phonk
{{Short description|Subgenre of hip hop and trap music}}
{{Distinguish|Funk}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox music genre
| name = Phonk
| native_name =
| etymology =
| other_names =
| image = Wiki-Phonk-Sample OGG.ogg
| alt =
| caption = Short example of a phonk track
| stylistic_origins = {{hlist|Memphis rap|Southern hip hop|trap|chopped and screwed}}
| cultural_origins = Early 2010s, United States
| instruments = {{hlist|Synthesizer|sampler|drum machine (Roland TR-808)|vocals}}
| subgenres = {{hlist|Drift phonk}}
| subgenrelist =
| fusiongenres =
| regional_scenes =
| local_scenes =
| other_topics = {{hlist|Cloud rap|lo-fi|funk automotivo}}
| footnotes =
| current_year = no
}}
Phonk ({{IPAc-en|f|ɒ|ŋ|k|audio=LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-phonk.wav|attribution=no}}) is a subgenre of hip hop and trap music directly inspired by 1990s Memphis rap. The genre is characterized by its use of vintage Memphis rap vocals, chopped and screwed production techniques, and samples from early 1990s hip hop, often combined with samples from jazz and funk.
The genre emerged in the Southern United States during the 1990s, with pioneers like DJ Screw, Three 6 Mafia, and DJ Spanish Fly laying its groundwork. The term "phonk" was popularized in the early 2010s by rapper and producer SpaceGhostPurrp, who described it as a modern take on funk-inspired hip hop.
In the late 2010s, a subgenre called drift phonk emerged in Russia, distinguished by its heavy use of cowbells, aggressive basslines, and faster tempos. Gaining widespread popularity through social media platforms like TikTok, drift phonk became synonymous with the broader phonk genre, often overshadowing its original sound.
History
Phonk took inspiration from trap roots in the Southern United States in the mid-1990s.{{Cite web |last=Anand |first=Aashna |date=April 13, 2020 |title=The Evolution of Soundcloud's Popular New Genre: Phonk |url=https://lucidmonday.com/2020/04/13/the-evolution-of-phonk/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220116134936/https://lucidmonday.com/2020/04/13/the-evolution-of-phonk/ |archive-date=16 January 2022 |access-date=April 14, 2020 |website=Lucid Monday |language=en}} Artists or musical groups like DJ Screw, X-Raided, DJ Spanish Fly,{{Cite web |last=Albors |first=Maxime |date=November 2, 2017 |title=Lowpocus nous explique pourquoi le phonk est en train de ressusciter |url=https://www.vice.com/fr/article/lowpocus-nous-explique-pourquoi-le-phonk-est-en-train-de-ressusciter/ |access-date=April 14, 2020 |website=Vice |language=fr}} DJ Squeeky,{{Cite web |last=Luján |first=David |date=20 January 2022 |title=Rap y terror: una introducción al horrorcore en 11 canciones |url=https://www.shock.co/musica/rap-y-terror-una-introduccion-al-horrorcore-en-11-canciones |access-date=21 March 2022 |website=Shock |language=es}} 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. Artists such as SpaceGhostPurrp and Lil Ugly Mane revived the sound in the form of phonk in the early 2010s.{{Cite web |title=What the Phonk |url=https://www.coeo-ntwrk.com/what-the-phonk |access-date=23 October 2021 |website=coeo |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Calamel Duprey |first=Charlotte |date=24 January 2022 |title=Qu'est-ce que le "drift phonk", ce phénomène internet qui mêle hip-hop, ados russes et street racing |trans-title=What is "drift phonk", this internet phenomenon that mixes hip-hop, Russian teens and street racing |url=https://www.traxmag.com/drift-phonk-phenomene-internet-hip-hop-ados-russes-street-racing/ |access-date=19 March 2022 |website=Trax Magazine |language=fr |archive-date=December 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203232952/https://www.traxmag.com/drift-phonk-phenomene-internet-hip-hop-ados-russes-street-racing/ |url-status=dead }}
