crunk

American  

[kruhngk] / krʌŋk /

noun

1. a type of hip-hop originating in the southern U.S. and characterized by heavy bass and call-and-response vocals.

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adjective

1. Slang.

   1. excited; full of energy.

   2. drunk and high on drugs.

crunk British  

/ krʌnk /

noun

1. a form of hip-hop music originating in the southern states of the US

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Etymology

Origin of crunk

1990-95; perhaps cr(azy) + (dr)unk

Example Sentences

Rapper DJ Unk, who was best known for the bouncy early-2000s crunk hit “Walk It Out,” has died.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2025

The exposure helped him become more recognizable, particularly to the BET brass — who he says initially struggled to grasp the concept of his crunk music, which eventually gained mainstream appeal.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 23, 2023

Even as she praised her successors, Gangsta Boo asserted her dominance in the Southern rap explosion that spawned crunk and trap music.

From Washington Post • Jan. 4, 2023

It introduced audiences everywhere to the raw, thrashing energy that fuelled the crunk subgenre, and stuck out against relatively quaint hits like “Get Low” and “Yeah!,” which only implied the manic energy that “Knuck” embodied.

From The New Yorker • Nov. 4, 2016

Banks calls what he does "rap-influenced pop", describing it as "a formula of grime and crunk, pop, soulful hardcore/jungle and R&B".

From The Guardian • Feb. 13, 2013