (November 8, 2004). "Crunk Juice Review" . Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on April 26, 2009. Retrieved August 11, 2018 .
^ Lynskey, Dorian (January 21, 2005). "Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz, Crunk Juice" . The Guardian . Retrieved August 11, 2018 .
^ a b Cashmore, Pete (September 12, 2005). "Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz : Crunk Juice" . NME . Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2018 .
^ a b Ozga, Matt (November 16, 2004). "Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz: Crunk Juice" . Prefix . Archived from the original on May 13, 2005. Retrieved August 11, 2018 .
^ Juon, Steve "Flash" (November 23, 2004). "Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz :: Crunk Juice :: TVT Records" . RapReviews. Retrieved January 9, 2012 .
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^ a b "Snoop paints a rap 'Masterpiece' " . USA Today . November 15, 2004. Archived from the original on October 27, 2005. Retrieved August 11, 2018 .
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^ a b "Crunk Juice (Bonus CD & DVD) Tracklist –" . Artistdirect.com. Archived from the original on December 17, 2011. Retrieved January 9, 2012 .
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