The word "phonk" was popularized by SpaceGhostPurrp,{{Cite web|last=Houghton|first=Edwin|date=31 August 2012|title=The Okayplayer Interview: SpaceGhostPurrp Reveals The Mysteries of Phonk|url=https://www.okayplayer.com/news/spaceghostpurrp-mysterious-phonk-interview-trayvon-trill-porn.html|access-date=23 October 2021|website=Okayplayer|language=en-US}} who released tracks such as "Pheel tha Phonk", "Bringin' tha Phonk", and "Keep Bringin' tha Phonk" as well his debut album in 2012 called Mysterious Phonk: Chronicles of SpaceGhostPurrp.{{Cite web|date=October 26, 2017|title=La vaportrap s'impose en bande son des Internets|url=http://www.surlmag.fr/vaportrap-phonk-instrumental-soudiere/|access-date=April 14, 2020|website=SURL|language=fr-FR}}{{Cite web|last=Bassil|first=Ryan|date=February 13, 2017|title=Please, Kids. Help Us: What Is "Phonk"?|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/we-asked-load-generation-z-teens-phonk/|access-date=April 14, 2020|website=Vice|language=en}}{{Cite web |title=SpaceGhostPurrp: Mysterious Phonk: The Chronicles of SpaceGhostPurrp |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16716-mysterious-phonk-the-chronicles-of-spaceghostpurrp/ |access-date=2023-11-17 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}} In an interview, he explained that "phonk is slang for funk", in reference to the G-funk music genre.{{Cite web |last=Saxelby |first=Ruth |date=30 March 2012 |title=Back to the funking phuture |url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/mar/31/sxsw-funk-revival |access-date=21 March 2022 |website=the Guardian |language=en}} YouTube channels such as Ryan Celsius also helped popularize the genre.{{Cite web |last=Broc |first=David |date=March 1, 2017 |title='Phonk', o som futurista do hip hop, faz sucesso na Internet |url=https://brasil.elpais.com/brasil/2017/02/28/cultura/1488286008_433236.html |access-date=April 14, 2020 |website=EL PAÍS |language=pt-br}} 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".{{Cite magazine|last=Leight|first=Elias|date=29 April 2021|title=Russian Producers Obsessed With Three 6 Mafia Can't Stop Going Viral|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/three-6-mafia-dj-paul-russia-1161400/|access-date=28 August 2021|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}} Between 2016 and 2018, phonk was one of the most listened genres on SoundCloud, with the hashtag #phonk among the most trending each year.{{Cite web|title=SoundCloud » A Throwback to 2016|url=https://blog.soundcloud.com/2017/01/19/throwbackto2016/|website=blog.soundcloud.com|access-date=May 28, 2020}}{{Cite web|title=SoundCloud » The 2017 SoundCloud Playback|url=https://blog.soundcloud.com/2017/12/07/2017-soundcloud-playback/|website=blog.soundcloud.com|access-date=May 28, 2020}}{{Cite web|title=SoundCloud » The 2018 SoundCloud Playback|url=https://blog.soundcloud.com/2018/12/06/stream-soundclouds-2018-playback-and-hear-our-artists-to-watch-in-2019/|website=blog.soundcloud.com|access-date=May 28, 2020}}
Characteristics
Directly inspired by 1990s Memphis rap, phonk is characterized by old Memphis rap vocals and samples from early 1990s hip hop.{{Cite news|last=Haynes|first=Gavin|date=January 27, 2017|title=What the phonk? The genre that's gripping Generation Z|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/jan/27/phonk-soundcloud-spaceghostpurrp-lil-uzi-vert|access-date=April 14, 2020|issn=0261-3077}} These are often combined with jazz and funk samples. The chopped and screwed technique is mainly used, in order to create a darker sound.
A peculiarity of phonk is the fact that it is not anchored to a regional "scene": it is tied to SoundCloud itself as an online platform, which highlights subgenres derived from hip hop and experimental pop.{{Cite news|last=Broc|first=David|url=https://elpais.com/cultura/2017/02/28/actualidad/1488286008_433236.html|title=El 'phonk', el sonido futurista del 'hip hop', triunfa en Internet|date=March 2, 2017|work=El País|access-date=April 14, 2020|language=es|issn=1134-6582}} Other notable artists associated with "new-age phonk" include DJ Smokey,{{Cite web |date=15 January 2022 |title=Nostalgická jízda jménem phonk. Lo-fi, špína & přetočené beaty z kazet |url=https://wave.rozhlas.cz/nostalgicka-jizda-jmenem-phonk-lo-fi-spina-pretocene-beaty-z-kazet-8404907 |access-date=21 March 2022 |website=Radio Wave |language=cs}} DJ Yung Vamp,{{Cite web|date=November 2, 2020|title=DJ Yung Vamp|url=https://www.stuck-magazine.com/yung-vamp|access-date=November 2, 2020|website=StuckMagazine|language=en}} Soudiere,{{Cite web |last=Guillard |first=Eloïse |date=25 June 2021 |title=5 artistes à découvrir dès maintenant ! |url=https://www.blow-ent.com/2021/06/25/blow-focus/5-artistes-a-decouvrir-des-maintenant/ |access-date=21 March 2022 |website=BLOW ENTERTAINMENT |language=fr-FR}} and Mythic.
