Freestyle music
Encyclopedia
Freestyle or Latin freestyle, sometimes referred to as Latin hip hop, is a form of electronic dance music
that emerged in the early 1980s. Mostly popular during the mid 80s to the early 90s. It continues to be produced today and enjoys some degree of popularity, especially in urban Latino and Italian communities, as it did when it first came on to the scene.
, Shannon
, Cynthia, Collage
, Johnny O
, Safire, George Lamond
, Lil Suzy, Judy Torres
, Information Society
, Exposé, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
, La India
, TKA
, Corina
, Nocera
, Company B
, The Cover Girls
, Noel, Pajama Party
, Shana
, Will to Power
, Sweet Sensation
, Seduction
, Linear
, Lisette Melendez
, Angelina
, Laissez Faire, Coro
, and Rockell
.
in the early 1980s. Initially, it was a fusion of synthetic instrumentation and syncopated percussion of 1980s electro
, as favored by fans of breakdancing. It was also influenced by sampling
, as found in hip hop music
. Key influences include Afrika Bambaataa
& Soul Sonic Force's "Planet Rock
" (1982) and Shannon's "Let the Music Play," the latter of which was a Top 10 Billboard Hot 100
hit in early 1984. Several freestyle songs entered the Billboard Hot 100 charts during 1987, marking this as the first year that freestyle got acknowledged on US radio stations. Songs such as "Come Go with Me
" by Exposé
, "Show Me
" by the Cover Girls
, "Fascinated
" by Company B
, and "Silent Morning" by Noel helped freestyle go mainstream that year. By 1992, however, house music
, which was based partly on disco rhythms, challenged the relatively upbeat, syncopated freestyle sound. In the early 1990s and on through the 2000s, the electro and Latin hip hop influences of freestyle were supplanted by house music.
techniques; they often had to (or had more freedom to) mix more quickly and more responsively to the individual pieces of music.
Others believe it refers to the vocal technique: singing melodic pop vocals over the kind of beats that were previously used only with rap and semi-chanted electro-funk vocal styles was a form of freestyling —getting creative by mixing up the styles— somewhat akin to the use of the term in reference to competitive freestyle rap
.
Another explanation is that the dancing associated with this music allows for a greater degree of freedom of expression than the other music that was prevalent at the time. Each individual dancer is free to create his or her own style.
In Miami, the freestyle name evolved after confusion between Tony "Pretty Boy" Butler's track "Freestyle Express" by Freestyle and Debbie Deb
's "When I Hear Music," a slightly older but more popular track that was produced by Butler. The sound became synonymous with Butler's production, and the name of the group he was in, Freestyle, became the genre's name. The group itself got its name from the members' love for BMX Freestyle Bike racing.
, with optional stab
s (provided as synthesized brass or orchestral sample
s); sixteenth-note
hi-hat
s; a chord progression
that lasts eight, 16, or 32 beats and is usually in a minor key; and relatively complex, upbeat melodies with singing, verses, and a chorus, with themes about love
or dancing. Freestyle music in general is heavily influenced by Latin music, especially with respect to rhythms and brass-horn and keyboard parts. The Latin clave
rhythm can be felt in many songs (such as in the defining “Clave Rocks” by Amoretto). The tempo of freestyle music is almost always between 110 and 130 beats per minute (BPM), typically around 118 BPM. The keyboard parts are often elegant and clever, with many short melodies and countermelodies, again a strong influence from Latin music. It also features complicated drum-machine
patterns that a human drummer would have extreme difficulty playing.
as being the genre's debut hit. However, others contend that Afrika Bambaataa
, with his hit release "Planet Rock
," conceived Freestyle's first child. The track was, indeed, frequently earmarked as the first freestyle song produced. However, “Let the Music Play” eventually became freestyle's biggest recording, and it still receives frequent airplay through radio and other venues. The song was produced by Mark Liggett and Chris Barbosa
, who changed and refined the electro funk sound, adding Latin American rhythms and a syncopated drum-machine
sound.
This new sound rejuvenated the funk, soul and hip hop club scenes in New York City. While most of the neighborhood clubs were closing their doors for good, some Manhattan
clubs were suddenly thriving. Places like the Roxy
, the Funhouse
, Broadway 96, Gothams West, Roseland
, Webster Hall
, The Underground, Palladium
, and The Tunnel, that played this were packed. Records like "Play At Your Own Risk" by Planet Patrol
, "One More Shot" by C Bank, "Al-Naafiyish (The Soul)" by Hashim
, and "I.O.U.
" by Freeez
became huge hits. More established European artists like New Order
("Confusion," "State of the Nation") both inspired the original Freestyle sound and then responded to it by incorporating certain Freestyle elements into their own productions.
Other producers from around the world soon began to replicate the sound in more radio-friendly productions. Records like "Let Me Be the One" by Safire, "I Remember What You Like" by Jenny Burton
, "Running" by soon-to-be pop stars Information Society
, and "Give Me Tonight" by Shannon
enjoyed heavy New York
radio airplay.
Many of the original freestyle artists – and the DJs who played the music, such as Jellybean
, Tony Torres, Raul Soto and Roman Ricardo – were of Puerto Rican ancestry. This was one reason why the style came to be very popular among Latino Americans
and Italian Americans, especially in the New York City
area. This marks a notable merging of underground Latino, Italian and African-American urban cultures, hence, the names Latin Hip Hop or Latin Freestyle. Now, the more neutral term Freestyle was preferred. Both performers and producers associated with the style came from around the world, including Information Society
's "Running", which was written by Turk
Murat Konar, Paul Lekakis
is Greek
, while Freeez
, Paul Hardcastle
and Samantha Fox
, are British
. A further fusion of beats arose when Duran Duran
and The Latin Rascals teamed up to produce a remix of “Notorious
”. Freestyle also touched the Asian community with the release of "Youngboys" by an Asian artist by the name of Leonard (aka Leon Youngboy), with a remix by Eddie Davis ( "Hungry For Your Love" by Hanson and Davis) and became the famous "SYB War Mix".
Freestyle radio in New York was exemplified by the production team of Tony Moran
and Albert Cabrera, known as the Latin Rascals. Their original music on WKTU
included Freestyle classics like 1984's "Arabian Nights", and later more hip-hop oriented projects, such as the Cover Girls' "Show Me
" (1986). Tony Moran later went on to form his own project, Concept of One, and the duo continued to produce big name Freestyle artists into the early 1990s.
Freestyle has continued to have a strong following in its founding city, New York. Although a club sound, Freestyle has begun to spread back into the mainstream media. Beginning in 1996 New York's WKTU
radio station began holding live concerts titled "Freestyle Free for ALL". They also presently hold Freestyle nights (Weekends), dedicating a few hours to freestyle music hosted by Judy Torres. Since its debut the concert reinserted Freestyle into the lime light paving the way for new releases later that year, such as "Do Unto Me" by Coro. After the popularity of Reggaeton
began to diminish interest in Freestyle began to increase, with some radio stations giving up their Reggaeton blocks for Freestyle blocks. In 2006, WKTU invited Coro to perform in their "Beatstock" Concert which was very well received. Although Freestyle remained an "old school beat", its popularity continued to expand further than New York City and Miami, beginning to spread into Europe. In 2008, arguably the largest Freestyle concert in its existence was held at Madison Square Garden
in New York City. The concert titled "Freestyle Extravaganza" sold out and was one of the most celebrated concerts.
In the 1990s to mid 1990's saw Freestyle in Chicago explode, with many acts coming out. While Freestyle was dying out in other cities in Chicago that was farther from the truth. Where even legendary Chicago House Music Label D.J. International were releasing and pressing Freestyle records. While former artist who left the label Kool Rock Steady dissed D.J. International in his trax Back By Popular Demand claiming that the label was going broke by releasing Freestyle.Which was probably exaggerated if they were going broke it had to with the cut throat business that the record companies had of doing business. The 1990s saw plenty of artist who came out Chicago who enjoyed success D'zyre, Innefect, L.A.W., Legacy, Issac, Rochelle, Georgie Porgie, Charlie Babie.
In late 1985 A station WCYC run by Harv Roman was playing more of the underground House while also playing and introducing the New York Freestyle acts on the radio.Many of the acts got there big break because of Harv Roman.WCYC can be credited for Freestyle success in Chicago.While Harv Roman still promotes House and Freestyle at club Studio 63 on 63RD Harlem.
(Q102) in Philadelphia, WPOW (Power 96) in Miami, KPWR
(Power 106) in Los Angeles, WBBM
(B96) in Chicago, WQHT-FM
(when it was Hot 103.5) in New York, and XHRM-FM
(Hot 92.5) in San Diego began playing hits by artists like TKA
, Sweet Sensation
, and Exposé
, Sa-Fire on the same playlists as Pop superstars like Michael Jackson
and Madonna
. Tracks like TKA's One Way Love, " Sa-Fire's Don't Break My Heart and Sweet Sensation's Hooked On You received new life and the success of these tracks as well as the just-released Show Me by the Cover Girls helped get them added to stations around the country. "(You Are My) All and All" by Joyce Sims
became the first Freestyle record to cross over into the R&B market. It was also one of the first Freestyle records to crack the European market. Although still in its early stages, Freestyle was now getting national attention, and was fast becoming dance music for the '80s.
"Pretty Tony" Butler produced several huge freestyle hits on Jam-Packed records out of Miami. Most notable for Debbie Deb
- "When I Hear Music" and "Lookout Weekend" and Trinere
's "I'll Be All You'll Ever Need" and "They're Playing Our Song".
