Crunk Juice

Crunk Juice is the fifth and final studio album by American hip hop group Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz.[2] 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 contains numerous collaborations 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 among others. Lil Jon's next solo album, Crunk Rock, released on June 8, 2010, did not feature the East Side Boyz.

Crunk Juice
Studio album by Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz
Released	November 16, 2004 (US)
Recorded	2004
Genre	Crunk Southern hip hop dirty rap hardcore hip hop gangsta rap
Length	74:54
Label	BME Recordings TVT Records
Producer	Lil Jon (also exec.) Bryan Leach (exec.) Rob McDowell (exec.) Emperor Searcy (exec.) Vincent "Vince" Phillips (exec.) Lil Jay Young Snipe Rick Rubin DJ Flexx Scotty Beats The Neptunes
Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz chronology
Part II (2003) Crunk Juice (2004)
Lil Jon chronology
Part II (2003) Crunk Juice (2004) MTV VMA Score (2005)
Singles from Crunk Juice
"What U Gon' Do" Released: November 2, 2004[1] "Lovers & Friends" Released: November 9, 2004 "Real Nigga Roll Call" Released: December 21, 2004

Three of four singles released from the album have music videos: "What U Gon Do," "Real Nigga Roll Call," and "Lovers and Friends." The fourth single, "Get Crunk," did not have a music video, though it was released on vinyl and got radio airplay.

Commercial performance

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

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllHipHop	[7]
AllMusic	[8]
Atlanta Journal-Constitution	C+[9]
Creative Loafing Atlanta	Mixed[10]
Entertainment Weekly	C[11]
The Guardian	[12]
NME	4/10[13]
PopMatters	Unfavorable[14]
Prefix	[15]
RapReviews	8/10[16]
Rolling Stone	[17]
Stylus	B+[18]
USA Today	[19]

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".[19]

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."[10] 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."[11]

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.[14] 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.[15] 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."[13]

Flavored malt beverage

Crunk Juice is also the name of a once popular flavored 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 flavors with a smoother taste. It is already available to buy in several major US cities like Philadelphia.[20]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Crunk Juice[21]"	J. Smith, R. McDowell, S. Norris	Lil Jon	0:57
2.	"Get Crunk" (featuring Bo Hagon)	J. Smith, C. Leonard, R. McDowell, S. Norris	Lil Jon, Lil Jay	4:18
3.	"What U Gon' Do" (featuring Lil Scrappy)	J. Smith, D. Richardson II, R. McDowell, S. Norris	Lil Jon	5:20
4.	"Real Nigga Roll Call" (featuring Ice Cube)	J. Smith, O.B. Jackson, R. McDowell, S. Norris	Lil Jon	5:08
5.	"Bo Hagon's Phone Call" (skit)		Lil Jon	1:21
6.	"Da Blow" (featuring Gangsta Boo)	C. Gordon, J. Smith, L. Mitchell, P. Glass, S. Norris, W. Neal	Lil Jon, Young Snipe (co.)	5:59
7.	"Contract" (featuring Trillville, Jazze Pha & Pimpin' Ken)	C.P. Love, D. Prince, J. Smith, J. Glaze, L. Edwards, P. Alexander, S. Norris	Lil Jon	5:53
8.	"E40 Choppin'" (skit)		Lil Jon	0:41
9.	"White Meat" (featuring 8Ball & MJG)	C.P. Love, J. Smith, M. Goodwin, P. Smith, S. Norris	Lil Jon	4:47
10.	"Stop Fuckin' Wit Me"	J. Smith, J. Hanneman, K. King, R. Rubin, T. Araya	Rick Rubin	5:58
11.	"Chris Rock Let's Be Friends" (skit) (featuring Chris Rock)	C. Rock	Lil Jon	0:09
12.	"Lovers & Friends" (featuring Usher & Ludacris)	C. Bridges, J. Smith, M. Sterling, U. Raymond	Lil Jon	4:20
13.	"One Night Stand" (featuring Oobie)	C. Evans, C.P. Love, J. Smith, L. Linn, LaMarquis Mark Jefferson, S. Norris, T. Sanders	Lil Jon	4:33
14.	"Aww Skeet Skeet" (featuring DJ Flexx)	B. Harley, J. Smith, K. Clagon, R. Brown	DJ Flexx, Scotty Beats (co.)	4:45
15.	"Chris Rock In da Club" (skit)	C. Rock	Lil Jon	0:26
16.	"In da Club" (featuring R. Kelly & Ludacris)	B. Harley, J. Smith, K. Clagon, R. Brown	Lil Jon	4:29
17.	"Bitches Ain't Shit" (featuring Nate Dogg, Suga Free, Snoop Dogg & Oobie)	C. Broadus, D. Walker, J. Smith, N. Hale, T. Sanders	Lil Jon	4:36
18.	"Chris Rock Get Lower" (skit) (featuring Chris Rock)	C. Rock	Lil Jon	0:33
19.	"Stick Dat Thang Out (Skeezer)" (featuring Pharrell, Ying Yang Twins)	C. Hugo, D. Holmes, E. Jackson, J. Smith, P. Williams	The Neptunes	3:55
20.	"Grand Finale" (featuring Bun B, Jadakiss, T.I., Nas & Ice Cube)	B. Freeman, C. Harris, C.P. Love, J. Smith, LaMarquis Mark Jefferson, N. Jones, O.B. Jackson, J. Phillips	Lil Jon	6:48

