Everyone knows Em’s chart-toppers, but his talent goes way beyond mainstream hits. His albums are peppered with verses about the beefs and controversies he’s been through, while songs like “My Band” allowed him to put on for his D12 home team. He rode classic Dr. Dre bounce on “Bitch Please 2,” and “Just Don’t Give A F*ck” was an anthem for a new generation of angsty teenagers.
Long before skits on Chappelle’s Show turned him into a household name, Lil Jon had been plotting his hip-hop takeover. After working as an A&R at Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def Recordings, he broke out on his own and began to sow the seeds for the crunk phenomenon that would rule the mainstream in the early ’00s. With a talent for crafting brilliantly abrasive beats, Lil Jon brought southern staples like Ludacris, Mystikal, and Pitbull to life—of course, his own trademark ad libs didn’t hurt either.