Other genres
= Drift phonk =
Drift phonk is a subgenre of phonk that emerged in the late-2010s in Russia.{{Cite web|last=Лейзаренко|first=Даша|date=2021-12-23|title=Дрифт, тачки, мемы и тикток: фонк — один из жанров года. Российские музыканты сделали его популярным во всём интернете — Интернет на TJ|url=https://tjournal.ru/internet/455227-drift-tachki-memy-i-tiktok-fonk-odin-iz-zhanrov-goda-rossiyskie-muzykanty-sdelali-ego-populyarnym-vo-vsem-internete|access-date=2022-02-03|website=TJ}}{{Cite web|last=Bola|first=David|date=30 April 2021|title=Il faut que l'on vous parle du Drift Phonk|url=https://www.nova.fr/news/il-faut-que-lon-vous-parle-du-drift-phonk-139992-30-04-2021/|access-date=17 August 2021|website=Radio Nova|language=fr-FR}} It is characterized by the use of high bass, TR-808 cowbells, and distorted sounds, making the lyrics of the samples often unrecognizable. Drift phonk tracks tend to have a greater tempo than normal phonk tracks. Drift phonk music is often used in videos pertaining to the topics of weight lifting, drifting, association football,{{Cite web |date=2023-06-05 |title=Funk carioca music leaks into the soccer culture of Brazil |url=https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/funk-carioca-music-leaks-into-the-soccer-culture-of-brazil-20230603-WST-431467.html |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=World Soccer Talk |language=en}} anime, fighting sports, and street racing cars.{{Cite web |date=2020-05-01 |title=Synthwave car culture: A new wave of automotive enthusiasts |url=https://www.hagerty.com/media/opinion/synthwave-car-culture-a-new-wave-of-automotive-enthusiasts/ |access-date=2021-05-10 |website=Hagerty Media |language=en-US}} The genre quickly gained traction through the app TikTok in 2020.{{Cite magazine |last=Leight |first=Elias |date=2022-11-18 |title=All You Need To Know About Phonk, the Dance Subgenre That's Taking Off |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/phonk-dance-subgenre-fast-furious-soundtrack-1235172937/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} Most of the prominent drift phonk producers come from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and other countries in Eastern Europe.
As drift phonk became popular on TikTok, it surpassed the original genre in popularity; this, in turn, gave the word "phonk" a stronger association with the drift phonk subgenre.{{Cite web |last=Crocker |first=Jackson |date=27 April 2022 |title=Phonk, and the Carcasses of A Million Sub-Genres |url=https://thesummitpinnacle.com/1604/crest/phonk-and-its-carcasses-of-a-million-sub-genres/ |access-date=24 January 2023 |website=The Summit Pinnacle}} Following the rise in popularity of the genre in Russia,{{Cite web |date=December 10, 2021 |title=Музыкальные итоги 2021 в Spotify: что слушали геймеры? |trans-title=Spotify Music Results 2021: What Have Gamers Been Listening to? |url=https://vc.ru/spotify/332229-muzykalnye-itogi-2021-v-spotify-chto-slushali-geymery |access-date=February 3, 2022 |website=vc.ru |publisher=Spotify |language=ru}} Spotify released its official curated phonk playlist in May 2021,{{Cite web |date=May 12, 2021 |title=Сегодня в карточках рассказываем о наследнике мемфис-рэпа — фонке. |trans-title=Today in the cards we talk about the heir of Memphis rap — Phonk. |url=https://www.facebook.com/spotifyrussia/posts/515254859846287 |access-date=February 3, 2022 |website=Facebook |publisher=Spotify |language=ru}} which was almost exclusively composed of drift phonk tracks. One of the first songs in this genre is called "Scary Garry", released in 2016 by Kaito Shoma.
= Funk automotivo =
Phonk is often confused with funk automotivo, a subgenre of Brazilian funk, incorrectly known as "Brazilian phonk" outside of Brazil. The genre gained the nickname "Brazilian phonk" following its popularization and success on social media.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-27 |title=Brazilian phonk: conheça estilo de funk que deixou o Brasil em evidência no exterior em 2023 - Verso |url=https://diariodonordeste.verdesmares.com.br/verso/brazilian-phonk-conheca-estilo-de-funk-que-deixou-o-brasil-em-evidencia-no-exterior-em-2023-1.3458836 |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=Diário do Nordeste |language=pt-br}} Popular in Brazil, it combines phonk with local cultural elements.{{Cite web |title=La Evolución del Phonk y sus subgéneros: Una Historia de Internet y Experimentación {{!}} Random Sounds Blog |url=https://www.sounds.co/post/la-evolucion-del-phonk |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=sounds.co |language=es}}