Company B
, Stevie B
, Paris By Air
, Linear
, Will to Power
and Exposé's later hits defined Miami Freestyle. One of the most important pioneers and influential players within the Miami freestyle scene is the entrepreneur, music executive and music producer Tolga Katas
. He is credited with being one of the first persons to create a hit record entirely on a computer. His top notch productions influenced many copy cat producers that tried (and failed) to copy the sound he created for hits such as “Party Your Body”, “In My Eyes” and “Dreamin' of Love”, all performed by Stevie B. His record label Futura Records became an incubator for great, high quality Freestyle music. The group Linear, who got its start there, was eventually picked up by Atlantic Records which resulted in the group achieving international success. Many labels confused New York Freestyle and Miami Freestyle, thinking they had the same audience. They thought their promotional strategy would work for both genres, which resulted in skipping the all too important step of cultivating a record at the street and club level before going to radio. This often led to poor results for the New York–based Freestyle. New York Freestyle, even in its most polished forms, retained a raw edge and underground sound, using minor chords that made the tracks darker and more moody. The lyrics also tended to be about unrequited love or other more somber themes, dealing with the reality of what inner city teens were experiencing emotionally. Also in the development of Freestyle was a club in the Bronx called The Devils Nest (on the corner of Webster and Tremont Avenues) which opened on August 2, 1984. Freestyle legends The Cover girls, Expose, and TKA performed there. Lamour East, Avonti's and Silver Screens were some notorious freestyle clubs in urban Queens New York, hosting many Latin freestyle artists and groups.
In 1993, the guys from D.T.U. (Anthony Ponzio and Anthony Santosusso) teamed-up with DJ Mike Ferullo to form Tazmania Records and T.P.E.'s Adam Marano would go on to form Viper-7 Records. Both record labels would eventually lead the resurgence of the Freestyle music genre in the mid-1990s with radio hits by such artists as Collage
and Denine. Behind the scenes, Rob Federici and the Polygon recording studio were a major factor in the sound and success of both Tazmania and Viper Freestyle releases. Also in the mid-1990s, Philadelphia based DJ Steve "Mr. Miami" O'Neill opened Gecko Records (later known as Gekko Records). As Freestyle saw another rough patch later in the 1990s, Tazmania shut down while Viper-7 (now known as the Viper Music Network) moved on to cover a broad spectrum of music genres.
In the late 2000s, Freestyle began to see yet another resurgence in popularity. New Freestyle music from older, well known Freestyle artists, producers and record labels was being released. Live shows featuring Freestyle artists new and old were popular weekend attractions at Philadelphia area bars and night clubs. A major factor in Freestyle's new popularity came courtesy of Steve "Mr. Miami" O'Neill's near-weekly shows at Northeast Philadelphia's Roosevelt's On The Boulevard Bar & Grill (formerly known as The Route 1 Cafe, currently known as REDZ) creating a huge upswing in the region's Freestyle music scene.
In 2009, Tazmania Records reopened its doors and began releasing new Freestyle music. A compilation featuring some of the biggest acts from their past such as Pure Pleazure, Stefanie Bennett, Sammy C and Samantha was released in July 2009 (Tazmania Freestyle: Overloaded). Unfortunately for Freestyle fans, Tazmania Records has since shifted focus to cover the more current sounds of Dance music, specifically Pop and House. The Viper Music Network had also announced plans for new Freestyle releases in the near future, but their website no longer makes any mention of these upcoming projects.
, particularly on Los Angeles
radio stations KDAY AM-1580
and Power 106
, on San Francisco Bay Area
stations Hot 97.7
, KMEL
and 107.7 KSOL (now Wild 94.9), and XHRM-FM
(Hot 92.5), in San Diego.
Given California's large Latino community they greatly enjoyed the sounds of the Latin club scene in the East Coast, and although California Freestyle was not as prevalent in New York or Miami Freestyle, there were a number of successful California Freestyle artists that also gained popularity from Freestyle fans in the East Coast. Northern California Freestyle, mainly from San Francisco & San Jose
leans towards a more high-tempo dance beat, some of it sounding almost like Hi-NRG. Freestyle in California was mostly being made in the Bay Area and Los Angeles
reigns. Most of all it still retains the sound of freestyle.
California's large Filipino American
community also embraced freestyle music during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Filipina songstress, Jaya (Maria Luisa Ramsey) peaked at number 44 in 1990 with her hit, "If You Leave Me Now."
Timmy T
, Caleb-B, Jocelyn Enriquez
, The S Factor, Angelina, Jossette, Emotion In Motion, Buffy, Adriana, Bernadette, Daize, One Voice, M:G, Stephanie Fastro & DJ Spanish Fly are all from the Bay Area, and from San Diego artists Internal Affairs, Gustavo Campaign, Alex Campaign, Jose Santos, Robert Romo, F. Felix, Marcus Gil, Tury Q (El Paso Tx) and Frankie Boy aka Frankie J
were all notable freestyle artists from California.
catering originally to the Italian and Greek population, although ultimately accepted by large from the city's vast multi-cultural base. Freestyle was prominent in all ages, venues, and various Toronto
nightclubs that would also showcase House music
. Canadians also invented their own term for the music called 'gino beats'. The fans of this music in Toronto were often referred to as 'ginos' (males) and 'ginas' (females). They often grew up in the 905 region. The term was not used in a derogatory sense such as 'guido' in America, but more a description of a Toronto male or female with a certain style (interest in fashion) and taste in music (Freestyle & House), and the behavior of blasting House music
or Freestyle music while driving with the windows down, to try to attract the attention of females. By the mid nineties this market had moved almost completely to House music
as their club music of choice. Lil' Suzy
released several 12" singles at the time, that became immensely popular amongst the youth population in Toronto. She ultimately performed live on Electric Circus
, a popular Canadian live dance music television program.
Its success was not just limited to Toronto. Montreal singer Nancy Martinez
's 1986 single "For Tonight" would become the major breakthrough Canadian freestyle single to reach the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, while the girl group 11:30
(also from Montreal) had a brief taste of success on the Canadian chart with "Ole Ole" in 2000.
, Exposé, Corina
, Sweet Sensation
and the Stevie B
continued to play on mainstream radio, other notable Freestyle artists did not fare as well. Carlos Berrios almost single handedly appeared to have saved the apparent demise of the music by creating a new sound, along with another writer, producer, Frankie Cutlass, used on Temptation by Corina
and Together Forever by Lisette Melendez
. Both songs released almost simultaneously were not only embraced by Top 40 radio but gave Freestyle a much needed resurgence in 1991 with Temptation going to the number 6 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts. However, before its decline in 1990s, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
, one of the first freestyle acts to get behind the microphone, began to make it big on the freestyle scene. Their records were produced by Full Force
, who also made UTFO
's music and even once worked together with James Brown. The music of Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
was less electro and more pop, and that was also probably the reason why artists such as Corina
, Stevie B
, George Lamond
, Sweet Sensation
and the Cover Girls were able to crossover into the pop market. Cross-over influences became even more evident with greater fervor when The Latin Rascals produced a remix of Duran Duran
's "Notorious
" and The Pet Shop Boys' hit smash, Domino Dancing
produced by Lewis A. Martinee, who produced many of Expose's hits.
Also notable during the 1980s and early 1990s, ballad
s released by primarily freestyle artists either crossed over to the pop charts, or fared much better than their existing chart entries, such as "Seasons Change
" (Exposé), "Thinking of You
" (Sa-Fire
), "One More Try
" (Timmy T
), "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)
" (Stevie B
) and "If Wishes Came True
" (Sweet Sensation
). The ballad "I Still Believe" debuted Brenda K. Starr to the Hot 100.
Soon thereafter, however, freestyle was seemingly swallowed up by the mainstream pop industry: MC Hammer
, Paula Abdul
, Bobby Brown
, New Kids on the Block
and Milli Vanilli
, with their hip hop beats and electro samples, were undoubtedly a new pop-mainstream form of the underground dance music of the 1980s, repackaged with catchier tunes, slicker production and MTV
-friendly videos. An exception to this was Linear with the crossover hit “Sending all My Love.” The reason for this exception is that Tolga Katas, inspired by Milli Vanilli’s commercial success, incorporated their sound with his own which resulted in a top ten hit that definitely benefited from the group’s MTV-friendly video. Along with this pop appropriation of the genre and the success of these artists, not only on crossover stations but R&B stations as well, freestyle ceased to be as important as an underground genre, giving way to newer genres such as New Jack Swing
and new forms of dance music
coming from Europe
, New York
, Los Angeles
, Chicago
, Miami and Detroit, such as Trance
and Eurodance
, which seemed younger, fresher and newer than freestyle. R&B sensation Ciara
featured freestyle on her third studio album, Fantasy Ride
, having already used it on her “1,2 Step” hit single.
Onna Roll records whose Nasty boys and Donna Williams hits were more main stream although What I'm Feeling was the most played single in one day on WKTU at the time getting 63 plays, Big Al former president of Onna Roll does a freestyle night in NY still to this day.
There was a resurgence once again in the mid to late 1990s with labels like Artistik Records and Tazmania Records as well as a handful of indie labels. Artistik Records was created by Freestyle artist and producer Willie Valentin. Artistik was first distributed by Tazmania/Hot productions in early 1994 and then by Mic-Mac Records in 1995-1996. In1997 Wiilie Valentin ventured off on his own and distributed his label by himself and released singles by Synthia Figueroa as well as solo albums by Willie Valentin, Poze, Freeze and Synthia Figueroa. Artistik also released many compilation albums. Freestyle Parade 4, CPR's Clubhouse Freestyle Madness, Freestyle Mania volumes 1,2 and 3, Freestyle Parade 2K1 CDs 1 & 2, Dance Music Artistik Style and in 2010 Freestyle Parade 2010 "We're back again".
