Steve 'Flash' JuonOn any list of 2003’s most successful producers, hip-hop or otherwise, Lil Jon would be on the short list. If you turn on any Viacom or Clear Channel urban station for more than ten minutes, you’re likely to hear a song with his signature Southern yelling and big bass bottoms. Too $hort’s “Shake That Monkey.” Ying Yang Twins’ “Naggin.” Youngbloodz’ “Damn!” That’s to say nothing of his own hits from last year’s “Kings of Crunk” album that made noise on the charts in 2003 – “Get Low” and “Play No Games” among others. With the help of his East Side Boyz, Jon has crossed over from regional phenom to a national chart-topping sensation.
“Part II” is a release designed to capitalize on Jon’s popularity this year, and fill a void between “Kings of Crunk” and his next full-length album. Rap heads from the clubs to the downloaders will recognize much of this material, as some of these remixes have been floating around the rap music scene for a while now. The “Get Low Remix” takes what already worked about the original version while adding the dancehall chatta of Elephant Man along with the always animated Busta Rhymes to the mix. Like the original song itself the remix needed extensive editing for radio play, but that didn’t stop many DJ’s from reconfirming Busta Buss’ as the king of cameo verses:
“I’m comin through with a thick crew playa (Waddup!)
You can’t believe I’m on the shit too playa (Waddup!)
I’ma sit and watch your girl put it on me (Waddup!)
I love it when you got your ass clappin for me (Waddup!)
Your big ass cover the back of my Harley (Waddup!)
Ass from the front to the back of the party (Waddup!)
That’s right (yeah girl) that’s it (c’mon!)
Get low shorty, shake that shit (c’mon!)
If you ain’t got learned, get it down pat mami
With all that ass you got sittin on your back mami
Now all my shorties need to get in line
I said because I’m only gonna tell you one mo’ time
Cause if that ass kind of stocky and fat
Pick it up, pick it up, pick it up, bounce (BACK!!)
While I, get dough (get dough) smoke dro (smoke dro)
Get low because I FUCKIN said so!”
The “Get Low Merengue Mix” featuring Pitball may be somewhat less familiar, but it’s intriguing to hear a Southern hip-hop song SPED UP instead of slowed down for a change. It’s not a song that demands repeated listening though, unlike the follower “Get Your Weight Up” featuring 8Ball and T.I. Not surprisingly, these two 3rd Coast all-stars make Jon’s beat a certified crunk anthem to bounce lowriders and heads worldwide. This is followed by the “Throw it Up Remix” featuring Pastor Troy from the original and the new addition of G-Unit star Young Buck. Even though he rolls with a New York crew, Buck is Southern born and raised, and sounds perfect matched with this slow creeping beat:
“Born in the Dirty Dirty, stop and they still spinnin
They tried to hit me like 50 but bitch I’m still livin
Flinch and I’ll get ya hit, do it like dem Georgia boys
The AK with the rubber grip is somethin they ain’t seen before
Lil Jon I think they scared, let’s bring ’em down South
And show ’em how our Chevy’s look, and how our hoes bounce
Shorty don’t want no trouble, shorty don’t want a fight
But let ’em keep talkin I betcha shorty gon’ die tonight
I planned on gettin put out the club before I came
My hood down for whatever, we all ride with them thangs
Breakin bottles ‘cross niggaz heads and FUCK what a hater said
The gangsters don’t live long is the ones that ain’t breakin bread”
The popular “Put Yo Hood Up Remix” featuring a whole gang of people from Roy Jones Jr. to Petey Pablo to Jadakiss is the next song up. Jada’s verse is some typical gunclap rap from him, with enough wit to be passable and a strong enough beat behind it to help:
“Since they brought gold back, I bought me a gold mac
To explode I leave ya back on Old National
I’m in a gentlemen’s club with gentlemen thugs
But they call my hood Da Pool dog cause we swimmin in drugs
Get high, get drunk, and we get shit crunk
Violate you might die or just get jumped
Jadakiss, Lil Jon and them Eastside Boyz
D-Block, every nigga got at least five toys
Double R till they put me in the ground
And I come back as a bullet, nigga put me in the pound
Stop actin like a bitch – you scared
What up niggaz the remix, put yo hood up niggaz”
The EP closes out with the songs “What They Want” by Chyna Whyte featuring the Ying Yang Twins and “Dirty Dancin” by Oobie, featuring Jon and his crew. These are Jon’s two annointed proteges to step up into his krunkdafied beats and blow the spot, and both of their forthcoming albums are advertised in the liner notes, so their inclusion is both expected and rounds out the 35 minute disc nicely. That’s a more than decent length for an EP, but as an extra bonus TVT Records and Jon have packed in a DVD bonus disc featuring videos for all their popular songs, even old favorites like “Bia Bia” and “I Like Dem Girlz.” While crunk may not be everybody’s cup of tea, “Part II” is short, sweet, and alright by me.