Notes

• Track 6 contains samples of the remix of "Sippin' & Spinnin' [Remix]", performed by Gangsta Boo, Playa Fly and Bun B.[22]
• Track 10 contains samples of "Mandatory Suicide" and "Raining Blood", performed by Slayer.
• Track 12 contains samples of "Lovers and Friends", performed by Michael Sterling.
• Track 17 contains samples of "Tonight", performed by Kleeer. & interpolation of "Saturday Love" performed by Alexander O'Neal & 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]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
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 & Lady Saw)	J. Smith, M. Hall, O. Bryan, S. Norris	Lil Jon	5:48
3.	"What U Gon' Do" (Latino Remix) (featuring Pitbull & Daddy Yankee)	A. Perez, J. Smith, S. Norris	Lil Jon	5:09
4.	"Lean Back" (Remix) (featuring Fat Joe, Mase & 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 & 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 & 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]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"What U Gon' Do" (Music video)	4:50
2.	"Roll Call"

Live performances

No.	Title	Live at	Length
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

No.	Title	Length
5.	"BET's How I'm Living" (Interview)
6.	"The Making of Crunk Juice Album"

Chopped & Screwed

1. Crunk Juice Intro
2. What U Gon' Do (featuring Lil Scrappy)
3. Get Crunk (featuring Bo Hagan)
4. White Meat (featuring 8 Ball & MJG)
5. Da Blow (featuring Gangsta Boo)
6. Lovers & Friends (featuring Ludacris & Usher)
7. One Night Stand (featuring Oobie)
8. E40 Choppin
9. Contract (featuring Trillville, Jazze Pha & Pimpin' Ken)
10. Real Nigga Roll Call (featuring Ice Cube)
11. Watts (Intro)
12. Stop Fuckin With Me
13. Aww Skeet Skeet Intro
14. Aww Skeet Skeet (featuring DJ Flexx)
15. Chris Rock "Let's Be Friends"
16. In Da Club (featuring Ludacris & R. Kelly)
17. Bitches Ain't Shit (featuring Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Suga Free & Oobie)
18. Grand Finale (featuring Nas, Bun B, T.I. & Ice Cube)

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
• MJG – 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 Chart (2004) Peak position French Albums (SNEP)[27] 145 UK Albums (OCC)[28] 52 US Billboard 200[29] 3 US Independent Albums (Billboard)[30] 1 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[31] 2

Year-end charts Chart (2005) Position US Billboard 200[32] 15 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[33] 6

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[34]	2× Platinum	2,000,000^^
^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. https://www.allmusic.com/album/what-u-gon-do-mw0000543577
2. "Crunk Juice: Lil Jon & East Side Boyz: Music". 2004-11-16. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
3. Whitmire, Margo (2004-11-17). "Eminem Takes Early 'Encore' To No. 1". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
4. Whitmire, Margo (2004-11-24). "Eminem Thankful To Remain No. 1". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
5. Whitmire, Margo (2004-12-01). "U2's 'Bomb' Explodes At No. 1". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-02-08.
6. Ahale (January 24, 2005). "Crunk Juice Certified 2x". Hiphopdx. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
7. Burton, Orisanmi (November 28, 2004). "Crunk Juice". AllHipHop. Archived from the original on December 4, 2004. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
8. Jeffries, David (November 16, 2004). "Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz: Crunk Juice". AllMusic. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
9. Murray, Sonia (November 16, 2004), "Lil Jon, crew crank up chant with A-list assist", Atlanta Journal-Constitution, p. E1, retrieved August 11, 2018
10. Kuldell, Heather; Seymour, Craig (November 18, 2004), "Sippin' on some syrup", Creative Loafing Atlanta, 33 (28), p. 71, archived from the original on March 10, 2005, retrieved August 11, 2018
11. Drumming, Neil (November 8, 2004). "Crunk Juice Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 26, 2009. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
12. Lynskey, Dorian (January 21, 2005). "Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz, Crunk Juice". The Guardian. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
13. 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.
14. Henderson, Lee (December 6, 2004). "Lil' Jon is the Raffi of Gangsta Rap". PopMatters. Archived from the original on December 14, 2004. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
15. 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.
16. Juon, Steve "Flash" (2004-11-23). "Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz :: Crunk Juice :: TVT Records". RapReviews. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
17. Caramanica, Jon (2004-12-15). "Lil Jon: Crunk Juice". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 12, 2005. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
18. Cibula, Matt (January 19, 2005). "Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz - Crunk Juice - Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on February 16, 2005. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
19. "Snoop paints a rap 'Masterpiece'". USA Today. November 15, 2004. Archived from the original on October 27, 2005. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
20. "Crunk Juce Returns to Shelves". 2011-05-13.
21. "Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz – Crunk Juice. Album credits from". www.discogs.com. 2004-11-16. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
22. "Lil Jon and The East Side Boyz feat. Gangsta Boo's Da Blow sample of Gangsta Boo feat. Playa Fly and Bun B's Sippin' & Spinnin' (Remix) | WhoSampled –". Whosampled.com. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
23. "Crunk Juice (Bonus CD & DVD) Tracklist –". Artistdirect.com. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
24. "Crunk Juice Credits –". Artistdirect.com. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
25. "Crunk Juice (Bonus CD & DVD) Credits –". Artistdirect.com. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
26. "Crunk Juice – Lil Jon,Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
27. "Lescharts.com – Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz – Crunk Juice". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
28. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
29. "Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
30. "Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
31. "Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
32. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2005". Billboard. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
33. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2005". Billboard. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
34. "American album certifications – Lil Jon – Crunk Juice". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.