As if pairing Eminem and 50 Cent isn’t wild enough, Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz are going be joining their “Anger Management 3” tour this summer.
But expect the super-producer and his crew to provide more of a party vibe than an angry vibe — and they’ve got plenty to party about. The crunk-masters’ latest, “Crunk Juice,” has sold more than two million copies, and Lil Jon’s imprint has been on some of the past year’s biggest hits, from Usher’s “Yeah!” to Ciara’s “Goodies” to his own slow-jam hit with Usher and Ludacris, “Lovers & Friends.”
Lil Jon talked about how wild life can get on the road during a recent interview with The Associated Press.
AP: What’s your diva backstage request?
Lil Jon: The Crunk!!! energy drink and water. That’s all I really care about. And some towels and some T-shirts when we get off stage. because usually I’m soaking wet. I don’t really ask for much. I don’t eat the little meat, and the food be cold. All of that is a waste of time, really.
AP: What do you do to wind down after a show?
Lil Jon: We usually just go to an after-party. Just take a shower, and then go do the after-party thing.
AP: Are you ever too tired, or are you always down for a party?
Lil Jon: No, I’m always down, because that’s how you get the energy. You can’t do these records if you don’t go to the club. You’ve got to be in the club. And my background is a DJ, so, the DJ can’t stay out the club, a real DJ can never stay out the club.
AP: Any must-have reading?
Lil Jon: We just look at all the magazines — the Source, XXL, Murder Dog ... (laughs). No books.
AP: What would a groupie have to do to get backstage?
Lil Jon: I don’t know. Usually, there be some back there anyway. I speak to everybody. I’m one of those kind of artists that I’m cool with everybody. If they want to meet me, it’s cool. That’s as far as it goes. But I’m the cool artist. I shake everybody’s hand, try to sign all the autographs, take pictures when I can. I guess they really have to show that they’re a true fan. Hold up the first album. Some people come up to me, guys, girls, they have pictures that I done took with them years ago. ... Stuff like that will help them get back. Or just having the CD. We appreciate people having our stuff.
AP: What’s the cool gadget you can’t live without on the road that’s not your iPod?
Lil Jon: My Mac, my computer. I stay on the computer. I’m a businessman, I’m always on the Internet, searching, and looking at different things, e-mails. What do I have, a G5? I don’t know, I just bought a new one. And my Sidekick.
AP: What kind of DVDs do you watch on the bus?
Lil Jon: Comedy, drama and action movies, and then like kung-fu flicks. I like horror movies too. Horror movies are real dope because of the way they shoot ’em.
AP: What’s your favorite alias that you have retired?
Lil Jon: (Laughs). Retired? Cuervo Jones. We used to drink a lot of Jose Cuervo tequila. We used to drink so much we gave ourselves tequila names. My tequila name was Cuervo Jones.
AP: What’s the chance we’ll find you getting crunk in the local club after the show?
Lil Jon: 99.9 percent. I like to go to the clubs. As long as the environment permits, and it’s not too knuckleheadish, I’m there, I go to the club. Because that’s where you get inspiration from.