Crunk Rock
Encyclopedia
Crunk Rock is the solo debut album by American Crunk
artist Lil Jon
, released on June 8, 2010 by BME
and Universal Republic. The symbols at the bottom of the album's cover are Japanese Katakana characters, which read "Kurunku Rokku".
where the album would be recorded, and that half of the album would be similar in style to his 2003 single "Get Low". In June that year, recording had started, and Lil Jon announced that he planned to include collaborations with R. Kelly
, Mariah Carey
, and Snoop Dogg
on the album, and the first single from the album sessions, "Snap Yo Fingers" was released, reaching number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100
. In January 2007, it was reported that Lil Jon was still in the studio working on the album, and that recorded tracks included "Roll Call" featuring Lil Wayne
and Ciara
, and tracks featuring R. Kelly and Nate Dogg
. The prospective release date at that time was Spring 2007. At this time he was already indicating problems with the record label, stating that he "was going through the drama with TVT Records". By August 2007, the album's release date had slipped again, with late 2007 the expected date. The list of guest artists had by this time expanded to include Game, Ice Cube
, P.O.D.
and Kid Rock
, with Jon explaining that "the concept of the album is that it is merger of rock and hip-hop styles, utilising the different styles of the guest contributors." By November 2007, however, the album was reported to be "65 percent, maybe 70 percent done", with a release now expected in 2008, with Lil Jon taking time out to DJ and do voiceover
work in Hollywood.
By March 2008, the problems with TVT had intensified, with record label TVT described by MTV
as having gone from "having money to burn to being on the verge of folding", and Lil Jon said to have experienced legal issues with the label over money. While work on the album was interrupted, with Lil Jon citing the stress of the TVT situation as causing him to taking a complete break from recording the album, he had worked with other artists such as Flo Rida
and Pharrell Williams
, and had done production work on E-40
's Ball Street Journal album. The TVT label filed for bankruptcy
in February 2008, putting the album's release into doubt. By August 2008, Lil' Jon had freed himself from his contract with TVT, giving him the rights to the master recordings for Crunk Rock, in return for dropping his objection to the sale of TVT's assets to The Orchard Group. He restarted work on the album and stated that he was considering a new 'World Music' direction for the album and a possible change of title, saying "I'm touching so many different kinds of people on this album as well as keeping my core fan base at the same time." In October 2008, Lil Jon signed to Universal Republic
and the album was re-scheduled for a release in early 2009. In March 2009, two mixtapes appeared from Lil' Jon, Rockbox Vol. 1 and 2, with Rolling Stone
announcing that Crunk Rock was expected later in 2009. Indeed, the second volume closed with Jon stating "Crunk Rock coming sooooooon".
By September 2009 a new date of November 24 was announced for the album's release, although it was still unfinished. Confirmed guests additionally included Roscoe Dash
, Mariah Carey
, 3OH!3
, Whole Wheat Bread, David Guetta
, Steve Aoki
, LMFAO
, Zuper Blahq
, DJ Chuckie, Laidback Luke
, Elephant Man, Pastor Troy
, Ying Yang Twins
, Akon
, Mario
, R. Kelly
, T-Pain
, Soulja Boy Tell 'Em
, and Pitbull
. Another single from the album, the RedOne
-produced "Give It All U Got", was announced, with a promotional video filmed in Miami in September. Lil Jon stated the album would now be more eclectic than previously envisaged with elements of house music
, pop
and R&B. By October 2009, Lil Jon described the album as "80 percent done", with all tracks recorded but "some final touches" still required, with the release date pushed back into early 2010. The new single from the album, the disco-tinged "Give It All U Got", was released in November 2009. Lil Jon held a Listening Session for the album in 2010. Rap-Up
reported that the album is set for a June 8, 2010 release.
In an interview with Billboard
in May 2010 he confirmed that Crunk Rock will be released on June 8. The album was released in standard and deluxe edition.
