Electro-Hop

Summary

Electro-hop is a subgenre and fusion genre of electronic music and early hip hop directly influenced by the use of the Roland TR-808, drum machines, and funk. Records in the genre typically feature drum machines and heavy electronic sounds, sometimes vocals present are delivered in a deadpan manner, often through electronic distortion such as vocoding and talkboxing.  This is the main distinction between electro and previously prominent genres such as disco, in which the electronic sound was only part of the instrumentation. Also, electro palpably deviates from its predecessor boogie for being less vocal-oriented and more focused on electronic beats produced by drum machines.

SOUND AND CONTENT

Beat

Aside from the distinctive rhythm pattern, Electro is often distinguished by an emphasis on synthesizers, vocoders, and dry, syncopated/”funky” drum sounds (as opposed to the monotonous, low-pitch bass drum of house and techno). In contrast to typical hip-hop approach of mining funky beats and warm basslines from old vinyl and emphasizing a rap vocal, the Electro vibe is more about producing new, cold, heavily synthetic-sounding beats and minimal basslines, with chanted vocals, extended instrumental passages, and minor-key lead synth themes.

A style that began as an early form of hip-hop, Electro has grown to encompass anything that uses the classic, electronic, syncopated beat found on tracks like “Planet Rock” by Afrika Bambaataa or “White Lines” by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, or as popularized by Herbie Hancock’s “RockIt”. Electro is also applied retroactively to some of the music of Kraftwerk, particularly “Numbers” and “Home Computer”—forward-looking, danceable electronic tracks which were highly regarded in early hip-hop culture.

From its inception, one of the defining characteristics of the electro sound was the use of drum machines, particularly the Roland TR-808, as the rhythmic basis of the track. As the genre evolved, computers and sampling replaced drum machines in electronic music, and are now used by the majority of electro producers.

Classic (1980s) electro drum patterns tend to be electronic emulations of breakbeats (occasionally a four to the floor pattern is used as well), with a syncopated kick drum, and usually a snare or clap accenting the backbeat. The difference between electro drumbeats and breakbeats (or breaks) is that electro tends to be more mechanical, while breakbeats tend to have more of a human-like feel, like that of a live drummer. The definition however is somewhat ambiguous in nature due to the various uses of the term.

The TR-808’s unique percussion sounds like handclaps, open and closed high-hat, clave and cowbell became integral to the electro sound.

Other electro instrumentation was generally electronic, favoring analog synthesis, programmed bass lines, sequenced or arpeggiated synthetic riffs, and atonal sound effects all created with synthesizers. Heavy use of effects such as reverbs, delays, chorus or phasers along with eerie synthetic ensemble strings or pad sounds emphasized the science fiction or futuristic themes of classic (1980s) electro, represented in the lyrics and/or music. Electro hip hop group Warp 9’s 1983 single, Light Years Away, produced and written by Lotti Golden and Richard Scher, exemplifies the Sci-Fi, afrofuturist aspect of electro, reflected in both the lyrics and instrumentation. The imagery of its lyrical refrain space is the place for the human race pays homage to Sun Ra’s 1974 film, while its synth lines and sound effects are informed by sci-fi, computer games, and cartoons,”born of a science-fiction revival.”

Most electro is instrumental, but a common element is vocals processed through a vocoder.  Additionally, speech synthesis may be used to create robotic or mechanical lyrical content, as in the iconic Planet Rock and the automatous chant in the chorus of Nunk by Warp 9.  Although primarily instrumental, early electro utilized rap.  Male rap dominated the genre, however female rappers are an integral part of the electro tradition, whether featured in a group as in Warp 9 or as solo performers like Roxanne Shante.

 

 

Vocals

The first Electro-hop music was more DJ driven and featured excessive scratching and vocal coding.  Often short phrases would be repeated throughout the track and scratched in.  As lyrics became more prevalent, Electro-hop relied more on a lot on call and response lyricism. 

Rapping in Electro-hop tends to be simple and straight forward.  Electro-hop rappers often have light noncontroversial subject matter. 

Subgenres of Electro-Hop

Electro-Funk

The funky side of Electro can include sung vocals, is also known as Electro-Funk, and was a basis of the freestyle genre (initially “Latin hip-hop”).

Electro-funk is a fusion genre of electronic music and early hip hop directly influenced by the use of the Roland TR-808, drum machines, and funk. Records in the genre typically feature drum machines and heavy electronic sounds, sometimes vocals present are delivered in a deadpan manner, often through electronic distortion such as vocoding and talkboxing.  This is the main distinction between electro and previously prominent genres such as disco, in which the electronic sound was only part of the instrumentation. Also, electro palpably deviates from its predecessor boogie for being less vocal-oriented and more focused on electronic beats produced by drum machines.

