Bass Music Style Overview
Bass Music Music Description
Bass Music in hip hop is an umbrella term for extensions of the musical style which originated in the U.S. State of Florida in the mid-eighties as Miami Bass (which has its own tag). It is directly linked with electro-funk music (from the early eighties), and is known for its use of the Roland TR-808 kickdrums, sped up tempo and frequently sexually- explicit lyrical content. Miami Bass originated in Miami's historically black neighborhoods such as Liberty City and Overtown, but also shared influence from nearby Ft. Lauderdale, as well as Tampa Bay and Orlando. Maggotron a.k.a DXJ, Maggozulu 2, Planet Detroit and Bass Master Khan are considered pioneers of the sound, while it was popularized by acts such as the 2 Live Crew, Jam Pony Express, Gucci Crew II and DJ Magic Mike. Other well-known artists of the genre include the 69 Boyz, Truck Stop Boyz and the Quad City DJ's. In the mid-eighties, pirate radio was popular in Miami, where DJ's would hijack radio airwaves and broadcast provocative and sexually explicit bass music from the safety of nearby boats off of the coast. This helped the style to gain further recognition, while adding to its controversial appeal.
Miami Bass eventually spread to neighboring States, such as Georgia (mainly Atlanta) and the Carolinas as well as other nearby States, and this is where the more generic tag 'bass music' might best come into play. For electronic styles, Bass Music is an umbrella term that refers to various styles of music including drum and bass, bassline (the UK Garage subgenre, which has its own tag), and dubstep, among others. The phrase began to be used in response to the blending of sounds between these genres. The key characteristics shared among these genres are an emphasis on basslines, groove and rhythm. Where possible, it would be better to use more specific tags, reserving 'bass music' more for releases which blur the boundaries.
