With the multitude of dance records ranging from snap heavy bops to adrenaline pumping stomps, Louisiana born teenagers Lil Josh and Ernest bring forth an inimitable Southern record that has teens nationwide in a frenzy. "'Jigga Juice' is the song that started it all," says Lil Josh. "It's the reason why kids are paying attention to us now." As the fresh faces of "jig music," the duo have rife knowledge of what it takes to get their peers ready for the dance floor, which are detailed in the first verse of their track: "I got that jigga juice, I got that jigga juice/ It got me jiggalin', it got me gettin' loose/ And I'm 'bout to dance, And I'm 'bout to party/ I feel it in my body, I'm 'bout to get retarded/ And like a power ranger, I'm 'bout to power up/ I'm about to transform and get ridiculous."
Before Lil Josh and Ernest had eyes and ears turned in their direction, the two grew up in vastly different upbringings in their Baton Rouge households. Raised solely by his mother, Josh and his four siblings endured life surrounded by what Josh deems "the 'hood." To escape the volatile streets, a then 8-year-old Josh began rapping to get his mind out of the gutter and into creative spirits. At 12 years old, the aspiring rapper recorded his first song in a local studio with his cousin Slim. Though he didn't think seriously at the time of following in the footsteps of Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jay-Z—his musical motivators—it was his mother who pushed him to perfect his craft by rapping at local parties. "She kept telling me to keep going and don't stop," the 17-year-old reveals.
However, Ernest's living situation did not parallel that of Josh's—he was fortunate to have both parents around to oversee his every action. Though he lived in close proximity to his present day sidekick, the two did not meet until years later. And unlike Josh, music didn't come into play until much later for Ernest, 18. While his favorite rapper Tupac intrigued him with his storytelling and ability to paint a picture with words, playing on the basketball court fascinated Ernest much more. His love for the game became a blessing in disguise though, when the then 14-year-old and Lil Josh, then 13, met one another for the first time while shooting hoops.
Ironically, Ernest's uncle Beelow, a fixture in the Louisiana rap circuit, had worked with Josh prior to their own meeting. He had invited the young rapper out to perform at shows he booked after hearing Josh's earlier demos. And it wasn't until Beelow heard his own nephew's lyrical jabs at a family outing in 2003 that he realized that pairing Josh and Ernest together would make them a future force to be reckoned with. "Ernest was always a jokester and it wasn't until I took notice of what was coming out of his mouth that I realized he had real rhymes for real," admits Beelow of his nephew's rapping forte.
In 2005, Lil Josh and Ernest hit the studio to record a multitude of tracks that would resonate with teenage hip-hop fans outside of their area code. "[The songs are about] females, family, just songs about our life period," says Ernest. "The good stuff we've been through and the bad stuff." But it wasn't until they recorded their "jiggalatin'" single, "Jigga Juice," featuring Hurricane Chris, in 2007, that the duo realized they were on to something. After witnessing how Baton Rouge residents moved and grooved in the clubs and on the streets to the music blasting from amplifiers and car stereos, Lil Josh and Ernest pushed forward with the Shonta produced "Jigga Juice"—a "loud, fun and wild dance record", according to Ernest, that puts listeners on to the movement they have become synonymous with. Though names like Soulja Boy or DJ Unk may come to mind when the song hits the airwaves, this duo is carving their own niche on rap's radar.
Now, this tag team is bringing the jig style to the masses. Presently, the twosome are steadfast in creating their debut album under Beelow's Ballin Music Group and Polo Grounds Music, headed by founder and President Bryan Leach. Their music—which evokes a freestyle expression of dance and an automatic sense of youthfulness—is a fresh sound for listeners unfamiliar with the region Lil Josh and Ernest call home. Fans of "Jigga Juice" have infiltrated youtube.com and MySpace with homemade videos displaying their unique moves to go along with the song's high-octane beat. "We know that the jig movement has been going on since '99. Now we are taking it to the world. Once people absorb the music and the freshness, it's only going to grow," Lil Josh declares. With their knack for innovation and their lyrical talent in tow, their rap future never looked better.
