Summer 20

Crunk music was never dead, but Memphis rapper Duke Deuce has taken it upon himself to inspire a new generation to tear the club up. With inexhaustible energy and a booming voice, he’s reclaiming the ecstatic subgenre for his hometown, making music as grim as it is gleeful, and turning up all the while. Rapping about harrowing realities and detailing the benefits of his hard-won success, Duke has reached millions of fans who dig his music’s intensity as much as they do the playful dancing (a.k.a. gangsta walking) he does in his videos. With each release, Duke makes the case that crunk is more than music. It’s a way of life. He often bellows his signature ad-lib “WHAT THE FUCK?!” with the force of a wrecking ball—or rather, the force of his own breakout single, “Crunk Ain’t Dead,” a high-octane anthem that earned a remix featuring a few legends of the genre: Lil Jon, Juicy J, and Project Pat. Since signing with Quality Control Music, Duke hasn’t let his foot off the gas, releasing Memphis Massacre [2018], Memphis Massacre 2 [2020], Duke Nukem [2021] and Crunkstar [2022], the latter of which cemented his signature ‘crunk-rock’ sound with breakout single “Just Say That,” powered by guest features from Glorilla and Quavo. Duke continues his worldwide takeover with the release of his latest mixtape offering Memphis Massacre 3 [Quality Control Music/Motown Records/Made Men Movement].

Duke Deuce

Rockstar JT

Scootie Wop

MainMain

Stick

Reach Records

Kid Class for MADAR Entertainment

Jacob “Biz” Morris

Connor Back

Jaterrius Johnson

Jonathan Commings

Emmanuel Louis Lofton

Patavious Isom

Anthony Michael Wyley

Cujo Entertainment (BMI)

KidClass Music (ASCAP)

Scootie Wop (BMI)