Freestyle, staying largely an underground genre with still a sizeable following in New York, has seen a recognizable comeback in the cities the music once dominated. In Miami, a Latin radio station shoved aside their Reggaeton
music blocks to make room for Freestyle playlists. In New York, Freestyle artists languished in small venues mostly in the boroughs outside Manhattan until April 1, 2004, when local NYC impresarios Mike Cornette and Steve Sylvester contacted Fever Records honcho and Rap/Freestyle pioneer and producer Sal Abbetiello, the former owner of the Devil's Nest club in The Bronx, and single handedly brought Freestyle back into the New York City mainstream with StevieSly's Freestyle Party show at Coda, a live music venue in Manhattan that featured Judy Torres, Cynthia, and The Cover Girls and was attended by several celebrity special guests. The success of the "Coda" show breathed new life into freestyle in Manhattan. Subsequently, a summer 2006 Madison Square Garden
concert showcasing Freestyle's greatest performers went very well-received, and new Freestyle being released appears to be well-taken by longtime Freestyle enthusiasts and newcomers alike. The Black Eyed Peas
often use Freestyle lyrics, and Miami rapper Pitbull
collaborated with Miami Freestyle artist Stevie B
to create an updated version of Stevie B's hit, "Spring Love."
Freestyle influences can be heard in modern acts such as Chromeo
and Sekrett Scilensce (Secret Silence), who also merges the New Jack Swing styling into his Electronic and Pop-Crossover productions.
In 2008, famed Freestyle music producer Carlos "After Dark" Berrios released a double CD titled "Don't Look Back" Sessions One and Two with 22 new tracks of Freestyle and Latin Freestyle. Known artists George Lamond, Lisette Melendez
, Joei Mae (formerly of C-BANK), and K7 perform on the album as do new artist Katya and Jessica Fabus. Berrios produced most of the albums while Frankie Cutlass and Eddie Frente produced a track a piece as well.
Jordin Sparks' 2009 single "Let The Music Play" can be considered part of the freestyle genre.
In 2011, the New Aristocrats have released a remake of Stacey Q
's "Two Of Hearts."
Electronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
that emerged in the early 1980s. Mostly popular during the mid 80s to the early 90s. It continues to be produced today and enjoys some degree of popularity, especially in urban Latino and Italian communities, as it did when it first came on to the scene.
Examples
Notable performers in the Freestyle genre include Stevie BStevie B
Stevie B is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer who was influential in the Latin freestyle and High-Energy, mostly from Miami dance music scene of the late 1980s...
, Shannon
Shannon (singer)
Shannon is an American singer. She is best known for her 1983 million-selling record, "Let the Music Play". The record re-defined the electro funk sound that would eventually be called freestyle music.-Biography:...
, Cynthia, Collage
Collage (singer)
Collage is an American freestyle group, featuring vocalist Anthony Monteleone and producer/songwriter Adam Marano, who also ran the Viper Records label for which Collage recorded...
, Johnny O
Johnny O
Johnny O is a freestyle music singer born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He is of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent. He also, arguably with Stevie B, is known as The King of Freestyle. He has released eight albums, most of which were underground hits...
, Safire, George Lamond
George Lamond
George Lamond, born George Garcia, is an American Freestyle music singer, who is of Puerto Rican descent.-Career:George Lamond began singing backup for various artists before landing a solo deal with Columbia Records...
, Lil Suzy, Judy Torres
Judy Torres
Judy Torres, also referred to as the "Queen of Freestyle", "The Legendary Miss Judy Torres", or "KTU's Own Judy Torres", is a Puerto Rican freestyle music artist...
, Information Society
Information Society (band)
Information Society is an American band originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, primarily consisting of Kurt Larson , Paul Robb, and James Cassidy; the latter two reconvened the band in 2006, initially with Christopher Anton as lead vocalist, then with Harland rejoining them as lead vocalist by...
, Exposé, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
Lisa Lisa and her band Cult Jam were an urban contemporary band and one of first freestyle music groups to emerge from New York City in the 1980s. Cult Jam consisted of guitarist/bassist Alex "Spanador" Moseley, and drummer/keyboardist Mike Hughes...
, La India
La India
La India , known also as "La Princesa de la Salsa" , is a singer of salsa. She has been nominated for both Grammy and Latin Grammy awards.-Early years:...
, TKA
TKA
TKA was a Latin Freestyle trio that was prominent in the 1980s and early 1990s, mainly in New York City and Miami, Florida. Its members were Tony Ortiz, Louis "Kayel" Sharpe, and Alejandro "Aby" Escoto later replaced by Angel "Love" Vasquez. The acronym TKA represents their collective initials...
, Corina
Corina (singer)
Corina Katt Ayala, best known only as Corina, is a dance pop singer from Manhattan, New York. She released a self-titled album on Atco Records in 1991, and charted string of dance hits in the US between 1989 and 1997. The highest charting of these was the summer 1991 top ten hit "Temptation", which...
, Nocera
Nocera (singer)
Maria Nocera , known by her stage names, Nocera or DJ Nocera, is a Sicilian-born American club DJ, trip hop, pop, and freestyle singer...
, Company B
Company B (band)
Company B was a Latin freestyle dance-pop/Hi-NRG trio formed in 1986 by Cuban-American producer Ish "Angel" Ledesma , featuring members Lori L. , Charlotte McKinnon and Susan Johnson. Before the groups self titled Album was released, Charlotte McKinnon left and was replaced by Lezlee Livrano...
, The Cover Girls
The Cover Girls
The Cover Girls is a New York City-based freestyle-urban-dance-pop girl group that achieved the majority of its chart success in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
, Noel, Pajama Party
Pajama Party (vocal group)
Pajama Party was an American Latin Freestyle female vocal trio from Brooklyn, New York active between 1988 and 1992. The members were Jennifer McQuilkin of New Jersey, Daphne Rubin-Vega of Panama, and Suzi Ranta of Michigan with songwriter and producer Jim Klein.-Career:The group originally...
, Shana
Shana (singer)
Shana was raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and is an American singer.Shana released an album in 1989 entitled I Want You on Vision Records, which peaked at #165 on the Billboard Top 200. The album yielded two U.S...
, Will to Power
Will to Power (band)
Will to Power is the name of an American dance-pop group that originated in southern Florida in the mid-1980s. The group recorded a number of hit singles on the Billboard dance and pop charts in the late 1980s and early 1990s, most notably "Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley", a medley of 1970s...
, Sweet Sensation
Sweet Sensation
Sweet Sensation was a Puerto Rican female freestyle-dance music trio from The Bronx, New York.-History:Formed in 1986, In The Bronx . The original group members were Betty LeBron and sisters Margie and Mari Fernandez. Originally on Next Plateau Records, in 1988 they were picked up by Atco and...
, Seduction
Seduction (band)
Seduction was a female dance-pop, urban contemporary, house music, and freestyle trio from New York assembled and produced by Robert Clivillés and David Cole , consisting of members April Harris , Michelle Visage , and Idalis DeLeon .Originally intended as a studio project, and prior to any...
, Linear
Linear (pop group)
Linear was a Latin freestyle-pop trio from Miami, Florida.It consisted of vocalist Charlie Pennachio, and percussionist Joey Restivo, who both hailed from New York, with Ecuadoran guitarist Wyatt Pauley. In 1990, the band had a hit with the gold single, "Sending All My Love," which was released...
, Lisette Melendez
Lisette Melendez
Lisette Melendez is an American freestyle/Latin pop/dance-pop singer. She is best known for her 1991 hits "Together Forever" and "A Day In My Life ". These songs propelled her debut album Together Forever to gold status with over 700,000 copies sold...
, Angelina
Angelina
"Angelina" is a song written by Bob Dylan, originally recorded in 1981 for the album Shot of Love. However, "Angelina" was cut from the record, and fans would have to wait until 1991 when it was released on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 1961-1991...
, Laissez Faire, Coro
Coro (singer)
Coro is a Latin freestyle singer and actor of Cuban and Dominican heritage, who first had roles in numerous episodes of the star's hit television series, Miami Vice. While appearing on Vice, Coro struggled to put together a group to get his singing career off the ground...
, and Rockell
Rockell
Rachel Alexandra Mercaldo , better known as Rockell, is an American Freestyle music, Club/Dance, Hi-NRG and Pop singer-songwriter.-Music career:...
.
History
The music first developed primarily in the Latino communities of New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the early 1980s. Initially, it was a fusion of synthetic instrumentation and syncopated percussion of 1980s electro
Electro (music)
Electro is a genre of electronic dance music directly influenced by the use of TR-808 drum machines, Moog keytar synthesizers and funk sampling...
, as favored by fans of breakdancing. It was also influenced by sampling
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
, as found in hip hop music
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
. Key influences include Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa is an American DJ from the South Bronx, New York who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1980s. Afrika Bambaataa is one of the three originators of break-beat deejaying, and is respectfully known as the "Grandfather" and the Amen Ra of Universal...
& Soul Sonic Force's "Planet Rock
Planet Rock (song)
"Planet Rock" is a 1982 song by Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force. In the background and hooks featured Marvella Murray, Yvette Murray, Melissa Johnson and Sandra Wheeler. Although it was only a minor hit in the US, Canada, and UK, it helped change the foundations of hip-hop and dance music...
