Crunk
- This article is about rap music. For information on the swear word, see Krunk (profanity).
Crunk (or krunk) is a specific type of rap music, mostly being produced in the southern United States. While most crunk-style music could be called "Dirty South" or southern rap, the reverse is not necessarily true. Eightball & MJG for example have a more "Southern funk" sound.
The sound itself is a mix of repetitive chants and drum machine rhythms. Many of the drum machines (and the rhythms they produce) were previously more well known in specialty genres of dance music. The delivery of the lyrics, as with other Southern rap, is based on a rhythmic "bounce" which is very effective in clubs. In fact, several crunk songs have been banned in venues due to how wild the crowds can get.
Popular crunk-style acts include Bonecrusher, Lil Jon & the East Side Boys and Three 6 Mafia.
In the rap world, "crunk" rappers have been criticized for lacking any lyrical content and all sounding basically the same.
Crunk can also be used as a term meaning both high on marijuana and drunk on alcohol at the the same time. This has also led to the term being used as a general synonym to 'getting wild' or excited. Used in this way at Indianapolis Colts home games at the RCA Dome.