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All Music Guide:
Together with production partner DJ Paul, Juicy J played an important role in the South's rise to prominence within the once East- and West Coast-dominated rap industry. Behind the duo's leadership, Three 6 Mafia rose from an underground phenomenon in Memphis to a nationally recognized rap empire, spinning off numerous solo albums for the collective's many members in the mid- to late '90s. Like his production partner, Juicy J specialized in dark, eerie tracks driven by bass-heavy beats and haunting sounds. He also raps as a member of Three 6 Mafia and contributes rhymes to most of the albums he produces for such artists as his brother Project Pat, Gangsta Boo, La Chat, and Tear da Club Up Thugs. Moreover, Juicy J ventured into filmmaking with Choices (2001), a straight-to-video film starring most of the Three 6 Mafia collective.
Juicy J (born Jordan Houston) and DJ Paul (Paul Beauregard) first came together at the dawn of the '90s, when they worked as DJs in the Memphis area. The two soon began producing their own tracks and invited numerous Memphis rappers to rap over the beats. They released the resulting tracks locally as Triple 6 Mafia; years later these recordings would resurface as re-releases. In 1995, the loose collective changed its name to Three 6 Mafia and self-released its debut album, Mystic Stylez. The album became an underground success, and Three 6 Mafia, in turn, signed a distribution deal with Relativity for its Hypnotized Minds imprint. Throughout the late '90s, Juicy J and DJ Paul produced numerous albums a year for Hypnotized Minds and capitalized on the lucrative distribution deal. By the end of the decade, the two producers were at the helm of an empire, having extended their brand to alarming lengths, culminating with their commercial breakthrough album, When the Smoke Clears (2000), which debuted at number six on Billboard's album chart.
He launched his solo career during a break in Three 6 Mafia's usually busy recording schedule, releasing the hardcore effort Chronicles of the Juice Man: Underground Album in 2002. Gucci Mane, Gorilla Zoe, and Webbie all appeared on the 2009 follow-up, Hustle Till I Die. Two years later, Juicy signed with Wiz Khalifa's Taylor Gang and released "Bandz a Make Her Dance" on the label in 2012. The single landed on his third solo album, the 2013 release Stay Trippy.
Wikipedia:
Jordan Michael Houston (born April 5, 1975), better known by his stage name Juicy J, is an American rapper, songwriter and record producer from Memphis, Tennessee. He is a founding member of the Southern hip hop group Three 6 Mafia, established in 1991. In 2002, he released his solo debut album Chronicles of the Juice Man, in between Three 6 Mafia projects. In 2011, Juicy J announced his signing to Wiz Khalifa's Taylor Gang Records and the following year to Columbia Records and Dr. Luke's Kemosabe Records. Juicy J released Stay Trippy, his third studio album under the aforementioned labels on August 27, 2013. He is the younger brother of frequent collaborator and fellow American rapper Project Pat.Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist}} template (see the help page).
Career[edit]
1991-2009: Career beginnings with Three 6 Mafia[edit]
In 1991, Juicy J co-founded the Southern hip hop group now internationally known as Three 6 Mafia, along with DJ Paul and Lord Infamous. Fellow rappers Crunchy Black, Gangsta Boo and Koopsta Knicca joined the group shortly after. Alongside DJ Paul, Juicy J launched Prophet Entertainment. In 1994, they left the label to business partner Nick Scarfo, and subsequently launched Hypnotize Minds. Juicy J is also known for being the sole performer on the popular Three 6 Mafia song "Slob on My Knob". He released his solo debut studio album Chronicles of the Juice Man, on July 2, 2002, under North North Records. His second solo album Hustle Till I Die, was released June 16, 2009, under Hypnotize Minds and Select-O-Hits. In 2006, Juicy J, along with DJ Paul and Frayser Boy, won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp", at the 78th Academy Awards.
2010-present: Taylor Gang Records and Stay Trippy[edit]
From 2009 through 2011, Juicy J moved away from Three 6 Mafia focusing on his solo career. During this time he frequently collaborated with fellow rapper Wiz Khalifa, appearing on his mixtapes and releasing some of his own including Blue Dream & Lean. In December 2011, Juicy J confirmed rumors that he was the newest member of Wiz Khalifa's Taylor Gang imprint. In 2012, he was featured alongside his Taylor Gang label-mates, on the cover of Source Magazine's May 2012 issue. In 2012, he also released the lead single to his third album Stay Trippy, the chart topping "Bandz a Make Her Dance", which features 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne. The song was created in a two bedroom apartment in Washington, DC and was produced by Mike Will Made It. The song has peaked at #32 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In September 2012, Juicy J secured a recording contract with Columbia Records and Dr. Luke's Kemosabe Records. In a November 2012 interview, Juicy J announced that his third studio album Stay Trippy, would be released in early 2013. He showed an interest in working with Nas, Dr. Dre and Jay-Z on the album. He later announced guest appearances on the album to include Wiz Khalifa, The Weeknd, Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Project Pat, Young Jeezy, Yelawolf and Big Sean. Juicy J also revealed the album would feature production from frequent collaborators Lex Luger, Sonny Digital, Mike Will Made It, Dr. Luke, Crazy Mike and Juicy J himself.
On January 20, 2013, it was announced Juicy J will perform at the 2013 Paid Dues festival on March 30, 2013. On January 25, 2013, he released "Show Out", featuring Big Sean and Young Jeezy, as the second single from Stay Trippy. The album's third single, "One of Those Nights" featuring The Weeknd, was released in March. In June, the fourth single "Bounce It", was released. The album, released August 23, 2013, debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 64,000 copies in the United States.
Juicy J was featured in Katy Perry's promotional single "Dark Horse" from her upcoming fourth album Prism. The song was released on September 17, 2013.Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist}} template (see the help page).
Music style[edit]
Juicy J is notable for his crunk style of rapping, highlighted by his "heavy-breathing" and "stomping" background sound effects. Juicy J's production style is characterized by fast-rolling high hats, sharp snares, and deep cinematic bass. He also incorporates samples from classic soul artists such as Willie Hutch, David Ruffin, and Isaac Hayes.