" (1982) and Shannon's "Let the Music Play," the latter of which was a Top 10 Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
hit in early 1984. Several freestyle songs entered the Billboard Hot 100 charts during 1987, marking this as the first year that freestyle got acknowledged on US radio stations. Songs such as "Come Go with Me
Come Go with Me (Exposé song)
"Come Go with Me" is a single by the freestyle girl group Exposé. The song was written by producer and group founder Lewis Martineé and appears on their 1987 debut album, Exposure. Jeanette Jurado sang the lead vocal on "Come Go with Me"....
" by Exposé
Expose
Expose, exposé, or exposed may refer to:-Technology:* Exposé , a window management tool for Mac OS X** Exposé clone, computer software which mimics the Mac OS X feature-Music:...
, "Show Me
Show Me (The Cover Girls song)
"Show Me" is the title of the debut single by the American freestyle girl group The Cover Girls. Released as a 12" single in early 1987, "Show Me" first charted on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart, where it peaked at #4 in March of that year...
" by the Cover Girls
The Cover Girls
The Cover Girls is a New York City-based freestyle-urban-dance-pop girl group that achieved the majority of its chart success in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
, "Fascinated
Fascinated
"Fascinated" is the title of a hit song by the dance-pop / Hi-NRG / freestyle musical girl group Company B. It was the first single released off their self-titled album in early 1987. It was written and produced by Ish Ledesma and Mixed by Ciro llerenea and Randy Miller and released by Atlantic...
" by Company B
Company B
Company B may refer to:*Company B - a dance-pop trio.**Company B , Company B's 1987 debut album.*Company B - a theatre company.Company B - A marketing and Public Relations firm in Milwaukee, WI...
, and "Silent Morning" by Noel helped freestyle go mainstream that year. By 1992, however, house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
, which was based partly on disco rhythms, challenged the relatively upbeat, syncopated freestyle sound. In the early 1990s and on through the 2000s, the electro and Latin hip hop influences of freestyle were supplanted by house music.
Term usage
Why Freestyle music is actually called "freestyle" is subject to speculation. Some feel the term may refer to the mixing techniques used by DJs spinning this form of music (at least in its pre-house incarnations). Freestyle's syncopated beat structures demanded that DJs get creative, incorporating aspects of both electronic and hip-hopHip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
techniques; they often had to (or had more freedom to) mix more quickly and more responsively to the individual pieces of music.
Others believe it refers to the vocal technique: singing melodic pop vocals over the kind of beats that were previously used only with rap and semi-chanted electro-funk vocal styles was a form of freestyling —getting creative by mixing up the styles— somewhat akin to the use of the term in reference to competitive freestyle rap
Freestyle rap
Freestyle rap commonly refers to rap lyrics which are improvised through a acapella or with instrumental beats, i.e. performed with no previously composed lyrics, or "off the top of the head"...
.
Another explanation is that the dancing associated with this music allows for a greater degree of freedom of expression than the other music that was prevalent at the time. Each individual dancer is free to create his or her own style.
In Miami, the freestyle name evolved after confusion between Tony "Pretty Boy" Butler's track "Freestyle Express" by Freestyle and Debbie Deb
Debbie Deb
Deborah Claire Wesoff - Kowalski, better known as Debbie Deb, is an American dance-pop singer, best known for 1980s freestyle dance songs such as "Lookout Weekend" and "When I Hear Music".-Biography:...
's "When I Hear Music," a slightly older but more popular track that was produced by Butler. The sound became synonymous with Butler's production, and the name of the group he was in, Freestyle, became the genre's name. The group itself got its name from the members' love for BMX Freestyle Bike racing.
The sound
It is a genre with rather clear features: a dance tempo with stress on beats two and four; syncopation with a bass line, lead synth, or percussionPercussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, with optional stab
Stab (music)
In music, a stab is a single staccato chord that adds dramatic impact to a composition. Stabs are usually provided by horns , thus the term horn stab, or an orchestral sample, usually occur on a 1-beat, and are frequently used in funk, freestyle, and ska.As well, stabs are used in electronic music,...
s (provided as synthesized brass or orchestral sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
s); sixteenth-note
Sixteenth note
thumb|right|Figure 1. A sixteenth note with stem facing up, a sixteenth note with stem facing down, and a sixteenth rest.thumb|right|Figure 2. Four sixteenth notes beamed together....
hi-hat
Hi-hat
A hi-hat, or hihat, is a type of cymbal and stand used as a typical part of a drum kit by percussionists in R&B, hip-hop, disco, jazz, rock and roll, house, reggae and other forms of contemporary popular music.- Operation :...
s; a chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
that lasts eight, 16, or 32 beats and is usually in a minor key; and relatively complex, upbeat melodies with singing, verses, and a chorus, with themes about love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
or dancing. Freestyle music in general is heavily influenced by Latin music, especially with respect to rhythms and brass-horn and keyboard parts. The Latin clave
Clave (rhythm)
The clave rhythmic pattern is used as a tool for temporal organization in Afro-Cuban music, such as rumba, conga de comparsa, son, son montuno, mambo, salsa, Latin jazz, songo and timba. The five-stroke clave pattern represents the structural core of many Afro-Cuban rhythms...
rhythm can be felt in many songs (such as in the defining “Clave Rocks” by Amoretto). The tempo of freestyle music is almost always between 110 and 130 beats per minute (BPM), typically around 118 BPM. The keyboard parts are often elegant and clever, with many short melodies and countermelodies, again a strong influence from Latin music. It also features complicated drum-machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
patterns that a human drummer would have extreme difficulty playing.
New York Freestyle
Many people cite 1983's “Let the Music Play” by ShannonShannon (singer)
Shannon is an American singer. She is best known for her 1983 million-selling record, "Let the Music Play". The record re-defined the electro funk sound that would eventually be called freestyle music.-Biography:...
as being the genre's debut hit. However, others contend that Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa is an American DJ from the South Bronx, New York who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1980s. Afrika Bambaataa is one of the three originators of break-beat deejaying, and is respectfully known as the "Grandfather" and the Amen Ra of Universal...
, with his hit release "Planet Rock
Planet Rock (song)
"Planet Rock" is a 1982 song by Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force. In the background and hooks featured Marvella Murray, Yvette Murray, Melissa Johnson and Sandra Wheeler. Although it was only a minor hit in the US, Canada, and UK, it helped change the foundations of hip-hop and dance music...
," conceived Freestyle's first child. The track was, indeed, frequently earmarked as the first freestyle song produced. However, “Let the Music Play” eventually became freestyle's biggest recording, and it still receives frequent airplay through radio and other venues. The song was produced by Mark Liggett and Chris Barbosa
Chris Barbosa
Chris Barbosa is a producer from New York who redefined electro funk as Latin freestyle in the early 1980s with Shannon's "Let the Music Play".- Early career :...
, who changed and refined the electro funk sound, adding Latin American rhythms and a syncopated drum-machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
sound.
This new sound rejuvenated the funk, soul and hip hop club scenes in New York City. While most of the neighborhood clubs were closing their doors for good, some Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
clubs were suddenly thriving. Places like the Roxy
Roxy NYC
Roxy NYC was a popular nightclub located at 515 West 18th Street in New York City. Located in Chelsea section of Manhattan it began as a roller skating rink and roller disco in 1978, it was founded by Steve Bauman, Richard Newhouse and Steve Greenberg then acquired in 1985 by Gene DiNino until it...
, the Funhouse
Funhouse
A funhouse or fun house is an amusement facility found on amusement park and funfair midways in which patrons encounter and actively interact with various devices designed to surprise, challenge, and amuse the visitor. Unlike thrill rides, funhouses are participatory attractions, where visitors...
, Broadway 96, Gothams West, Roseland
Roseland Ballroom
The Roseland Ballroom is a multi-purpose hall, in a converted ice skating rink, with a colorful ballroom dancing pedigree, in New York City's theatre district, on West 52nd Street....
, Webster Hall
Webster Hall
Webster Hall is a nightclub located at 125 East 11th Street, between Third and Fourth Avenues, near Astor Place, in Manhattan, New York City. Built in 1886, its current incarnation was opened by the Ballinger Brothers in 1992...
, The Underground, Palladium
Palladium
Palladium is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pd and an atomic number of 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas, which was itself named after the epithet of the Greek goddess Athena, acquired...
, and The Tunnel, that played this were packed. Records like "Play At Your Own Risk" by Planet Patrol
Planet Patrol
Planet Patrol is an American electro group from the 1980s. The members were Arthur Baker, John Robie, and a quintet of vocalists led by Herbert J. Jackson: lead singer Joseph Lites, Rodney Butler, Michael Anthony Jones, and the late Melvin Franklin...
, "One More Shot" by C Bank, "Al-Naafiyish (The Soul)" by Hashim
Jerry Calliste, Jr.
Jerry Calliste Jr. , also known as Hashim, is an American musician, producer and businessman who is best known for the 1983 hip hop recording "Al-Naafiysh ."...
, and "I.O.U.
I.O.U. (song)
"I.O.U." is a song from 1983 by British musical group Freeez, their most successful hit.The song scored #2 in the UK Singles Chart earlier in 1983 before reaching the top of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the U.S., giving them their only chart-topping single on any chart in America. It...
" by Freeez
Freeez
Freeez were a United Kingdom dance music group from London, known initially as one of the UK's main jazz-funk bands of the early 1980s. Initiated by John Rocca, Freeez consisted of various musicians, originally with Rocca and others such as Andy Stennet Freeez were a United Kingdom dance music...
became huge hits. More established European artists like New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
("Confusion," "State of the Nation") both inspired the original Freestyle sound and then responded to it by incorporating certain Freestyle elements into their own productions.
