Lil' Jon & The East Side Boyz Crunk Juice

(Herald rating: * * * *)

Sorry Eminem but these guys make you look as dangerous as Moby. Lil' John and the East Side Boyz are the WWF of hip-hop. They're doing for brawls, bling and bitches what the Darkness did for rock'n'roll.

On first listen it's a bit like being attacked by a rugby team of Ludacris fans, and Lil' Jon (the high-pitched gravel voice who collaborated with Usher on Yeah) comes on like a geriatric with a Tourette's problem. Yep, there's lots of chanting, usually along the lines of "Are you [expletive]ing with me?" followed by "Stop [expletive]ing with me!"

But if you can get past the low-cerebral delivery, the vulgar lyrics and the notion their music is more enjoyable if you're crazy and drunk, you'll find the East Side Boyz are musical visionaries.

Why? Because these gold-toothed, foul-mouthed Southern gangstas have helped to pioneer a genre.

Crunk, if you've yet to be introduced, is the hip-hop phenomenon sweeping clubs and car stereos around the world. And if you believe the footage on their DVD, the Boyz can't make music unless there's a booty jiggling non-stop over the mixing desk.

Crunk Juice is also the name of Lil' Jon's new energy drink. Go figure.

Most of the truly crunkalicious tracks on their third album are nothing more than a relentlessly thumping bass, looped sample and the MC's trademark shouty rhymes. But occasionally they'll throw in a seedy metal riff, or conveniently mix the tracks together for that perfect hip-hop mosh-pit moment. The album also features hilarious skits, (Bo Hagan's Phone Call) sexy R&B tunes (One Night Stand) and freaky-deaky production (Stick That Thang Out). And with a stellar guest line-up that includes Ludacris, Nate Dogg, Usher, Pharrell, Snoop, Ice Cube, R Kelly and comedian Chris Rock, plus a remix bonus disc and DVD, you know you're in for one bumpy, crunky ride.

Label: TVT Records