What is Lil Jon's net worth?
Lil Jon is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, DJ, and actor who has a net worth of $30 million. Lil Jon, a dynamic and influential figure in the music industry, is best known for his role in popularizing the crunk genre, a subgenre of hip-hop that emerged in the South in the 1990s. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Lil Jon began his career in the music industry as a DJ in local clubs. His unique sound and energy quickly garnered attention, leading to his rise as a prominent figure in the Atlanta music scene.
In the early 2000s, Lil Jon formed Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz, with whom he released several successful albums that played a significant role in bringing the crunk genre to mainstream audiences. His music, characterized by its high energy, distinctive beats, and repeated shout-outs, became synonymous with the party scene, both regionally and nationally.
Lil Jon's influence extended beyond his own albums as he became a sought-after producer and collaborator, working with a wide range of artists across different genres. His production style, marked by catchy hooks and aggressive beats, helped shape the sound of numerous hit songs.
Apart from music, Lil Jon has also ventured into television and entrepreneurial endeavors, showcasing his versatility and business acumen. His distinctive voice, iconic phrases like "Yeah!" and "What?", and his energetic persona have made him a cultural icon
Early Life
Lil Jon was born Jonathan Mortimer Smith on January 27, 1971, in Atlanta, Georgia. Jon grew up in a middle-class neighborhood of Southwest Atlanta. His dad worked at an aerospace and defense company as an engineer. His mom was in the military. Jon is the oldest of his parents' five children. When Jon was in middle school, he met Robert McDowell, Dwayne Searcy, and Vince Philips, and the four became lifelong friends. As kids, they loved to skateboard and worked at a skate and bike shop near Atlanta's Piedmont Park called Skate Escape. Jon is a self-taught DJ and began throwing parties in the basement of the home he grew up in to develop his DJ skills. The parties were hosted by Jon and Searcy and became known as "Old E and Chicken Parties." Jon graduated from Fredrick Douglass High School. He was a member of the marching band in high school.
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Career
Jermaine Dupri hired Jon to work at So So Def Recordings. Jon was there from 1993 to 2000. In 1996, he formed Lil Jon and The East Side Boyz. The band's first single, "Who U Wit?" is credited with creating the subgenre of hip hop known as crunk. The band's debut album, "Get Crunk, Who U Wit: Da Album," was released in 1997. Along with "Who U Wit?" the album's singles included "Shawty Freak a Lil Sumthin." In 2000, the group released "We Still Crunk!" The album featured the single "I Like Dem Girlz."Lil Jon and The East Side Boyz released the albums "Put Yo Hood Up" in 2001, "Kings of Crunk" in 2002, and "Crunk Juice" in 2004. Lil Jon released the solo album "Crunk Rock" in 2010.
Lil Jon has had a number of Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 singles, including "Get Low," "Freek-a-Leek," and "Yeah!" "Yeah!" won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Performance. Lil Jon and his friend Pitbull. collaborated with DJ Snake and released the multi-platinum hit "Turn Down for What" in 2013.
Lil Jon is still writing songs with some specifically for use in television and/or feature films. His film highlights include Girls Trip (2017), Superfly (2018) along with the Future-led soundtrack, The First Purge (2018), and Spies in Disguise (2019).
Lil Jon's other interests are varied. He owns a company that produces the energy drink called "Crunk," a line of Oakley sunglasses, and a wine company that produces Merlot, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
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Personal Life
Lil Jon is famous for the catchphrase, "Yey-ah."
Jon married his wife Nicole in 2004. They have a son, Nathan (born 1998), who goes by the stage name DJ Young Slade. Nathan has been DJing since he was 11. Jon has said that one of his greatest joys in life is seeing everything come full circle with his son.
He is an avid fan of all of Atlanta's sports teams. He is also a fan of the University of Tennessee Volunteers, which adopted his hit song "Turn Down for What" on third downs, changing it to "Third Down for What." He is also a fan of the NHL's Las Vegas Golden Knights. Jon appears in "Valiant," the team's 2019 documentary.
Lil Jon is a strong supporter of education, especially for children in underdeveloped countries without access to education. He's helped fund two schools in Ghana. The first opened in October 2017 and is a Kindergarten. The second is a Primary School with more than 300 students.
Jon is a supporter of former President Barack Obama.
In 2018, Jon, along with Killer Mike and T.I., all of whom graduated from Atlanta's Frederick Douglass High School, covered the expenses for the high school's marching band to travel to New Orleans to march in the Mardi Gras parade.
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In November 2019, Lil Jon was detained at an airport in Vietnam after a performance at Saigon's Envy Nightclub. On November 16, Jon and his entourage headed to the airport. Jon was wearing about $400,000 worth of bling and was detained as a result of the extensive amount of jewelry he was wearing. Authorities told Jon he should have declared all of the jewelry when he entered and attempted to leave the country. Jon quickly asked for the U.S. Embassy to be called, and two employees quickly got to the airport to straighten out the situation. Vietnamese authorities wanted to retain his jewelry to be appraised professionally, but eventually, let Jon and his jewelry go.
In June 2020, Jon joined the winner of the Baja 1000 off-road race, Alan Ampudia, for a joy ride in his truck through the streets of Ensenada. Both men safely donned helmets.
Real Estate
In October 2005, Lil Jon paid $1,225,000 for a home in the Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta. The 4,348-square-foot home has four bedrooms and six bathrooms.