Other producers from around the world soon began to replicate the sound in more radio-friendly productions. Records like "Let Me Be the One" by Safire, "I Remember What You Like" by Jenny Burton
Jenny Burton
Jenny Burton , is an American female R&B singer who had several hits on the US Billboard dance chart. She was lead singer of the dance music band C-Bank's 1983 Top 5 Hot Dance Music/Club Play single "One More Shot", notable for record producer John Robie's use of a "non-linear" approach to its...
, "Running" by soon-to-be pop stars Information Society
Information Society (band)
Information Society is an American band originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, primarily consisting of Kurt Larson , Paul Robb, and James Cassidy; the latter two reconvened the band in 2006, initially with Christopher Anton as lead vocalist, then with Harland rejoining them as lead vocalist by...
, and "Give Me Tonight" by Shannon
Shannon (singer)
Shannon is an American singer. She is best known for her 1983 million-selling record, "Let the Music Play". The record re-defined the electro funk sound that would eventually be called freestyle music.-Biography:...
enjoyed heavy New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
radio airplay.
Many of the original freestyle artists – and the DJs who played the music, such as Jellybean
John Benitez
John Benitez, better known as "Jellybean Benitez" is an American drummer, guitarist, songwriter, DJ, remixer and music producer of Puerto Rican descent...
, Tony Torres, Raul Soto and Roman Ricardo – were of Puerto Rican ancestry. This was one reason why the style came to be very popular among Latino Americans
Latinos in the United States
The demographics of Hispanic and Latino Americans depict a population that is the second-largest ethnic group in the United States, is much younger than the rest of the country, less educated, less wealthy, with a very large immigrant component, of no less than two dozen national origins and of...
and Italian Americans, especially in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
area. This marks a notable merging of underground Latino, Italian and African-American urban cultures, hence, the names Latin Hip Hop or Latin Freestyle. Now, the more neutral term Freestyle was preferred. Both performers and producers associated with the style came from around the world, including Information Society
Information Society (band)
Information Society is an American band originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, primarily consisting of Kurt Larson , Paul Robb, and James Cassidy; the latter two reconvened the band in 2006, initially with Christopher Anton as lead vocalist, then with Harland rejoining them as lead vocalist by...
's "Running", which was written by Turk
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
Murat Konar, Paul Lekakis
Paul Lekakis
Paul Lekakis is a Greek-American actor, model, filmmaker and club music / Hi-NRG singer, who was discovered for his musical and dancing skills at a nightclub while on assignment as a model in Italy.-Music career:...
is Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, while Freeez
Freeez
Freeez were a United Kingdom dance music group from London, known initially as one of the UK's main jazz-funk bands of the early 1980s. Initiated by John Rocca, Freeez consisted of various musicians, originally with Rocca and others such as Andy Stennet Freeez were a United Kingdom dance music...
, Paul Hardcastle
Paul Hardcastle
Paul Hardcastle is an English composer and musician, specialising in the synthesizer.-Discography:In the early 1980s, Hardcastle played the keyboards on several singles on the Oval record label by the dance music groups Direct Drive and First Light, before going solo.He achieved some acclaim for...
and Samantha Fox
Samantha Fox
Samantha Karen "Sam" Fox is an English dance-pop singer, actress, and former glamour model. In 1983, at the age of 16, she began her topless modeling career on Page Three of The Sun, and went on to become a popular pin-up girl...
, are British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. A further fusion of beats arose when Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
and The Latin Rascals teamed up to produce a remix of “Notorious
Notorious
Notorious is a 1946 American thriller film directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman and Claude Rains as three people whose lives become intimately entangled during an espionage operation...
”. Freestyle also touched the Asian community with the release of "Youngboys" by an Asian artist by the name of Leonard (aka Leon Youngboy), with a remix by Eddie Davis ( "Hungry For Your Love" by Hanson and Davis) and became the famous "SYB War Mix".
Freestyle radio in New York was exemplified by the production team of Tony Moran
Tony Moran
Anthony "Tony" Moran is a remixer/producer and DJ known for remixing popular songs. In 2007, he hit number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart with "Walk Away" featuring Kristine W.-Career:...
and Albert Cabrera, known as the Latin Rascals. Their original music on WKTU
WKTU
WKTU is a radio station based in New York City that plays an upbeat, gold-based CHR format. The station's broadcast transmitter is located on the top of the Empire State Building and its city of license is Lake Success, New York, with offices formerly in the "Newport" section of Jersey City, New...
included Freestyle classics like 1984's "Arabian Nights", and later more hip-hop oriented projects, such as the Cover Girls' "Show Me
Show Me (The Cover Girls song)
"Show Me" is the title of the debut single by the American freestyle girl group The Cover Girls. Released as a 12" single in early 1987, "Show Me" first charted on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart, where it peaked at #4 in March of that year...
" (1986). Tony Moran later went on to form his own project, Concept of One, and the duo continued to produce big name Freestyle artists into the early 1990s.
Freestyle has continued to have a strong following in its founding city, New York. Although a club sound, Freestyle has begun to spread back into the mainstream media. Beginning in 1996 New York's WKTU
WKTU
WKTU is a radio station based in New York City that plays an upbeat, gold-based CHR format. The station's broadcast transmitter is located on the top of the Empire State Building and its city of license is Lake Success, New York, with offices formerly in the "Newport" section of Jersey City, New...
radio station began holding live concerts titled "Freestyle Free for ALL". They also presently hold Freestyle nights (Weekends), dedicating a few hours to freestyle music hosted by Judy Torres. Since its debut the concert reinserted Freestyle into the lime light paving the way for new releases later that year, such as "Do Unto Me" by Coro. After the popularity of Reggaeton
Reggaeton
Reggaeton is a form of Puerto Rican and Latin American urban and Caribbean music. After its mainstream exposure in 2004, it spread to North American, European and Asian audiences. Reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico but is also has roots from Reggae en Español from Panama and Puerto Rico and...
began to diminish interest in Freestyle began to increase, with some radio stations giving up their Reggaeton blocks for Freestyle blocks. In 2006, WKTU invited Coro to perform in their "Beatstock" Concert which was very well received. Although Freestyle remained an "old school beat", its popularity continued to expand further than New York City and Miami, beginning to spread into Europe. In 2008, arguably the largest Freestyle concert in its existence was held at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in New York City. The concert titled "Freestyle Extravaganza" sold out and was one of the most celebrated concerts.
Chicago Freestyle
In the late 1980s Chicago acts developed their own Freestyle sound which was Chicago House infused. One of the first was Legacy & Code 3 – Girls Do It Just For Fun which came out in 1989,an reissued in 1992 with newer mixes and a more polished vocal. It was a huge hit. But the first Chicago Freestyle record Forever Amour originally released on a green label in late 1988 that featured Troy Guy. Before he left the group because Mickey Mixin Oliver took the reel to reel recordings and had the record released under his name. So Troy Guy started a group called D'zyre and released Forever Amour. And in turn Mickey Oliver started Innefect and released there version of Forever Amour. The D'zyre version is one of the top Freesyle songs of the genre. Other Artist that were released prior to these in 1986 and 1987 are Soraya – I Never Loved You,Sheba - Can't Let Go.In the 1990s to mid 1990's saw Freestyle in Chicago explode, with many acts coming out. While Freestyle was dying out in other cities in Chicago that was farther from the truth. Where even legendary Chicago House Music Label D.J. International were releasing and pressing Freestyle records. While former artist who left the label Kool Rock Steady dissed D.J. International in his trax Back By Popular Demand claiming that the label was going broke by releasing Freestyle.Which was probably exaggerated if they were going broke it had to with the cut throat business that the record companies had of doing business. The 1990s saw plenty of artist who came out Chicago who enjoyed success D'zyre, Innefect, L.A.W., Legacy, Issac, Rochelle, Georgie Porgie, Charlie Babie.
In late 1985 A station WCYC run by Harv Roman was playing more of the underground House while also playing and introducing the New York Freestyle acts on the radio.Many of the acts got there big break because of Harv Roman.WCYC can be credited for Freestyle success in Chicago.While Harv Roman still promotes House and Freestyle at club Studio 63 on 63RD Harlem.
Miami Freestyle
WIOQWIOQ
WIOQ, known as "Q102", is a CHR/Pop radio station which is broadcast in the Philadelphia area. The station appeals to a generally young demographic. WIOQ is owned by Clear Channel Communications. Its transmitter is located in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia.-WFIL-FM/Popular 102:The...
(Q102) in Philadelphia, WPOW (Power 96) in Miami, KPWR
KPWR
KPWR is a commercial radio station located in Los Angeles, California, broadcasting to the Greater Los Angeles area on an analog signal and in HD Radio...
(Power 106) in Los Angeles, WBBM
WBBM-FM
WBBM-FM, known on air as "B96", is a Rhythmic Contemporary outlet in Chicago, Illinois with a Rhythmic based playlist. The station is owned by CBS Radio and broadcasts at 96.3 MHz with an ERP of 4.2 kW. WBBM's main competition is WKSC-FM "103.5 Kiss FM", as well as urban rivals WGCI-FM &...
(B96) in Chicago, WQHT-FM
WQHT-FM
WQHT is a high-profile American radio station in New York City under the corporate ownership of Emmis Communications. The station broadcasts on 97.1 MHz FM...
(when it was Hot 103.5) in New York, and XHRM-FM
XHRM-FM
XHRM-FM is an Urban Adult Contemporary radio format licensed in the Mexican state of Baja California, broadcasting at 92.5 MHz...
