Snap music

Snap music is a subgenre of hip hop music derived from crunk that originated in the South in the late-1990s, in Bankhead, West Atlanta, the United States. Early snap artists include D4L, Dem Franchize Boys and K-Rab.

Tracks commonly consist of an 808 bass drum, hi-hat, bass, snapping, a main groove and a vocal track. Many snap songs also incorporate whistling. Hit snap songs include "Do It to It" by Cherish, "Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It" by Dem Franchize Boys, "Snap Yo Fingers" by Lil Jon, "Laffy Taffy" by D4L, "It's Goin' Down" by Yung Joc and "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" by Soulja Boy Tell 'Em, and voted one of "The 15 Best Snap Music Songs Of All-Time" is "Look At Her" by One Chance.

Crunk has been called the "predecessor of snap". Hip hop DX magazine described snap music as a "laid back version of its forbearer, crunk music".

History

It is suggested that snap music appeared around 2000 in a crime-infested neighborhood of Bankhead, Atlanta, Georgia. Bankhead was a place where the difference between poor and rich was striking, and, as it has been described, "a lighter sound" of snap was born "in the midst of all the aggression." Very soon after its creation, snap music took on another type of music of Atlanta - crunk. In 2003, Dem Franchize Boys, who had already produced some snap hits for local clubs by the time, got signed to Universal Music Group. It has been said that weak promotion and the decision of Universal Music to put out the debut album of Dem Franchize Boys and Nelly's - "Sweat and Suit" the same day were reasons why their first album wasn't a success. In 2005, they got the attention of Jermaine Dupri, who remixed their single "I Think They Like Me" and signed them to So So Def. The remix of "I Think They Like Me" topped the Hot Rap/R&B songs chart and spotted #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Jermaine Dupri was later described as the key figure in bringing snap music into the mainstream.

Lil Jon

Jonathan Smith (born January 17, 1971), better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, DJ and actor. He was the frontman of the group Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz, which he formed in 1997, and they released several albums until 2004. He then went solo and released a new album in 2010 titled Crunk Rock. He was also featured on Celebrity Apprentice during its 11th and 13th seasons.

Life and career

Beginnings

Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Smith graduated from Frederick Douglass High School in Atlanta. After working as a DJ for Atlanta night clubs, he started working for So So Def Recordings between 1993 and 2000.

Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz

Smith took the stage name Lil Jon and formed musical group Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz with rappers Big Sam (born Sammie Dernard Norris) and Lil' Bo (born Wendell Maurice Neal). The group signed to the Atlanta-based Mirror Image Records and were distributed by Ichiban Records. In 1997, Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz debuted with Get Crunk, Who U Wit: Da Album. It included singles "Who U Wit?" and "Shawty Freak a Lil' Sumthin'", the latter of which came out in 1998. Both singles charted on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at No. 70 and No. 62 respectively. In 2000, Jon took part in starting up his own label BME Recordings and signed a distribution agreement with Norcross, Georgia-based Southern Music Distribution. There he released his breakthrough album titled We Still Crunk!. Among the tracks on that project was the hit single "I Like Those Girls", which reached No. 55 on the R&B chart and No. 3 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart.