Phonk music has been storming the music scene in recent years. With its unique blend of hip hop, trap, and Memphis rap influences, phonk has gained a dedicated fanbase and is making its mark on popular culture. In this blog post, we will examine the origins, characteristics, key artists, and future of phonk music.
What is Phonk Music?
The phonk music genre is a product of the subgenre of hip-hop which originated in the Southern states of the United States, especially in Memphis. Phonk typically incorporates elements of old-school hip-hop beats with 90s Memphis-style rap and lo-fi aesthetics infused with modern trap. Therefore, it often presents really heavy, atmospheric production with dark, gritty sounds and a raw, almost eerie vibe.
What makes phonk different from other hip-hop subgenres is that it is primarily based on sampling music, and most of it is from the old-school Memphis rap tracks. The samples paired with hard-hitting 808 basslines and haunting melodies provide a distinct flavor to phonk, appealing to underground music lovers.
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The Origins of Phonk Music
The history of phonk sounds traces back to the early 2010s. At this point, the scene had been seeded by artists like DJ Smokey and Mythic who have been experimenting on the 90s Memphis sounds. The beginning of this timeline also corresponds to a re-flourishing wave of underground hip-hop culture where most up-and-coming artists used such low-fi sounds and experiments with mainstream music to become unique.
The genre owes much to the Memphis rappers, but most especially to the pioneering efforts of Three 6 Mafia, whose dark, ominous beats and haunting vocal samples helped give phonk its shape. One can see why Memphis rap influenced phonk through the use of slow, heavy beats, pitched-down vocals, and horror-inspired themes.
The distribution of the track began after phonk musicians, who are currently prominent around the globe, started uploading them to the website SoundCloud. The overproduction and commercialism of most songs were boring many young people. However, these songs’ raw unpolished quality made listeners prefer phonk more.
Features of Phonk
Phonk music features distinctive sounds by its characteristic use of several important qualities:
1. Sampling
Sampling is one of the most prominent features of phonk music. Producers often sample older Memphis rap tracks, soul music, and horror movie dialogue to create a nostalgic and haunting atmosphere. These samples are often chopped and screwed, meaning they are slowed down and pitch-shifted to create a unique sound. Sampling helps phonk music maintain a connection to its roots while also giving it a modern twist.
2. Lo-Fi Aesthetic
Phonk also often uses low-fi production methods, such as grainy, distorted sounds and vinyl crackles. The music sounds very raw and unrefined in comparison to mainstream hip hop’s polished, high-production sound. The lo-fi aesthetic also aids in phonk’s dark, gritty vibe and gives off an underground authenticity feel.
3. Heavy 808s
Similar to trap music, phonk includes heavy 808 basslines that weigh the beat down. The deep and booming 808s make the phonk track sound heavy in the low end, perfect for speakers and subwoofers. Slowed, hypnotic drums are usually added to set the mood along with the bass.
4. Atmospheric Vocals
The vocals in phonk music are often treated to be distant, eerie, or even distorted. Often, rappers use a slowed-down or pitched-up effect for an otherworldly tone. Many phonk tracks also incorporate vocal samples from old-school hip hop or horror films, adding to the genre’s dark and haunting quality.
5. Dark Themes
Themes found in phonk are street life, drug abuse, mental disorders, and personal problems. These themes are delivered through vivid yet very violent lyrics, which depict the harsh realities of the urban experience. The dark themes are also portrayed by the eerie sounds used in the production, which combine well with the mood of the lyrics.
Important Artists of Phonk Music
Even though phonk music is still a relatively niche genre, several key artists have brought it into the limelight. Some artists contributed to the evolution of the genre and its creation, while others became icons within the phonk community.
1. $uicideboy$
One of the most prominent groups related to the phonk movement was the New Orleans-based $uicideboy$ duo. The dark, gritty sound of this duo, compounded with themes ranging from nihilism to self-destruction, has found popularity among underground hip-hop fans. The mix of phonk and trap lofi in $uicideboy$ makes their music so distinct and relatable worldwide.
2. Xavier Wulf
Another prominent figure in the phonk scene is Xavier Wulf. Using aggressive delivery and grim street-oriented lyrics, Wulf became one of the most respected figures within the underground rap scene. His music is characterized by heavy use of 808, dark production, and raw authentic lyrics depicting his actual experiences growing up in Memphis.
3. Chris Travis
Memphis also boasts Chris Travis, another main artist who helped bring phonk into the world. He collaborated with other underground artists, which brought Memphis to a place of influence for the movement. Travis blends hard-hitting rap with moody production and has a solid following.
4. Bones
Bones is an artist who has been a part of the pioneers of the use of phonk in the modern era. His music is mostly a blend of phonk with other underground hip-hop styles, like cloud rap and lo-fi. He has a huge following on platforms like SoundCloud, and he is one of the most influential artists in the underground music scene.
5. Lil Peep
Though Lil Peep is often related to emo rap, he cannot be left out in terms of the influence on phonk. His moody and introspective lyrics combined with his melancholic production set the trend for a whole new wave of artists who brought in emo and phonk influences. The sound of the music was just something that reached out to this generation of listeners, who needed a darker, more emotional sound.
How Phonk Music is Changing the Hip-Hop Scene
Phonk music is rapidly growing in popularity, not only in the underground but also in mainstream. With the advent of platforms such as SoundCloud, phonk producers have been able to gain exposure without needing a major label or radio play. This has helped the genre flourish and reach new audiences around the world.
In addition, phonk’s embrace of lo-fi production and raw, unpolished sounds stands in contrast to the heavily commercialized nature of mainstream hip hop. This has made phonk a refreshing alternative for fans who are tired of the highly produced, mainstream rap scene.
The Future of Phonk Music
Genre, as it gains momentum, will be exciting to see what direction it will take. While some predict phonk will continue to be an underground movement, others think it might be something more mainstream. Since it has this nostalgia with a mix of modern trap influences, it can attract the interest of so many different people.
However, phonk’s success will also pose critical questions in its preservation. As more and more producers and artists start embracing phonk’s style, there is a possibility that the raw, underground nature of phonk could be lost, which is what made it so appealing in the first place. Artists under phonk will now need to balance the roots of the genre and the new heights that phonk might be bound to touch.
Conclusion
Phonk music quickly developed to become an identity sound in the underground hip-hop world. It has haunting production, and generally dark themes while relying on sampling, making it one different sound related to hip hop, with its freshness and raw edge in stark contrast to the polished mainstream rap scene. With this genre taking on an unstoppable pace, there is only much more experimentation from artists on this sound of phonk, where it could even reach heights not possible yet with this genre. Phonk is here, whether underground or mainstream, it is leaving a stamp in the music world.