(Hot 92.5) in San Diego began playing hits by artists like TKA
TKA
TKA was a Latin Freestyle trio that was prominent in the 1980s and early 1990s, mainly in New York City and Miami, Florida. Its members were Tony Ortiz, Louis "Kayel" Sharpe, and Alejandro "Aby" Escoto later replaced by Angel "Love" Vasquez. The acronym TKA represents their collective initials...
, Sweet Sensation
Sweet Sensation
Sweet Sensation was a Puerto Rican female freestyle-dance music trio from The Bronx, New York.-History:Formed in 1986, In The Bronx . The original group members were Betty LeBron and sisters Margie and Mari Fernandez. Originally on Next Plateau Records, in 1988 they were picked up by Atco and...
, and Exposé
Exposé (band)
Exposé is an American vocal group. Primarily consisting of lead vocalists Ann Curless, Jeanette Jurado, and Gioia Bruno, the group achieved much of their success in the late 1980s and early 1990s, becoming the first group to have four top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart from their debut...
, Sa-Fire on the same playlists as Pop superstars like Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
and Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
. Tracks like TKA's One Way Love, " Sa-Fire's Don't Break My Heart and Sweet Sensation's Hooked On You received new life and the success of these tracks as well as the just-released Show Me by the Cover Girls helped get them added to stations around the country. "(You Are My) All and All" by Joyce Sims
Joyce Sims
Joyce Sims is an American singer-songwriter. Her biggest hit single was "Come into My Life," which reached top-10 status in both the US Billboard R&B chart and the UK Singles Chart in 1987/8....
became the first Freestyle record to cross over into the R&B market. It was also one of the first Freestyle records to crack the European market. Although still in its early stages, Freestyle was now getting national attention, and was fast becoming dance music for the '80s.
"Pretty Tony" Butler produced several huge freestyle hits on Jam-Packed records out of Miami. Most notable for Debbie Deb
Debbie Deb
Deborah Claire Wesoff - Kowalski, better known as Debbie Deb, is an American dance-pop singer, best known for 1980s freestyle dance songs such as "Lookout Weekend" and "When I Hear Music".-Biography:...
- "When I Hear Music" and "Lookout Weekend" and Trinere
Trinere
Trinere is a recording artist who had several major dance hits in the 1980s, and early 90's.She recorded with several record companies, mostly out of Miami, Florida; known for its output of popular Freestyle music. Trinere's music is mostly produced by popular Miami D.J. "Pretty Tony" Butler. Many...
's "I'll Be All You'll Ever Need" and "They're Playing Our Song".
Company B
Company B (band)
Company B was a Latin freestyle dance-pop/Hi-NRG trio formed in 1986 by Cuban-American producer Ish "Angel" Ledesma , featuring members Lori L. , Charlotte McKinnon and Susan Johnson. Before the groups self titled Album was released, Charlotte McKinnon left and was replaced by Lezlee Livrano...
, Stevie B
Stevie B
Stevie B is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer who was influential in the Latin freestyle and High-Energy, mostly from Miami dance music scene of the late 1980s...
, Paris By Air
Paris By Air (band)
Paris By Air is a Latin Freestyle trio from Miami, composed of Terri Gil, Rick Munarriz, and Willie Cleer. The band was formed in 1985 by Rick, Willie, and original lead singer Haydee Rivera. The band signed a production deal in 1986 with producer Lewis A. Martineé, who was also responsible for the...
, Linear
Linear (pop group)
Linear was a Latin freestyle-pop trio from Miami, Florida.It consisted of vocalist Charlie Pennachio, and percussionist Joey Restivo, who both hailed from New York, with Ecuadoran guitarist Wyatt Pauley. In 1990, the band had a hit with the gold single, "Sending All My Love," which was released...
, Will to Power
Will to Power (band)
Will to Power is the name of an American dance-pop group that originated in southern Florida in the mid-1980s. The group recorded a number of hit singles on the Billboard dance and pop charts in the late 1980s and early 1990s, most notably "Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley", a medley of 1970s...
and Exposé's later hits defined Miami Freestyle. One of the most important pioneers and influential players within the Miami freestyle scene is the entrepreneur, music executive and music producer Tolga Katas
Tolga Katas
Tolga Katas is a Turkish entrepreneur who began his career as a rock singer and songwriter, then left the spotlight to become a behind-the-scenes independent record producer and promoter...
. He is credited with being one of the first persons to create a hit record entirely on a computer. His top notch productions influenced many copy cat producers that tried (and failed) to copy the sound he created for hits such as “Party Your Body”, “In My Eyes” and “Dreamin' of Love”, all performed by Stevie B. His record label Futura Records became an incubator for great, high quality Freestyle music. The group Linear, who got its start there, was eventually picked up by Atlantic Records which resulted in the group achieving international success. Many labels confused New York Freestyle and Miami Freestyle, thinking they had the same audience. They thought their promotional strategy would work for both genres, which resulted in skipping the all too important step of cultivating a record at the street and club level before going to radio. This often led to poor results for the New York–based Freestyle. New York Freestyle, even in its most polished forms, retained a raw edge and underground sound, using minor chords that made the tracks darker and more moody. The lyrics also tended to be about unrequited love or other more somber themes, dealing with the reality of what inner city teens were experiencing emotionally. Also in the development of Freestyle was a club in the Bronx called The Devils Nest (on the corner of Webster and Tremont Avenues) which opened on August 2, 1984. Freestyle legends The Cover girls, Expose, and TKA performed there. Lamour East, Avonti's and Silver Screens were some notorious freestyle clubs in urban Queens New York, hosting many Latin freestyle artists and groups.
Philly Freestyle
In the early 1990s, several Freestyle acts emerged from the metropolitan Philadelphia, PA area (South Philadelphia; Camden, NJ; Trenton, NJ; Delaware County PA, etc.). Artists such as D.T.U. (Doin' The Ultimate), Full Afekt, Denine, Marré, The DuLaio Twinz, Sammy C, Tōn-Dé-Jon, Jamie, Angela Garcia, Nu-Evo, Divine Aire, Orlando, Jade, Equils-2 and T.P.E. (The Philadelphia Experiment) enjoyed regional success and many saw regular airplay on Philadelphia's FM radio station Q102 with DJ/Producer Gino Caporale (WIOQ 102.1 FM).In 1993, the guys from D.T.U. (Anthony Ponzio and Anthony Santosusso) teamed-up with DJ Mike Ferullo to form Tazmania Records and T.P.E.'s Adam Marano would go on to form Viper-7 Records. Both record labels would eventually lead the resurgence of the Freestyle music genre in the mid-1990s with radio hits by such artists as Collage
Collage (singer)
Collage is an American freestyle group, featuring vocalist Anthony Monteleone and producer/songwriter Adam Marano, who also ran the Viper Records label for which Collage recorded...
and Denine. Behind the scenes, Rob Federici and the Polygon recording studio were a major factor in the sound and success of both Tazmania and Viper Freestyle releases. Also in the mid-1990s, Philadelphia based DJ Steve "Mr. Miami" O'Neill opened Gecko Records (later known as Gekko Records). As Freestyle saw another rough patch later in the 1990s, Tazmania shut down while Viper-7 (now known as the Viper Music Network) moved on to cover a broad spectrum of music genres.
In the late 2000s, Freestyle began to see yet another resurgence in popularity. New Freestyle music from older, well known Freestyle artists, producers and record labels was being released. Live shows featuring Freestyle artists new and old were popular weekend attractions at Philadelphia area bars and night clubs. A major factor in Freestyle's new popularity came courtesy of Steve "Mr. Miami" O'Neill's near-weekly shows at Northeast Philadelphia's Roosevelt's On The Boulevard Bar & Grill (formerly known as The Route 1 Cafe, currently known as REDZ) creating a huge upswing in the region's Freestyle music scene.
In 2009, Tazmania Records reopened its doors and began releasing new Freestyle music. A compilation featuring some of the biggest acts from their past such as Pure Pleazure, Stefanie Bennett, Sammy C and Samantha was released in July 2009 (Tazmania Freestyle: Overloaded). Unfortunately for Freestyle fans, Tazmania Records has since shifted focus to cover the more current sounds of Dance music, specifically Pop and House. The Viper Music Network had also announced plans for new Freestyle releases in the near future, but their website no longer makes any mention of these upcoming projects.
California Freestyle
Although Freestyle's main territory was New York and Miami, it did have a recognizable following in CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, particularly on Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
radio stations KDAY AM-1580
KDAY
KDAY in Redondo Beach and KDEY in Ontario are a pair of synchrocasting radio stations based in South Los Angeles that airs an Classic hip-hop format aimed at African Americans in the 18-49 range. The station is owned by Magic Broadcasting, LLC and broadcasts at 93.5 MHz on the FM dial...
and Power 106
KPWR
KPWR is a commercial radio station located in Los Angeles, California, broadcasting to the Greater Los Angeles area on an analog signal and in HD Radio...
, on San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
stations Hot 97.7
KFFG
KFFG is an FM radio station licensed to Los Altos, California, broadcasting on 97.7 FM MHz. The 97.7 frequency simulcasts the programming of sister station KFOG...
, KMEL
KMEL
KMEL is an Urban Contemporary-formatted radio station located in San Francisco, California, and owned by Clear Channel Communications....
and 107.7 KSOL (now Wild 94.9), and XHRM-FM
XHRM-FM
XHRM-FM is an Urban Adult Contemporary radio format licensed in the Mexican state of Baja California, broadcasting at 92.5 MHz...
(Hot 92.5), in San Diego.