Promo singles
chart with first-week sales of 8,900 copies. The low amount of albums sold was said to be the sales surprise of the week by HipHopDX. It sold 4,700 copies the second week, bring the total to 14,000 copies sold in the U.S.
writer Jesse Cataldo gave the album 2½ out of 5 stars and described its songs as "thick, silly concoctions, glazed with bass and defined by endless repetition, whirlwinds of chants and shouts that circle like demented carousels". The New York Times
writer Jon Caramanica commended the album's production, but ultimately expressed a negative response towards Lil Jon's lyrics, writing "he retains his trademark ignorance and indignation: plenty of the most salacious material here is his own... he’s back to noisily asserting primacy through fight chants". USA Today
s Steve Jones gave it 2½ out of 4 stars and shared a similar sentiment, stating "He has mixed more rock and electronica in with the thumping bass lines, but the message remains the same: Get up and jam, or go home".
Slava Kuperstein of HipHopDX gave it a 2.5/5 rating and in conclusion of the album said "With the kind of clout Lil Jon has, it's disappointing he wasn't able to come up with a better supporting cast (especially given his features in the past), which makes for an equally disappointing album."
Crunk
Crunk is a music style that originated in Memphis, Tennessee in the mid-to-late 1990s and gained mainstream success around 2003–2004. Performers of crunk music are sometimes referred to as crunksters. An archetypal crunk track most frequently uses a drum machine rhythm, heavy bassline, and...
artist Lil Jon
Lil Jon
Jonathan Mortimer Smith , better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, music producer, entrepreneur, and occasional disc jockey who was a member of the group Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz. Lil Jon formed the group in 1997, and the group released several albums between then and 2004...
, released on June 8, 2010 by BME
BME Recordings
BME Recordings is an American record label founded by Lil Jon, Rob Mac, Emperor Searcy, and Vince Phillips Warner Bros. Records is the distributor for BME recordings...
and Universal Republic. The symbols at the bottom of the album's cover are Japanese Katakana characters, which read "Kurunku Rokku".
Background and recording
Work on the album began in 2005. In May 2006, MTV reported that it would be released late that summer or in early fall. At that time he announced that he was relocating to Las VegasLas Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
where the album would be recorded, and that half of the album would be similar in style to his 2003 single "Get Low". In June that year, recording had started, and Lil Jon announced that he planned to include collaborations with R. Kelly
R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
, Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
, and Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
on the album, and the first single from the album sessions, "Snap Yo Fingers" was released, reaching number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. In January 2007, it was reported that Lil Jon was still in the studio working on the album, and that recorded tracks included "Roll Call" featuring Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
and Ciara
Ciara
Ciara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...
, and tracks featuring R. Kelly and Nate Dogg
Nate Dogg
Nathaniel Dwayne Hale , better known by his stage name Nate Dogg, was an American musician. He is noted for his membership of rap trio 213 and his solo career in which he collaborated with Dr. Dre, Warren G, Tupac and Snoop Dogg on many hit releases. Nate Dogg released three solo albums, G-Funk...
. The prospective release date at that time was Spring 2007. At this time he was already indicating problems with the record label, stating that he "was going through the drama with TVT Records". By August 2007, the album's release date had slipped again, with late 2007 the expected date. The list of guest artists had by this time expanded to include Game, Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
, P.O.D.
P.O.D.
Payable on Death is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.They have released seven studio albums and...
and Kid Rock
Kid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
, with Jon explaining that "the concept of the album is that it is merger of rock and hip-hop styles, utilising the different styles of the guest contributors." By November 2007, however, the album was reported to be "65 percent, maybe 70 percent done", with a release now expected in 2008, with Lil Jon taking time out to DJ and do voiceover
VoiceOver
VoiceOver is a screen reader built into Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X, iOS and iPod operating systems. By using VoiceOver, the user can access their Macintosh or iOS device based on spoken descriptions and, in the case of the Mac, the keyboard. The feature is designed to increase accessibility for blind...
work in Hollywood.
