Lil Jon Takes It All The Way Back To Elementary School On "Origins Of Hip Hop"

BY Erika Marie 1.6K Views
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Lil Jon
"I'm always pushing forward and not really thinking about everything I've done in my career," the crunk legend says of revisiting old memories.

We're taking another walk down memory lane and this time, it's with Lil Jon. The Atlanta icon has been serving out hits for decades and has become a legend in music with the help of his innate ability to craft club bangers that never expire. From his musical moments with Usher to his takeover with the Eastside Boys to his work with Jermaine Dupri over at So So Def, Lil Jon has behind-the-scenes stories that could make up a never-ending docuseries.

However, his tales were compacted for A&E's Origins of Hip Hop as they revisit the early days of some of our favorite artists. We've covered Fat Joe speaking about his youth in the Bronx, and in an interview with CNN, Jon touched on why it was important for him to connect with the Hip Hop series.


"I'm always pushing forward and not really thinking about everything I've done in my career and ... the span of it," he reportedly told the outlet. "We go all the way back to where I started in elementary school, where I started to have a love for music."

"Hip Hop is making money. It's one of the top-grossing fields of music," he said. "Hip Hop culture has influenced and continues to influence the entire world, right? No matter what genre of music people do, they dress and look like hip-hop artists and have swag like us."

Although he isn't a figure that often comes forward to shed details about his past or rise to fame, this is something that he feels is necessary, especially as he continues to make hits.

"I just believe I've been given this gift and I'm supposed to use it," he said. "I'm continuously putting out music. It might not all be Hip Hop, but I'm putting out music that is making people move."


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About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.