Rapper Lil Jon starts his own wine label

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It turns out Lil Jon drinks more than crunk juice — the larger-than-life producer and rapper has started his own wine label, offering selections including chardonnay and merlot.

“It kind of came out of nowhere,” Lil Jon told The Associated Press of his new venture, Little Jonathan Winery. “We were just going to do some private label stuff (for parties) and we did it, and people was like, ‘Hey, it’s pretty nice.”’

Lil Jon acknowledges that he’s no wine connoisseur. “I’m not no ‘drink wine every day’ kind of dude,” he said in a telephone interview. “I’m not like an expert, so don’t ask me no questions ... I just like the taste.”

And he knows what he likes, including white wines and dessert wines (winemaker Alison Crowe is responsible for the label, made in California).

Little Jonathan Winery is not Lil Jon’s first venture into the drink market: He launched Crunk!!! Energy Drink a few years back: The concoction took its name from the rap style he made famous. But he is treating his venture into winemaking with a more serious approach.