By March 2008, the problems with TVT had intensified, with record label TVT described by MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
as having gone from "having money to burn to being on the verge of folding", and Lil Jon said to have experienced legal issues with the label over money. While work on the album was interrupted, with Lil Jon citing the stress of the TVT situation as causing him to taking a complete break from recording the album, he had worked with other artists such as Flo Rida
Flo Rida
Tramar Dillard , better known by his stage name Flo Rida , is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He released his debut album, Mail on Sunday, in March 2008. His debut single "Low", featuring T-Pain, was a #1 hit for ten weeks in United States in early 2008. Two other singles resulted from...
and Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams , commonly known simply as Pharrell, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, composer, and fashion designer. Williams and Chad Hugo make up the record production duo The Neptunes, producing hip hop and R&B music...
, and had done production work on E-40
E-40
Earl Stevens , better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and investor from Vallejo, California. He is also part of the rap group The Click and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. His solo debut album, Federal, was released in November 1992, after The Click's debut...
's Ball Street Journal album. The TVT label filed for bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
in February 2008, putting the album's release into doubt. By August 2008, Lil' Jon had freed himself from his contract with TVT, giving him the rights to the master recordings for Crunk Rock, in return for dropping his objection to the sale of TVT's assets to The Orchard Group. He restarted work on the album and stated that he was considering a new 'World Music' direction for the album and a possible change of title, saying "I'm touching so many different kinds of people on this album as well as keeping my core fan base at the same time." In October 2008, Lil Jon signed to Universal Republic
Universal Republic
Universal Republic Records is a record label, owned by Universal Music Group. It is based on the now-defunct Republic Records label founded by brothers Monte and Avery Lipman...
and the album was re-scheduled for a release in early 2009. In March 2009, two mixtapes appeared from Lil' Jon, Rockbox Vol. 1 and 2, with Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
announcing that Crunk Rock was expected later in 2009. Indeed, the second volume closed with Jon stating "Crunk Rock coming sooooooon".
By September 2009 a new date of November 24 was announced for the album's release, although it was still unfinished. Confirmed guests additionally included Roscoe Dash
Roscoe Dash
Jeffery Johnson Jr. , better known by his stage name Roscoe Dash, is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia.- Major label success :...
, Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
, 3OH!3
3OH!3
3OH!3 is an American electro hop duo from Boulder, Colorado, made up of Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte. They are best known for their single "Don't Trust Me" from their album Want, which reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100...
, Whole Wheat Bread, David Guetta
David Guetta
Pierre David Guetta , known professionally as David Guetta , is a French house music producer and DJ. Originally a DJ at nightclubs during the 1980s and 1990s, he co-founded Gum Productions and released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster and Pop Life...
, Steve Aoki
Steve Aoki
Steve Aoki is an American electro house musician, record producer and the founder of Dim Mak Records.-Early life:...
, LMFAO
LMFAO (group)
LMFAO is an American electro pop duo consisting of rappers, producers, dancers, and DJs Redfoo and SkyBlu . The group formed in 2006 in Los Angeles, California. Redfoo is SkyBlu's uncle. Redfoo is also the son of music mogul Berry Gordy, SkyBlu a grandson...
, Zuper Blahq
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
, DJ Chuckie, Laidback Luke
Laidback Luke
Laidback Luke is a Dutch DJ, producer. He was voted #46 on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJ list in 2008, before jumping to #27 in 2009 and jumping up 10 places in 2010....
, Elephant Man, Pastor Troy
Pastor Troy
Micah LeVar Troy is an American rapper, actor, and record producer. He is also a member of the hardcore rap group D.S.G.B. .-Early life:Micah LeVar Troy was born on November 18, 1977 in Augusta, Georgia...
, Ying Yang Twins
Ying Yang Twins
The Ying Yang Twins is an Atlanta-based American crunk rap duo consisting of Kaine and D-Roc . The group debuted in 2000 and rose to mainstream popularity in 2003 collaborating with Lil Jon in his single "Get Low"...
, Akon
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...
, Mario
Mario (singer)
Mario Dewar Barrett , who performs under the mononym Mario, is an American R&B singer-songwriter, actor, dancer and model. He is best known for his hit singles "Just a Friend 2002" and "Let Me Love You" , which won him two Billboard awards, as well as for appearing in the films Step Up and...
