Product Code Database
Phonk () 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 music 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 Bassline, 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.
The word "phonk" was popularized by SpaceGhostPurrp, who released tracks such as "Pheel tha Phonk", "Bringin' tha Phonk", and "Keep Bringin' tha Phonk" as well his debut album in 2012 called . In an interview, he explained that "phonk is slang for funk", in reference to the G-funk music genre. YouTube channels such as Ryan Celsius also helped popularize the genre. 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 rap", 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.
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. Most phonk producers work independently from home. Notable artists associated with "new-age phonk" include DJ Smokey, DJ Yung Vamp, Soudiere, and Mythic.
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. Following the rise in popularity of the genre in Russia, Spotify released its official curated phonk playlist in May 2021, 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. Mick Kenney, best known for his single Murder in My Mind under stage name Kordhell, is recognized as the first phonk producer to break into Spotify's top 500 most popular artists. Other notable figures include Ivan Belozerov from Russia, known as Interworld, for his Metamorphosis single, and Tahar Bendjedi from Algeria, known as DXRK, for his Rave single.
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