TL;DR
- Lil Jon, a veteran of Southern hip-hop and crunk, has a 30-year career and is known for his distinctive voice.
- Hailing from Atlanta, Lil Jon's musical style was influenced by artists like OutKast and DJ Toomp, and he is known as "The King of Crunk."
- Lil Jon is a fan of the Atlanta Falcons and Las Vegas sports teams, inspired by the city's resilience after a tragedy.
- He will perform during the halftime show of the Ravens - Bengals game on Thanksgiving Day.
Odds are you've heard Lil Jon's rugged voice adorn a synth- and drum-filled instrumental before.
The 54-year-old emcee is a veteran of Southern hip-hop and its subgenre, crunk. Like any veteran, Lil Jon is used to the spotlight, finding success both within a group and on his own.
All of this has amounted to a 30-year career unlike many others. Lil Jon is a familiar face in an ever-changing industry. And although he might not be as marquee as he once was, he is still capable of headlining major spectacles.
He'll have an opportunity to do so on Thanksgiving Day. The NFL has assigned him to perform during the halftime show of the Ravens-Bengals game. This marks the most recent in a string of performances for the artist who has sold millions of albums.
Lil Jon's origins are a point of interest. Additionally, what is his relationship, if any, with Baltimore? This information is what you should be aware of.
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Where is Lil Jon from?
Atlanta, a significant origin point for African-American music, is Lil Jon's hometown. His musical style was molded by various artists, many from comparable backgrounds, such as OutKast and DJ Toomp.
Drawing inspiration from Atlanta's music scene and nearby Memphis, where Three 6 Mafia was exploring comparable sounds, Lil Jon discovered his distinctive style. His collaborations with The East Side Boyz were instrumental in popularizing crunk, leading him to be recognized with the moniker, "The King of Crunk."
That sound has gone on to influence a wide array of musicians, including Atlanta-based MCs Young Thug and Lil Wookie.
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Is Lil Jon a Ravens fan?
While Lil Jon is performing at the Ravens-Bengals game, he is a fan of another side named after a bird — the Falcons.
Lil Jon keenly supports Atlanta's sports teams, cheering for all three major professional leagues based there, and previously for The Thrashers before their relocation to Winnipeg. He's made numerous appearances at Falcons games throughout the years, most recently contributing his voice to a Week 13 contest between Atlanta and the Chargers during the previous season.
Beyond his enthusiasm for Atlanta's sports teams, Lil Jon also has a fondness for the sports franchises based in Las Vegas. He grew to love Sin City following a 2017 mass shooting that resulted in 60 fatalities. Lil Jon shared with the Las Vegas Weekly that the city's reaction to the tragedy deeply affected him, inspiring him to support any team representing Las Vegas.
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“I was here when the tragedy happened, and the one good thing that came out of that was the city came together,” Lil Jon said in 2023. “That’s part of why I support all of the teams, because we support each other. And that’s what Vegas is about. The slogan is Vegas Strong—we’re all together. So anything Vegas I’m gonna support, win or lose, because this is my second home. Everybody in this city is basically like my family.”
Earlier this season, Lil Jon performed at a Raiders-Chargers game, solidifying his position as one of Las Vegas' most prominent advocates.
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