Biography
Lil John - the scenic pseudonym of the American DJ, the musical producer and rapper Jonathan Smith, who gained fame as the frontman of the Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz group. Playing an important role in the appearance of Subzhanra Hip-Hop Crunk, the artist won the Grammy Prize for the composition "Yeah!" And the nomination of the Academy of Recording the Clip on the song "Turn Down for What" is actively rotated on Youtube and MTV channels.Childhood and youth
Jonathan Mortimer Smith, the most famous under the name Lil John, was born on January 17, 1971 in Atlanta in a family with an average intraction. Being a senior of five children of the employees of the American Military Industrial Corporation Lockheed Martin, the early years of the boy spent in concerns about the younger brothers and sisters.
During the years of study in high school, Frederick Douglas, Jonathan acquired a company and met Robert McDauell, Duein Sirsi and Visa Philips, who became his friends and business partners for many years. Teenagers were fond of skateboarding and in their free time, the time was worked out in a shop, bicycles and special equipment for extremal athletes.
Having hit to the American program "Magnetic Schools", the young man began to specialize in the field of art and, passing training in the youth orchestra, became interested in the process of information and reproduction of musical compositions.
Despite the fact that parents raised children in rigor, they supported the passion of the Son and allowed Jonathan to hold home parties on which he improved the skills of DJ. Activities called "Old Eng and Chicken Parties" were held in the basement of the Smith family at home and collected dozens of teenagers, electronic music fans.
Having pulled the skill at the same time, Smith began to work in local dance clubs, and then moved to the popular institution in the center of Atlanta and met the owner of the So So Def Recordings label Jermain Dupry. A new friend found Jonathan, who took the pseudonym Lil John, a place in a record company. He greatly influenced the creative biography of a novice musician, appointing it to the executive vice president of the regional office of the studio.
Music
The first Smith project was the Def Bass All-Stars collection, recorded using local DJ Smurf, Shawty Redd Rapers, Raheem The Dream and Playa Poncho. Released on May 22, 1996, he received the Golden Certificate of RIAA and laid the beginning of a series of records that were published over the next 2 years. In parallel, the talented organizer and producer gathered his own team called The East Side Boyz, which includes rappers from the East Atlanta Big Sam and Lil 'Bo.
In 1996, the new team released the single "Who U Wit?", Who introduced the audience with the new form of hip-hop, consisting of repeating melodic passages accompanied by an electronic rhythm section and later called CRUNK music. At first, the public was coolly perceived by the new John project, but thanks to advertising organized on the radio, they were talking about him.
In the early 2000s, after the release of the WE Still Crunk plate! ", The tracks with which they rose to high places in Billboard charts, the performance of The East Side Boyz visited the executive director of the solid New York recording studio. Having struck by the energy of young musicians, he signed a contract with the group, ensuring a way out to the national level.
The result of cooperation with the Label TVT Records was the album "We Still Crunk !!" With the composition "Get Low", published separate single. It reached the top ten Billboard HOT 100 hit, then followed by a remix collection.
In 2004, LIL JON & THE EAST SIDE BOYZ recorded the CRUNK Juice multiplatin plate and broke up in a year due to creative and financial conflicts with a recording company. Trying to resolve the situation and fulfill the obligations to TVT Records, Lil John released a solo single "Snap Yo Fingers", after which the studio broke the contract with the performer, leaving it without a significant part of the profits.
After that, the rapper switched to Universal Republic Republic Records and recorded the album called Crunk Rock, which was number 5 in the Billboard Rap Albums hit and number 8 in the Billboard R & B / Hip Hop Albums rankings. The song "Hey", represented as a capital track of the plate, was shown on MTV Jersey Shore. And the composition "Outta Your Mind" appeared in the film "Project X: Dorvalov" and was used in the realistic show "So you Think You Can Dance".
In 2011, Lil John became co-author of Duet Lmfao and wrote music to the trailer of the film "Armagedcez", and then together with the French DJ, the famous public under the name DJ Snake, released the album "Turn Down for What". The song of the MTV Video Music Awards will brought the same song from him to the artist.
Understanding that unification with other musicians has great potential, rapper continued to look for creative partners. Since 2014, he collaborated with the Zumba Fitness dance team, Tyga and Yandel rapper, as well as with the American singer and actress Becky Ji.
Experimenting with sound and scenic image, Lil John recorded the Christmas single "All I Really Want for Christmas" with the support of Kool-Aid, producing soft drinks. Then he performed several duets with an excellent colleague Eminem.
Personal life
Since 2004, Lil John is married to his girlfriend named Nicole. Together, the couple raises the Son, who went in the footsteps of the Father and began to engage in music. The boy, now known to the public as DJ Slade, is the subject of admiration for Rapper and his wife.
Despite the fact that Lil John spends a lot of time in the society of the family, the details of the personal life of the musician remain outside social networks, limiting the publication of photos and videos directly related to work and charitable activities.
Natural modesty does not allow the musician to advertise the good deeds, such as the opening of schools in Ghana and assisting students with a small prosperity that appeal to Reiper through Instagram, in organizing educational trips around the country.
Lil John now
At the end of 2018, Lil John finished starring in short rollers advertising the products of the world-famous Holding "Pepsi Cola."
Currently, the musician is preparing for upcoming concerts scheduled for the beginning of 2019. The first part of the American tour includes the cities of San Diego, Las Vegas and Cancun.
Discography
EAST SIDE BOYZ
- 1997 - "Get Crunk, WHO U WIT: DA ALBUM"
- 2000 - "We Still CRUNK !!"
- 2001 - "Put Yo Hood Up"
- 2002 - "Kings of CRUNK"
- 2004 - CRUNK JUICE
Solo projects
- 2010 - "CRUNK ROCK"
- 2015 - "Party Animal"