Given California's large Latino community they greatly enjoyed the sounds of the Latin club scene in the East Coast, and although California Freestyle was not as prevalent in New York or Miami Freestyle, there were a number of successful California Freestyle artists that also gained popularity from Freestyle fans in the East Coast. Northern California Freestyle, mainly from San Francisco & San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
leans towards a more high-tempo dance beat, some of it sounding almost like Hi-NRG. Freestyle in California was mostly being made in the Bay Area and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
reigns. Most of all it still retains the sound of freestyle.
California's large Filipino American
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
community also embraced freestyle music during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Filipina songstress, Jaya (Maria Luisa Ramsey) peaked at number 44 in 1990 with her hit, "If You Leave Me Now."
Timmy T
Timmy T
Timmy T is a Freestyle performer and musician. He is best known for his 1991 Billboard Hot 100 #1 single "One More Try."...
, Caleb-B, Jocelyn Enriquez
Jocelyn Enriquez
Jocelyn Enriquez is a Dance-pop singer from San Francisco. She is of Filipino descent: her parents are from the province of Pangasinan. She graduated from Pinole Valley High School in 1993.-Career:...
, The S Factor, Angelina, Jossette, Emotion In Motion, Buffy, Adriana, Bernadette, Daize, One Voice, M:G, Stephanie Fastro & DJ Spanish Fly are all from the Bay Area, and from San Diego artists Internal Affairs, Gustavo Campaign, Alex Campaign, Jose Santos, Robert Romo, F. Felix, Marcus Gil, Tury Q (El Paso Tx) and Frankie Boy aka Frankie J
Frankie J
Francisco Javier Bautista, Jr. , better known by his stage name Frankie J, is a Mexican singer and former member of the musical group Kumbia Kings....
were all notable freestyle artists from California.
Freestyle in Canada
Freestyle had a large following in the late 1980s and early 1990s throughout the Greater Toronto AreaGreater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
catering originally to the Italian and Greek population, although ultimately accepted by large from the city's vast multi-cultural base. Freestyle was prominent in all ages, venues, and various Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
nightclubs that would also showcase House music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
. Canadians also invented their own term for the music called 'gino beats'. The fans of this music in Toronto were often referred to as 'ginos' (males) and 'ginas' (females). They often grew up in the 905 region. The term was not used in a derogatory sense such as 'guido' in America, but more a description of a Toronto male or female with a certain style (interest in fashion) and taste in music (Freestyle & House), and the behavior of blasting House music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
or Freestyle music while driving with the windows down, to try to attract the attention of females. By the mid nineties this market had moved almost completely to House music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
as their club music of choice. Lil' Suzy
Lil' Suzy
Suzanne Casale better known as Lil' Suzy is a half Italian, half Puerto Rican American Latin freestyle, pop-, and dance-music singer.-Career:...
released several 12" singles at the time, that became immensely popular amongst the youth population in Toronto. She ultimately performed live on Electric Circus
Electric Circus
Electric Circus, aka EC, was a Canadian live dance music television program aired on MuchMusic and Citytv. It aired from September 16, 1988 until December 12, 2003....
, a popular Canadian live dance music television program.
Its success was not just limited to Toronto. Montreal singer Nancy Martinez
Nancy Martinez
Nancy Martinez is an international dance-pop music artist who is primarily known for her 1986 hits "For Tonight" and "Move Out".-History:...
's 1986 single "For Tonight" would become the major breakthrough Canadian freestyle single to reach the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, while the girl group 11:30
11:30
11:30 was a dance-pop duo from Montreal, Quebec, Canada that consisted of identical twin sisters Toni and Trish Sherwood...
(also from Montreal) had a brief taste of success on the Canadian chart with "Ole Ole" in 2000.
Freestyle as a pop-crossover genre
By 1987, Freestyle was at its peak on Top 40 Radio. By the early 90s, Freestyle was disappearing from the radio air waves with radio stations such as Hot 103.5 turned Hot 97 starting a trend of changing their format to Top 40 music only. While the artists of the music such as George LamondGeorge Lamond
George Lamond, born George Garcia, is an American Freestyle music singer, who is of Puerto Rican descent.-Career:George Lamond began singing backup for various artists before landing a solo deal with Columbia Records...
, Exposé, Corina
Corina
Corina is female given name of Greek origin , which was derived from κορη "maiden". Variants include Korinna, Corinna, Kora, Corri, Corinne, and Coreen.Corina may refer to:-First name:*Corinna, Ancient Greek poet...
, Sweet Sensation
Sweet Sensation
Sweet Sensation was a Puerto Rican female freestyle-dance music trio from The Bronx, New York.-History:Formed in 1986, In The Bronx . The original group members were Betty LeBron and sisters Margie and Mari Fernandez. Originally on Next Plateau Records, in 1988 they were picked up by Atco and...
and the Stevie B
Stevie B
Stevie B is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer who was influential in the Latin freestyle and High-Energy, mostly from Miami dance music scene of the late 1980s...
continued to play on mainstream radio, other notable Freestyle artists did not fare as well. Carlos Berrios almost single handedly appeared to have saved the apparent demise of the music by creating a new sound, along with another writer, producer, Frankie Cutlass, used on Temptation by Corina
Corina
Corina is female given name of Greek origin , which was derived from κορη "maiden". Variants include Korinna, Corinna, Kora, Corri, Corinne, and Coreen.Corina may refer to:-First name:*Corinna, Ancient Greek poet...
and Together Forever by Lisette Melendez
Lisette Melendez
Lisette Melendez is an American freestyle/Latin pop/dance-pop singer. She is best known for her 1991 hits "Together Forever" and "A Day In My Life ". These songs propelled her debut album Together Forever to gold status with over 700,000 copies sold...
. Both songs released almost simultaneously were not only embraced by Top 40 radio but gave Freestyle a much needed resurgence in 1991 with Temptation going to the number 6 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts. However, before its decline in 1990s, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
Lisa Lisa and her band Cult Jam were an urban contemporary band and one of first freestyle music groups to emerge from New York City in the 1980s. Cult Jam consisted of guitarist/bassist Alex "Spanador" Moseley, and drummer/keyboardist Mike Hughes...
, one of the first freestyle acts to get behind the microphone, began to make it big on the freestyle scene. Their records were produced by Full Force
Full Force
Full Force is a group of R&B performers and producers from Brooklyn, New York, USA, calling itself the original hip hop vocal band.-Members:*B-Fine - drums and drum programming*Shy Shy - bass guitar...
, who also made UTFO
UTFO
UTFO is an old school hip-hop group, popular in the 1980s, that was mentored by the contemporary R&B group Full Force. The group consists of the Kangol Kid , the Educated Rapper , Doctor Ice , and Mix Master Ice...
's music and even once worked together with James Brown. The music of Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
Lisa Lisa and her band Cult Jam were an urban contemporary band and one of first freestyle music groups to emerge from New York City in the 1980s. Cult Jam consisted of guitarist/bassist Alex "Spanador" Moseley, and drummer/keyboardist Mike Hughes...
was less electro and more pop, and that was also probably the reason why artists such as Corina
Corina
Corina is female given name of Greek origin , which was derived from κορη "maiden". Variants include Korinna, Corinna, Kora, Corri, Corinne, and Coreen.Corina may refer to:-First name:*Corinna, Ancient Greek poet...
, Stevie B
Stevie B
Stevie B is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer who was influential in the Latin freestyle and High-Energy, mostly from Miami dance music scene of the late 1980s...
, George Lamond
George Lamond
George Lamond, born George Garcia, is an American Freestyle music singer, who is of Puerto Rican descent.-Career:George Lamond began singing backup for various artists before landing a solo deal with Columbia Records...
, Sweet Sensation
Sweet Sensation
Sweet Sensation was a Puerto Rican female freestyle-dance music trio from The Bronx, New York.-History:Formed in 1986, In The Bronx . The original group members were Betty LeBron and sisters Margie and Mari Fernandez. Originally on Next Plateau Records, in 1988 they were picked up by Atco and...
and the Cover Girls were able to crossover into the pop market. Cross-over influences became even more evident with greater fervor when The Latin Rascals produced a remix of Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
's "Notorious
Notorious
Notorious is a 1946 American thriller film directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman and Claude Rains as three people whose lives become intimately entangled during an espionage operation...
" and The Pet Shop Boys' hit smash, Domino Dancing
Domino Dancing
"Domino Dancing" is a song recorded by the British synthpop duo Pet Shop Boys which reached #7 on the UK Singles Chart. It was released as the lead single from their 1988 album, Introspective.-Song:...
produced by Lewis A. Martinee, who produced many of Expose's hits.
Also notable during the 1980s and early 1990s, ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s released by primarily freestyle artists either crossed over to the pop charts, or fared much better than their existing chart entries, such as "Seasons Change
Seasons Change
"Seasons Change" is a pop–R&B song written and produced by Lewis Martineé for the American girl group Exposé's debut album, Exposure . It was the group's fourth single released. The song's lyrics describe relationships fading away due to the changes brought about by time...
" (Exposé), "Thinking of You
Thinking of You (Sa-Fire song)
"Thinking of You" is the third single released by freestyle singer Sa-Fire from her 1988 eponymous debut. The song was a tribute to her uncle who died from AIDS in 1986....
" (Sa-Fire
Sa-Fire
Wilma Cosmé better known by her stage name SaFire, is an American singer. While she was one of the few freestyle artist to have major pop-chart success, she is considered an important part of Latin freestyle...
), "One More Try
One More Try (Timmy T. song)
"One More Try" is a song recorded by Timothy Torres, known professionally as Timmy T. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on March 23, 1991. The song was both written and produced by Torres, who was inspired to create the song after breaking up with a girlfriend.A Cantopop version of...