Miami Bass

Miami bass (booty music or booty bass) is a subgenre of hip hop music that became popular in the 1980s and 1990s. Its roots are directly linked to the electro-funk sound of the early 1980s.

The use of the Roland TR-808 sustained kick drum, raised dance tempos, and frequently sexually explicit lyrical content differentiate it from other hip hop subgenres. Music author Richie Unterberger has characterized Miami bass as using rhythms with a “stop start flavor” and “hissy” cymbals with lyrics that “reflected the language of the streets, particularly Miami’s historically black neighborhoods such as Liberty City and Overtown”.

Despite early national media attention in the 1980s Miami bass has never found consistent mainstream acceptance, though its importance has had a profound impact on the development of hip hop, dance music, and pop.

Sound and Content Summary

Summary of Common Elements of Electro-hop Music

  • General
    • Fat low ends and heavy syncopated bass.
    • BPM – Usually around 100 to 140
    • Looped drums and samples
  • Electronic Percussions
    • Percussion that uses 32nd notes or similar fast percussion
    • Hissy Cymbals
    • Wide range of electronic percussion that can be inserted in and out of the track
  • Scratching – Scratched hooks or sometimes other parts of the beats.
  • Sampling – Samples of electronic music, soul, and funk music.
  • Vocals
    • Centers around partying, love, booty shaking, hooking-up, sex, having a lot of bass in the music, or other random topics.

 

HISTORY

Origins

Following the decline of disco music in the late 1970s, various funk artists began experimenting with talk boxes and the use of heavier, more distinctive beats.  Boogie played a role during the formative years of electro.  Electro eventually emerged as a fusion of different styles, including funk, boogie combined with German and Japanese technopop, in addition to influences from the futurism of Alvin Toffler, martial arts films, and video game music.

The genre’s immediate forebearers included Kraftwerk, Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO), and Cat Stevens.

1982 was a watershed year for electro.  Bronx based producer Afrika Bambaataa released the seminal track “Planet Rock”, which contained elements of Kraftwerk’s “Trans-Europe Express” and “Numbers” combined with the use of distinctive TR-808 beats.  “Planet Rock” is widely regarded as a turning point in the electro genre.  Another groundbreaking record released that year, Nunk by Warp 9 utilized “imagery drawn from computer games and hip hop slanguage.”  Additional, Electro hip hop releases in 1982 include songs by: Planet Patrol, Warp 9, Man Parrish, George Clinton (Computer Games), Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Tyrone Brunson, The Jonzun Crew and Whodini.

The Roland TR-808 drum machine hit the market in 1980, defining early electro with its immediately recognizable sound. Staccato, percussive drumbeats tended to dominate electro, almost exclusively provided by the TR-808. As an inexpensive way of producing a drum sound, the TR-808 caught on quickly with the producers of early electro because of the ability of its bass drum to generate extreme low-frequencies.  This aspect of the Roland TR-808 was especially appealing to producers who would test drive their tracks in nightclubs (like NYC’s Funhouse), where the bass drum sound was essential for a record’s success.  

Other electro instrumentation was generally electronic, favoring analog synthesis, programmed bass lines, sequenced or arpeggiated synthetic riffs, and atonal sound effects all created with synthesizers. Heavy use of effects such as reverbs, delays, chorus or phasers along with eerie synthetic ensemble strings or pad sounds emphasized the science fiction or futuristic themes of classic (1980s) electro, represented in the lyrics and/or music. Electro hip hop group Warp 9’s 1983 single, Light Years Away, produced and written by Lotti Golden and Richard Scher, exemplifies the Sci-Fi, afrofuturist aspect of electro, reflected in both the lyrics and instrumentation.  The imagery of its lyrical refrain space is the place for the human race pays homage to Sun Ra’s 1974 film, while its synth lines and sound effects are informed by sci-fi, computer games, and cartoons,”born of a science-fiction revival.”

 

 

Electro-hop 80s

In 1983, Hashim created the influential electro funk tune “Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)” which became Cutting Record’s first release in November 1983.  At the time Hashim was influenced by Man Parrish’s “Hip Hop, Be Bop”, Thomas Dolby’s “She Blinded Me With Science” and Afrika Bambaataa’s “Planet Rock”.  “Al-Nafyish” was later included in Playgroup’s compilation album Kings of Electro (2007), alongside other electro classics such as Sakamoto’s “Riot in Lagos”.  Also in 1983, Herbie Hancock, in collaboration with Grand Mixer D.ST, released the hit single “Rockit”. 

