A staple of any hip-hop night worth it’s salt, J-Kwon’s Tipsy is an iconic piece of the hip-hop culture tapestry. It was his debut single, released on So So Def in 2004, and was a turning point in his life. J-Kwon, whose real name is Jerrel C. Jones, turbulent life started at the age of 12 when he was kicked out of his mother’s house for dealing crack cocaine in St. Louis where he grew up. Sleeping where he could in cars and friends houses, he also suffered a broken jaw after beating another MC during a rap battle. Tumultuous to say the least, but at the age of 18 he had a song about underage drinking (with the now-famous mini-skit to open the track) that was flying up the charts, both in America and internationally.

When the drum ensemble kicks in, it feels quite rock n roll. The sound feels similar to a band in the 70s or 80s looking to make an infectious record that could do well commercially. Rather than a gritty singing voice though, it is J-Kwon’s youthful rapping that comes over the top. The song has a catchy hook and the slurry tones that J-Kwon utilises takes the listener back to the days of fake IDs and park drinking as they sing along.

I think the song did so well because it doesn’t take it seriously. It’s a fun song that steers clear of politics, race and conscious thought and is just an 18-year old rapper who has gone into the studio and started spitting about what he knows.

 

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