Yea, but you have to admit that the actual Bay Area rap scene/cuture was the selling point, the music isn't all that to be honest (to be having this big of a buzz), they're trying to sell the culture.
The music its self is more uptempo and has better lyrics for the most part. Yea, Lil Jon produced both big "national" hits first, but honestly, he didn't create either sound dawg. The first actual Crunk hit was by "The Iconz", not Lil Jon. And crediting Lil Jon for hyphy is crazy, all he did was produce a track, Rick Rock and others been following this format. Do you honestly think that Rick Rock drew inspiration directly from Lil Jon when he made his first hyphy beat? I doubt it, he was probably indirectly influenced but he didn't bite no one elses sound. The heavy drums have been used by Too Short for years, and I had dreds way back in 97! White T's and NIKEs in 98, waaay before the South made it popular, you should know about that. I hate these comparisons because you can compare any form of hip hop to the other, it's all music. None of it is the same and none of it is different as far as music, that's a dead issue. Our sake of identity is at stake though as far as a unique culture, and these people who perpetuate this myth are trying to destroy what we've created out here that quick. People really need to delve into this Bay culture, check the history, and then decide what came from who and what came from what. We're too secluded in the North/West region of the country to really be influenced by Atlanta that much, shit urks me. Niggas is really tryna say we bitin when it is so far from the truth.