" (Timmy T
Timmy T
Timmy T is a Freestyle performer and musician. He is best known for his 1991 Billboard Hot 100 #1 single "One More Try."...
), "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)
Because I Love You (The Postman Song)
"Because I Love You " is a song recorded by Stevie B. The song peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in December, 1990 spending four weeks at number one and spending two weeks at number one on the Adult Contemporary chart, as well...
" (Stevie B
Stevie B
Stevie B is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer who was influential in the Latin freestyle and High-Energy, mostly from Miami dance music scene of the late 1980s...
) and "If Wishes Came True
If Wishes Came True
"If Wishes Came True" is a song recorded by the R&B/dance group Sweet Sensation on their 1990 album Love Child. It was the biggest hit of their career and hit number one in the U.S...
" (Sweet Sensation
Sweet Sensation
Sweet Sensation was a Puerto Rican female freestyle-dance music trio from The Bronx, New York.-History:Formed in 1986, In The Bronx . The original group members were Betty LeBron and sisters Margie and Mari Fernandez. Originally on Next Plateau Records, in 1988 they were picked up by Atco and...
). The ballad "I Still Believe" debuted Brenda K. Starr to the Hot 100.
Soon thereafter, however, freestyle was seemingly swallowed up by the mainstream pop industry: MC Hammer
MC Hammer
Stanley Kirk Burrell , better known by his stage name MC Hammer , is an American rapper, entertainer, business entrepreneur, dancer and actor. He had his greatest commercial success and popularity from the late 1980s until the mid-1990s...
, Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul
Paula Julie Abdul is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.In the 1980s, Abdul rose from cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to highly sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era before scoring a string of pop music-R&B hits...
, Bobby Brown
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford "Bobby" Brown is an American R&B singer-songwriter, occasional rapper, and dancer. After success in pop group New Edition, Brown began his solo career in 1987 and had a string of Top 10 Billboard hits, culminating in a Grammy Award. He was a pioneer of New Jack Swing music, a...
, New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block are an American boy band from Boston, Massachusetts, assembled in 1984 by producer Maurice Starr. The band currently consists of brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood.New Kids on the Block enjoyed success in the late 1980s and...
and Milli Vanilli
Milli Vanilli
Milli Vanilli was a pop/dance music project formed by Frank Farian in Germany in 1988, visually fronted by Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus. The group's debut album achieved international success and earned them a Grammy Award for Best New Artist on Feb. 21, 1990. Milli Vanilli became one of the most...
, with their hip hop beats and electro samples, were undoubtedly a new pop-mainstream form of the underground dance music of the 1980s, repackaged with catchier tunes, slicker production and MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
-friendly videos. An exception to this was Linear with the crossover hit “Sending all My Love.” The reason for this exception is that Tolga Katas, inspired by Milli Vanilli’s commercial success, incorporated their sound with his own which resulted in a top ten hit that definitely benefited from the group’s MTV-friendly video. Along with this pop appropriation of the genre and the success of these artists, not only on crossover stations but R&B stations as well, freestyle ceased to be as important as an underground genre, giving way to newer genres such as New Jack Swing
New jack swing
New jack swing or swingbeat is a fusion genre spearheaded by Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle which became extremely popular from the late-1980s into the mid-1990s. Its influence, along with hip-hop, seeped into pop culture and was the definitive sound of the inventive Black New York club scene...
and new forms of dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
coming from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Miami and Detroit, such as Trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
and Eurodance
Eurodance
Eurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
, which seemed younger, fresher and newer than freestyle. R&B sensation Ciara
Ciara
Ciara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...
featured freestyle on her third studio album, Fantasy Ride
Fantasy Ride
Fantasy Ride is the third studio album by American R&B singer Ciara. It was released on May 3, 2009 in the UK by RCA Records and May 5 in the United States on LaFace Records. The album combines R&B and hip hop sound from her previous albums along with a new pop and dance direction.The album...
, having already used it on her “1,2 Step” hit single.
Post Freestyle-Era
MicMac Records is recognized as one of the pioneer record labels in Freestyle music, known for bringing artist such as Johnny O, Cynthia, Nyasia, Tiana, Soave and Clear Touch to the Freestyle scene. In 2004, MicMac Records relaunched and introduced new school Freestyle hits to the open market. The CDs were titled Then and Now. Following a success with the CDs the label released three more in the years following and remains active to date promoting many live performances mainly in Miami Florida which is known for having a large Freestyle following. In New York City the popularity of Freestyle's emergence have not gone unnoticed, there are several clubs and lounges that host performances on a regular basis. There are also online radio stations such as http://freestyle.fm/ who broadcast 24/7 and allow listeners to scroll through an open library and request songs to hear.Onna Roll records whose Nasty boys and Donna Williams hits were more main stream although What I'm Feeling was the most played single in one day on WKTU at the time getting 63 plays, Big Al former president of Onna Roll does a freestyle night in NY still to this day.
There was a resurgence once again in the mid to late 1990s with labels like Artistik Records and Tazmania Records as well as a handful of indie labels. Artistik Records was created by Freestyle artist and producer Willie Valentin. Artistik was first distributed by Tazmania/Hot productions in early 1994 and then by Mic-Mac Records in 1995-1996. In1997 Wiilie Valentin ventured off on his own and distributed his label by himself and released singles by Synthia Figueroa as well as solo albums by Willie Valentin, Poze, Freeze and Synthia Figueroa. Artistik also released many compilation albums. Freestyle Parade 4, CPR's Clubhouse Freestyle Madness, Freestyle Mania volumes 1,2 and 3, Freestyle Parade 2K1 CDs 1 & 2, Dance Music Artistik Style and in 2010 Freestyle Parade 2010 "We're back again".
Freestyle, staying largely an underground genre with still a sizeable following in New York, has seen a recognizable comeback in the cities the music once dominated. In Miami, a Latin radio station shoved aside their Reggaeton
Reggaeton
Reggaeton is a form of Puerto Rican and Latin American urban and Caribbean music. After its mainstream exposure in 2004, it spread to North American, European and Asian audiences. Reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico but is also has roots from Reggae en Español from Panama and Puerto Rico and...
music blocks to make room for Freestyle playlists. In New York, Freestyle artists languished in small venues mostly in the boroughs outside Manhattan until April 1, 2004, when local NYC impresarios Mike Cornette and Steve Sylvester contacted Fever Records honcho and Rap/Freestyle pioneer and producer Sal Abbetiello, the former owner of the Devil's Nest club in The Bronx, and single handedly brought Freestyle back into the New York City mainstream with StevieSly's Freestyle Party show at Coda, a live music venue in Manhattan that featured Judy Torres, Cynthia, and The Cover Girls and was attended by several celebrity special guests. The success of the "Coda" show breathed new life into freestyle in Manhattan. Subsequently, a summer 2006 Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
concert showcasing Freestyle's greatest performers went very well-received, and new Freestyle being released appears to be well-taken by longtime Freestyle enthusiasts and newcomers alike. The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
often use Freestyle lyrics, and Miami rapper Pitbull
Pitbull (rapper)
Armando Christian Pérez , better known by his stage name Pitbull, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer. His first recorded performance was from the Lil Jon album Kings of Crunk in 2002, after which he released his debut album in 2004 titled M.I.A.M.I. under TVT Records...
collaborated with Miami Freestyle artist Stevie B
Stevie B
Stevie B is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer who was influential in the Latin freestyle and High-Energy, mostly from Miami dance music scene of the late 1980s...
to create an updated version of Stevie B's hit, "Spring Love."
Freestyle influences can be heard in modern acts such as Chromeo
Chromeo
Chromeo is an electrofunk duo formed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 2004.-History:Chromeo is composed of P-Thugg on keyboards, synthesizers, and talk box, and Dave 1 on guitar and lead vocals...
and Sekrett Scilensce (Secret Silence), who also merges the New Jack Swing styling into his Electronic and Pop-Crossover productions.
In 2008, famed Freestyle music producer Carlos "After Dark" Berrios released a double CD titled "Don't Look Back" Sessions One and Two with 22 new tracks of Freestyle and Latin Freestyle. Known artists George Lamond, Lisette Melendez
Lisette Melendez
Lisette Melendez is an American freestyle/Latin pop/dance-pop singer. She is best known for her 1991 hits "Together Forever" and "A Day In My Life ". These songs propelled her debut album Together Forever to gold status with over 700,000 copies sold...
, Joei Mae (formerly of C-BANK), and K7 perform on the album as do new artist Katya and Jessica Fabus. Berrios produced most of the albums while Frankie Cutlass and Eddie Frente produced a track a piece as well.
Jordin Sparks' 2009 single "Let The Music Play" can be considered part of the freestyle genre.
In 2011, the New Aristocrats have released a remake of Stacey Q
Stacey Q
Stacey Q is a pop singer, dancer and actress. She is best known for her 1985 hit single "Two of Hearts".-Early life:Stacey Swain was born on November 30, 1958 in Fullerton, California. She is the youngest of three children...
's "Two Of Hearts."
External links
- New York Freestyle
- FreestyleMania.com
- Maximum Freestyle
- Freestyle.fm forums
- 100 Greatest Freestyle Songs
- Steve "Mr. Miami" O'Neill's Official Website
- 57 of these tracks as a Spotify playlist
- Stylus Magazine: The Bluffers Guide To Freestyle
- The Village Voice: Let The Music Play Again
- Maura Johnston: The Season Came To An End: Freestyle Brings Loneliness To A Crowded Dance Floor
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