Bambaataa and groups like Planet Patrol, Jonzun Crew, Mantronix, Newcleus, Warp 9 and Juan Atkins’ Detroit-based group Cybotron went on to influence the genres of Detroit techno, ghettotech, breakbeat, drum and bass and electroclash. Early producers in the electro genre (notably Arthur Baker, John Robie and Shep Pettibone) later featured prominently in the Latin Freestyle (or simply “Freestyle”) movement, along with Lotti Golden and Richard Scher (the producer/writers of Warp 9) fusing electro, funk, and hip hop with elements of Latin music.  Detroit techno DJ Eddie Fowlkes shaped a style called electro-soul, which was characterized by a predominant bass line and a chopped up electro breakbeat contrasted with soulful male vocals.  Kurtis Mantronik’s electro-soul productions for Joyce Sims presaged new jack swing’s combination of hip hop and soul elements.

 

Electro hop, or techno hop, was the direct precursor to gangsta rap. This multifaceted and complex period emerged in the early 1980s and was developed on the streets of Los Angeles by adolescent black males. Expanding from mobile disk jockey crews, electro hop artists produced a musical soundscape and cultivated a cultural landscape that drew from both electro funk and hip hop, demonstrating both how intramusical components are linked to extramusical factors and how Afrofuturist concepts (re)envision (sur)realities. Electro hop sounds off on other/outer ways of reconsidering and reinvigorating planet rock.

 

 

Decline and Legacy of Electro-hop

By the late 1980s, the genre evolved into what is known today as new school hip hop. The release of Run DMC’s It’s Like That (1983) marked a stylistic shift, focusing down on the beats in a stark, metal minimalism.  Rock samples replaced synthesizers that had figured so prominently in electro, and rap styles and techniques evolved in tandem, anchoring rap to the changing hip hop culture.  Many of the producers of Electro-hop moved on to house music, techno, or different electronic genres. 

By the 90s, the term Electro-hop was not being used to describe any hip hop music.  However, Electro-hop’s spinoff genres of Miami Bass, G-Funk, and Hip House remained active subgenres in Hip Hop.  During the 90s, the Electro-hop subgenre of Miami Bass scored several hits but never sustained mainstream popularity.  Also, G-Funk which was a combination of slowed down Electro-Funk with Gangsta Rap reached mainstream popularity.  Also, it has had a major influence on the Dirty South Rap of the 2000s and in the Trap Music that is still dominant today. 

The funky side of Electro can include sung vocals, is also known as Electro-Funk, and was a basis of the freestyle genre (initially “Latin hip-hop”). The Techno side of Electro is rooted in the music of Cybotron and Model 500, and was defined more fully in the ’90s by artists such as Drexciya and Anthony Rother. The term or prefix Electro is also applied to synth-pop and industrial dance music with little or no hip-hop connection, but which just incorporated similarly styled beat patterns, instrumentation, and overall feel.

 

 

NOTABLE ARTISTS, DJS, PRODUCERS, ALBUMS, AND SONGS

 

Some of the key Electro-hop DJs/producers include

  • Afrika Bambaataa
  • DJ Yella
  • Dre
  • Larry Smith
  • Malcolm McLaren
  • Mantronix
  • Newcleus

 

Some of the key Electro-hop rap acts

  • 2 Live Crew
  • Egyptian Lover
  • MC Shy D
  • Newcleus
  • Uncle Jamm’s Army
  • West Coast Crew
  • Whodini
  • World Class Wreckin Cru

 

Classic/Popular Electro-hop Albums

  • Grandmaster Flash – The Message (1982)
  • Malcolm McLaren – Duck Rock (1983)
  • Whodini – Escape (1984)
  • Mantronix – Mantronix: The Album (1985)
  • World Class Wreckin’ Cru – World Class (1985)
  • Afrika Bambaataa – Planet Rock: The Album (1986)
  • 2 Live Crew – The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are (1986)
  • World Class Wreckin’ Cru – Rapped in Romance (1986)
  • Mantronix – Music Madness (1986)
  • Mantronix – In Full Effect (1988)
  • 2 Live Crew – As Nasty as They Wanna Be (1989)
  • Mantronix – This Should Move Ya (1990)

 

 

 

Some Classic Electro-hop Songs

  • Afrika Bombaataa – Planet Rock (1982)
  • Warp 9 – Nunk (1982)
  • Grandmaster Flash – The Message (1982)
  • Grandmaster Flash – White Lines (1982)
  • Cybotron – Clear (1983)
  • Whodini – Friends (1984)
  • Egyptian Lover – Egypt, Egypt (1984)
  • Whodini – The Freaks Come Out At Night (1984)
  • Whodini – Be Yourself (1987)

 

References

https://bibliolore.org/2016/08/11/electro-hop-and-afrofuturism/

Discogs. Electro Music Description.  https://www.discogs.com/style/electro