What Is Crunk?:
The word crunk is supposedly a combination of crazy and drunk. True to its name, crunk utilizes a chaotic interpolation of club-oriented beats and a high-energy chorus.
Elements & Style:
Crunk songs are usually high-pitched and drum-heavy. They often employ repetitive, catchy refrains that make it fun and easy for crunk fans to chant along.
Crunk artists have been criticized for lack of unique lyrical content, but their defense is that the songs are club-oriented. After all, no one would like to scratch their heads over the lyrical content of a song while dancing in the club.
Pioneers:
Crunk originated in the 1990s as a sub-division of southern rap in Atlanta, GA, and producer/artist Lil Jon is credited with spearheading the subgenre. The hype around crunk went from a buzz to a deafening sound in the mid 2000s. Lil' Jon & The Eastside Boyz' albums Kings of Crunk and Crunk Juice helped solidify the presence of crunk in hip-hop.
Notable Crunk Artists:
- Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz
- David Banner
- Lil Scrappy
- Pitbull
- Youngbloodz
- Rasheeda
- Trillville
- Crime Mob
- Bone Crusher
- Jacki-O
Notable Crunk Songs:
- "Damn" - Youngbloodz
- "Crunk Juice" - Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz
- "What You Gon' Do" - Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz ft Lil Scrappy
- "Get Some Crunk In Yo System" - Trillville
- "Never Scared" - Bone Crusher