, R. Kelly
R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
, T-Pain
T-Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...
, Soulja Boy Tell 'Em
Soulja Boy Tell 'Em
DeAndre Cortez Way , better known by his stage name Soulja Boy Tell 'Em, or simply Soulja Boy, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, entrepreneur, and internet personality....
, and Pitbull
Pitbull (rapper)
Armando Christian Pérez , better known by his stage name Pitbull, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer. His first recorded performance was from the Lil Jon album Kings of Crunk in 2002, after which he released his debut album in 2004 titled M.I.A.M.I. under TVT Records...
. Another single from the album, the RedOne
RedOne
Nadir Khayat , known by the stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan producer and songwriter. Renowned for co-producing hit singles such as "Just Dance", "Poker Face", "LoveGame", "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Judas", he is attributed by some as the key to Lady Gaga's success...
-produced "Give It All U Got", was announced, with a promotional video filmed in Miami in September. Lil Jon stated the album would now be more eclectic than previously envisaged with elements of house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
, pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and R&B. By October 2009, Lil Jon described the album as "80 percent done", with all tracks recorded but "some final touches" still required, with the release date pushed back into early 2010. The new single from the album, the disco-tinged "Give It All U Got", was released in November 2009. Lil Jon held a Listening Session for the album in 2010. Rap-Up
Rap-Up
Rap-Up is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the hip hop and R&B aspect of the music industry, and...
reported that the album is set for a June 8, 2010 release.
In an interview with Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
in May 2010 he confirmed that Crunk Rock will be released on June 8. The album was released in standard and deluxe edition.
Singles
Official singles- "Ms. ChocolateMs. Chocolate"Ms. Chocolate" is the first official single from Lil Jon's 2010 album Crunk Rock. The song features singers R. Kelly and Mario.-Background & Release:In June 2006, Lil Jon announced that he planned to include collaborations with R...
", which features R. KellyR. KellyRobert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
and Mario and was produced by Drumma BoyDrumma BoyChristopher James Gholson, better known by his stage name Drumma Boy, is a multi-platinum award winning record producer and rapper from Memphis, Tennessee.-Early life:...
, was released as the first single on March 30, 2010. - "HeyHey (Lil Jon song)"Hey" is a single by Lil Jon featuring 3OH!3. It is featured on Lil Jon's 2010 album, Crunk Rock and was released as the second official single. It was also featured on the Jersey Shore soundtrack.- Music video :...
", which features 3OH!33OH!33OH!3 is an American electro hop duo from Boulder, Colorado, made up of Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte. They are best known for their single "Don't Trust Me" from their album Want, which reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100...
was released as the second single.
Promo singles
- "Snap Yo FingersSnap Yo Fingers"Snap Yo Fingers" is a 2006 single by Atlanta based rapper/producer Lil Jon. It was originally intended to be the first single from Lil Jon's solo debut album Crunk Rock...
" was released as the first promotional single on February 4, 2006. The single peaked at 7 in the United States, and topped the US R&B/Hip HopHot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
and US RapHot Rap TracksRap Songs is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was based on how much the single...
charts. However, the song did not make it for the album, and it was released as a single only. - "Act a Fool", which features Three 6 MafiaThree 6 MafiaThree 6 Mafia are an Academy Award-winning, American rap group originating from Memphis, Tennessee. Formed in 1991 as Triple 6 Mafia, by DJ Paul, Juicy J, & Lord Infamous, the group at its most featured six members including; Crunchy Black, Gangsta Boo and Koopsta Knicca...
