Like Lil Jon, Jonathan Smith is an American rapper who is also a music producer and composer. Born on January 17, 1971, in Georgia, in a short time, his talent in the field of music could be witnessed by many.
His focus is on rapping, which is why he has inspired many young men and women in hip hop and crunk genre. His wealth and stardom have helped him raise awareness for unprivileged children in underdeveloped countries, which highlights how he does not only focus on music and business but remains an active social activist too.
Personal Life
Lil Jon married Nicole in 2004, and they have a son named Nathan, nicknamed DJ Young Slade. He has a keen interest in rapping like his father too. Lil Jon is also a fan of sports.
His favorite sports teams include Atlanta Thrashers and Vegas Golden Knights. Moreover, Lil Jon makes sure every individual in his home town is safe and healthy. He does various charity programs and provides aid to the best of his capabilities.
Career
- The career of Lil Jon started in 1992 after he graduated from high school. He started his career as a DJ, which was also one of his initials jobs.
- In the local Atlanta clubs, the music of Lil Jon gained popularity very soon. In a local Atlanta club, Jermaine Dupri was a music producer who noticed him and witnessed the talent in him.
- So So Def music studios hired him, after which he was promoted as the Vice President who gave more authority on the music label. After recruiting rappers such as Raheem the dream and DJ Smurf, he compiled his first album, which gained massive popularity on short notice.
- After 1995 he made a group with the collaboration of Big Sam and Lil Bo. The partnership resulted in the first debut single called, “Who U Wit?” This song had its style and purpose, which was to bring back the hip-pop style into modern music.
- 2004. In 2004, Lil Jon had worked with several artists, and the rapping industry knew everything about him and the style of music he works best with. Crunk Juice, the album that was released that year. From this album, two songs reached the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album was a collaboration between Lil Jon and The East Side Boyz, which parted in 2005 after six successful albums.
- 2006. Lil Jon continued his solo career by producing several hits like “Snap Yo Fingers” and “Do You Remember.” Large record labels like Universal Republic Records proposed to work with him due to his devotion to the music industry.
Achievements and Awards
- Record of the year
- Best Direction
- Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop
- Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
- Best R&B Song
- Album of the year
- Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Band/Duo
- Best Visual Effects
- Best Music Video
- MTV Clubland Award
Source of Income
Lil Jon’s primary source of income is through his albums and record labels. He has several songs which have reached Billboard Top Hot 100 that including “Turn down for what” and “Get low.” Young adults all over the world listen and dance to his song to the fullest.
He made most of his income after 2014 when he produced “Turn down for what” with DJ Snake. The popularity got him several invites from talk-shows, TV shows, films, advertisements, and more.
Guinness World Record
Most people don’t know but, Lil Jon has a Guinness World Record as well. The record is of his chain that contains the most expensive diamond.
Chains being a standard accessory worn by rappers in the early 2000s, Lil Jon was the first in the race where his chain had the most significant diamond pendant.
The value of his pendant is over $500,000, and it is around 8 inches tall. It weighs more than 5 pounds and contains 72 carats of diamonds worth mentioning.
Lil Jon Fondness towards hockey
As mentioned before, Lil Jon is a fan of the National Hockey League, founded in 1972. In Las Vegas, his favorite team is Golden Knights, which he supports financially too.
Like rapping, his son follows hockey with his dad too. Lil Jon addressed how he loved the action and thrill hockey provides. His seat is always reserved in every game his team plays.
Lil Jon Net Worth and Other Source of Income
As of 2021, Lil Jon’s approximate net worth of $30 million dollars, Lil Jon has made a lot of money through his rapping career alongside songwriting and music production. In the early 2000s, there weren’t many rappers which is how Lil Jon caught the attention of many producers and entrepreneurs.
His album collaborations with the East Side Boyz made him most of his money. Apart from music, his hockey team is sponsored by him which adds to his net worth.
Final Words
The King of Crunk, Lil Jon, is regarded as the pioneer of rapping. He always try something new to the floor and is appraised for his hip-hop and crunk style of music.
Whether it was his collaborated work or solo albums, every job that he worked on had a purpose and devotion, which was appraised by many. It is believed that a conversation with him will have the worked “okay” and “yeah” the most.