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"You boxin' a donk donk?" To most of y'all out there, that question probably has you scratching your temple or maybe even wondering if you should be offended. But there's no need for alarm-nobody's questioning that extra junk in your trunk. Simply translated, that's just Southern slang asking if you're part of the Hi-Riser movement.
 
Unless you've been completely oblivious to Southern hip-hop's recent command of the airwaves and video channels, chances are you've at least caught a glimpse or heard of the unique, ostentatious vehicles referred to as high-risers. Born and (literally) raised in the county of Dade, this style of sitting old-school slabs on oversized rims might be new to most, but for Miami cats it's been the way to roll for quite some time now.
 
Unless you think getting lifted "Liberty City" style is all about dubs and jacked-up suspensions take a closer look. To build one of these neck-snappin' whips up right takes more than a gratuitous rim job. Miami native and self-proclaimed hi-riser fanatic Pitbull explains the method behind these show-stopping Impalas, Caprices and the likes. "The whole point of building one of these Chevys is to do it clean. Dudes will go far away like to South Carolina to find one that's straight, owned by some old lady or shit like that. They'll pay $800 for the car and then pump another $20-25,000 into it for the paint job, interior... and of course you gotta have the get-down-that trunk rattling system you can hear from blocks away. It's much bigger than just the wheels."
 
While Pit's point resonates louder than 808s in a library, much credit still must be given to the ingenuity required for fitting ever-growing rims under and into the old-school wheel wells-an art that has grown and evolved along with wheel sizes. Most original ‘90s era "Donk riders" resorted to an eclectic, home-brewed mix of truck parts and lift components to achieve the perfect stance for their whips, while newcomers to the game have more cookie-cutter style options as the aftermarket embraces the scene more and more each day. Still, even with available off-the-shelf kits, a large percentage of hi-rise builders turn to custom shops for their undercarriage work. Jermaine Lewis, owner of South Side Rides, Ft. Myers, FL explains why. "For this scene, the most important thing is your stance. If your car sits wrong, it doesn't matter how nice the rest is. Some guys want to ride real high; others like to be closer to the road. Either way, a lot of work goes into getting it just right. These dudes judge each other on that perfection. If your stance is nice but your tires rub the fenders you're gonna get clowned on."
 
Lewis is rather diplomatic in pointing out the various ride-heights available to the scene, but rise and wheel size can be a highly-contested subject depending on who you speak to. While young bucks often push the "bigger is better" mentality, old-school heads like Pitbull tend to like their Chevys down low. "Here in the ‘hood, these cars mean more than cars like Bentley Azzures. But when they come through on them big-ass 26s and 28s. I don't want to see them shits. But if you got one on 22s sittin right, then I might look at it. To me, 22" is that perfect size... that being said, it's not about having something better than the next guy. These cars are all about self-expression and creativity. If you come original, nobody's ever really gonna hate on you."
 
Remember that thought if you ever cross paths with an eight-foot tall, SpongeBob themed Caprice somewhere on South Beach. You don't have to like it, but there's no denying that the Hi-Riser movement is about as unique as they come.