, was released as the second promotional single on October 31, 2008. It peaked at 91 on the US R&B/Hip-Hop chart. It was not featured in the album. - "I Do", which features Swizz BeatzSwizz BeatzKasseem Dean , better known by his stage name, Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, DJ, rapper and painter. At the age of 17, he gained attention in the hip-hop world through his friendship with rapper DMX. Grady Spivey and rapper Cassidy helped launch his label Full Surface Records...
and Snoop DoggSnoop DoggCalvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, was released as the third promotional single on July 21, 2009. It peaked at 101 on the US R&B/Hip HopHot R&B/Hip-Hop SongsHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
. It was not featured in the album. - "Give It All U Got", which features Kee on the original version and also features British rapper, Tinchy StryderTinchy StryderKwasi Danquah III , better known by his pseudonyms Tinchy Stryder and Star In The Hood, is a Ghanaian British recording artist, music executive, A&R executive, and businessman...
on the official remix (along with Kee), was released as the fourth promotional single on November 3, 2009. It peaked at 90 on the Canadian Hot 100Canadian Hot 100The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
. However, it did not make the final cut for the album. - "Outta Your Mind", which features LMFAOLMFAO (band)LMFAO is an American electro pop duo consisting of rappers, producers, dancers, and DJs Redfoo and SkyBlu . The group formed in 2006 in Los Angeles, California. Redfoo is SkyBlu's uncle. Redfoo is also the son of music mogul Berry Gordy, SkyBlu a grandson...
, was released as the fifth promotional single on March 23, 2010. It peaked at 28 on Billboard's Rap Digital Songs chart. Benny BenassiBenny BenassiMarco Benassi , better known as Benny Benassi, is a Grammy Award winning Italian disc jockey and record producer of electro house music. He is best known for his 2002 summer club hit "Satisfaction"...
, DJ Chuckie, A-TrakA-TrakA-Trak is a Montreal-born DJ, turntablist, and owner of the record label Fool's Gold.- Career :...
, David GuettaDavid GuettaPierre David Guetta , known professionally as David Guetta , is a French house music producer and DJ. Originally a DJ at nightclubs during the 1980s and 1990s, he co-founded Gum Productions and released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster and Pop Life...
, Steve AokiSteve AokiSteve Aoki is an American electro house musician, record producer and the founder of Dim Mak Records.-Early life:...
and Travis BarkerTravis BarkerTravis Landon Barker is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock band The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with...
appear in the music video which was filmed in Miami, FloridaMiami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. It also debuted at 84 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number 49 on the U.S. Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart with first-week sales of 8,900 copies. The low amount of albums sold was said to be the sales surprise of the week by HipHopDX. It sold 4,700 copies the second week, bring the total to 14,000 copies sold in the U.S.
Critical response
Upon its release, the album received generally mixed reviews from music critics. Allmusic writer David Jeffries gave it 3 out of 5 stars and called it "a scattershot set of tracks that just barely fit together, but take into consideration the label problems and legal issues the producer has faced since the album's conception, and it becomes a scruffy mess you just might cheer on". Emanuel Wallace of RapReviews gave Crunk Rock a 5/10 rating and wrote "If you're looking for lyrical greatness, you'll be disappointed. If you want an album filled with nothing but trunk-rattling beats you'll be disappointed". Slant MagazineSlant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
writer Jesse Cataldo gave the album 2½ out of 5 stars and described its songs as "thick, silly concoctions, glazed with bass and defined by endless repetition, whirlwinds of chants and shouts that circle like demented carousels". The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
writer Jon Caramanica commended the album's production, but ultimately expressed a negative response towards Lil Jon's lyrics, writing "he retains his trademark ignorance and indignation: plenty of the most salacious material here is his own... he’s back to noisily asserting primacy through fight chants". USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
s Steve Jones gave it 2½ out of 4 stars and shared a similar sentiment, stating "He has mixed more rock and electronica in with the thumping bass lines, but the message remains the same: Get up and jam, or go home".
Slava Kuperstein of HipHopDX gave it a 2.5/5 rating and in conclusion of the album said "With the kind of clout Lil Jon has, it's disappointing he wasn't able to come up with a better supporting cast (especially given his features in the past), which makes for an equally disappointing album."
Track listing
Charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
49 |
| U.S. Billboard Rap Albums Top Rap Albums Top Rap Albums is a record chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks Rap and hip-hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart began publication for the week of November 13, 2004.... |
5 |
| U.S. Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
8 |