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Phonk
Phonk (/fɒŋk/ ⓘ) is a subgenre of hip hop that emerged in the early 2010s in the United States. The term was coined and popularized by American rapper and record producer SpaceGhostPurrp. The genre is characterized by its use of Memphis rap-inspired vocals, chopped and screwed production techniques, and samples from early 1990s hip hop, often incorporating elements from jazz and funk.
Phonk draws influence from Southern hip-hop artists such as DJ Screw, Three 6 Mafia, Tommy Wright III and DJ Spanish Fly. During the early 2010s, a number of underground artists contributed to a revival of Memphis rap aesthetics which later became associated with phonk such as SpaceGhostPurrp's collective Raider Klan members Denzel Curry, Xavier Wulf and Amber London, along with rappers Lil Ugly Mane and DJ Smokey.
In the late 2010s, a subgenre known as "drift phonk" emerged in Russia, characterized by faster tempos, prominent cowbell patterns, and aggressive basslines. The style gained popularity through social media platforms such as TikTok, where it became conflated with the original phonk sound. By the mid-2020s, Brazilian styles such as "funk automotivo" became synonymous with the original genre and popular online.
The term "phonk" was originally coined and popularized by American rapper SpaceGhostPurrp, who released tracks such as "Pheel tha Phonk", "Bringin' tha Phonk", and "Keep Bringin' tha Phonk" and his 2012 debut album Mysterious Phonk: Chronicles of SpaceGhostPurrp. In an interview, he explained that "phonk is slang for funk", in reference to the G-funk music genre.
Phonk is directly inspired by 1990s Memphis rap and samples from that era of hip hop. These are often combined with jazz and funk samples. The chopped and screwed technique is mainly used, in order to create a darker sound. The genre is not anchored to a regional "scene", but the online platform SoundCloud. Notable artists associated with "new-age phonk" include DJ Smokey, DJ Yung Vamp, Soudiere, and Mythic.
Phonk took inspiration from trap roots in the Southern United States in the mid-1990s. Artists or musical groups like DJ Screw, X-Raided, DJ Spanish Fly, Tommy Wright III, DJ Squeeky, and the collective Three 6 Mafia all helped pioneer the foundations for the genre to emerge many years later, with the Houston chopped and screwed seen as the precursor to the genre.
In the early 2010s, artists from SpaceGhostPurrp's collective Raider Klan such as Amber London and Denzel Curry, along with rapper Lil Ugly Mane and record producer DJ Smokey revived the Memphis rap sound, which evolved into the "phonk" style. Music curator Ryan Celsius also helped popularize the genre through his YouTube mixes. Phonk producers continued to push this sound in the underground, before the genre gained real momentum during the mid-2010s.
By the end of 2017, phonk had shifted away from the "gritty, dark, Memphis-oriented sound", incorporating more modern vocals, with elements of jazz and classic hip hop. This stream of phonk has been described as "rare phonk" by Celsius, characterized by "more of a cleaner, almost mainstream trap sound". Between 2016 and 2018, phonk was one of the most listened genres on SoundCloud, with the hashtag #phonk among the most trending each year.
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Phonk
Phonk (/fɒŋk/ ⓘ) is a subgenre of hip hop that emerged in the early 2010s in the United States. The term was coined and popularized by American rapper and record producer SpaceGhostPurrp. The genre is characterized by its use of Memphis rap-inspired vocals, chopped and screwed production techniques, and samples from early 1990s hip hop, often incorporating elements from jazz and funk.
Phonk draws influence from Southern hip-hop artists such as DJ Screw, Three 6 Mafia, Tommy Wright III and DJ Spanish Fly. During the early 2010s, a number of underground artists contributed to a revival of Memphis rap aesthetics which later became associated with phonk such as SpaceGhostPurrp's collective Raider Klan members Denzel Curry, Xavier Wulf and Amber London, along with rappers Lil Ugly Mane and DJ Smokey.
In the late 2010s, a subgenre known as "drift phonk" emerged in Russia, characterized by faster tempos, prominent cowbell patterns, and aggressive basslines. The style gained popularity through social media platforms such as TikTok, where it became conflated with the original phonk sound. By the mid-2020s, Brazilian styles such as "funk automotivo" became synonymous with the original genre and popular online.
The term "phonk" was originally coined and popularized by American rapper SpaceGhostPurrp, who released tracks such as "Pheel tha Phonk", "Bringin' tha Phonk", and "Keep Bringin' tha Phonk" and his 2012 debut album Mysterious Phonk: Chronicles of SpaceGhostPurrp. In an interview, he explained that "phonk is slang for funk", in reference to the G-funk music genre.
Phonk is directly inspired by 1990s Memphis rap and samples from that era of hip hop. These are often combined with jazz and funk samples. The chopped and screwed technique is mainly used, in order to create a darker sound. The genre is not anchored to a regional "scene", but the online platform SoundCloud. Notable artists associated with "new-age phonk" include DJ Smokey, DJ Yung Vamp, Soudiere, and Mythic.
Phonk took inspiration from trap roots in the Southern United States in the mid-1990s. Artists or musical groups like DJ Screw, X-Raided, DJ Spanish Fly, Tommy Wright III, DJ Squeeky, and the collective Three 6 Mafia all helped pioneer the foundations for the genre to emerge many years later, with the Houston chopped and screwed seen as the precursor to the genre.
In the early 2010s, artists from SpaceGhostPurrp's collective Raider Klan such as Amber London and Denzel Curry, along with rapper Lil Ugly Mane and record producer DJ Smokey revived the Memphis rap sound, which evolved into the "phonk" style. Music curator Ryan Celsius also helped popularize the genre through his YouTube mixes. Phonk producers continued to push this sound in the underground, before the genre gained real momentum during the mid-2010s.
By the end of 2017, phonk had shifted away from the "gritty, dark, Memphis-oriented sound", incorporating more modern vocals, with elements of jazz and classic hip hop. This stream of phonk has been described as "rare phonk" by Celsius, characterized by "more of a cleaner, almost mainstream trap sound". Between 2016 and 2018, phonk was one of the most listened genres on SoundCloud, with the hashtag #phonk among the most trending each year.