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twerk

Twerk

United States · 2010s
DancingIntenseHappyDark
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Description

Twerk is a club-focused bass music style centered around 95–105 BPM grooves, half-time drum patterns, and heavy 808 sub-bass. It emphasizes body-centric, low-end movement and space, leaving room for the iconic twerking dance that gave the style its name.

The genre inherits the call-and-response party energy and chant-like vocals of New Orleans bounce and Southern hip hop, then refines it with EDM-style builds, drops, and sound design. Production typically features a snare or clap on beat 3 (half-time feel), sparse but punchy kick patterns, syncopated percussion, brass/synth stabs, and vocal chops or commands that cue the dancefloor. The result is high-impact, bass-forward music designed for big speakers and crowd participation.

History
Roots (1990s–2000s)

Twerk’s rhythmic DNA traces back to New Orleans bounce in the 1990s, where call-and-response party chants, 808s, and dance-led performance culture normalized the twerking dance itself. Through the 2000s, Southern hip hop, crunk, and Miami bass amplified the focus on booming low end, simple hooks, and explicit dance commands, laying a foundation for a future, more codified club sound.

EDM Codification (early–mid 2010s)

Around the early 2010s, EDM and trap producers began exploring mid-tempo (≈100 BPM) drops that emphasized half-time snares, chest-rattling 808s, brass stabs, and vocal hype lines. Labels and curators started tagging these tracks as “twerk,” distinguishing them from faster trap and 128 BPM electro. Artists and collectives popularized twerk edits, DJ tools, and festival-ready anthems, solidifying the aesthetic—minimalist drum grids, generous sub-bass, and chant-driven drops.

Mainstream Visibility

Viral dance moments, pop crossovers, and high-profile DJ sets pushed the term and sound into wider consciousness. While the dance itself garnered mainstream media attention, the music scene around it matured in parallel: bootlegs, VIPs, and collaborations connected EDM, Southern rap, and Latin club lanes, keeping the sound flexible and DJ-friendly.

Globalization and Hybrids (late 2010s–present)

Twerk’s mid-tempo bass framework blended easily with moombahton, Brazilian funk, and broader trap-EDM, spawning hybrid tracks that retained the half-time thump while adopting regional rhythms and samples. The genre now functions as a dependable “energy pocket” in DJ sets—bridging faster and slower tempos—while continuing to evolve with new sound design, percussive ideas, and vocal treatments.

How to make a track in this genre
Tempo and Groove
•   Aim for 95–105 BPM. Use a half-time feel with the main snare/clap on beat 3 to create the signature heavy, body-moving pocket. •   Keep kick patterns sparse but intentional, leaving space between hits so the low end breathes and dancers can lock into the groove.
Drums and Percussion
•   Core kit: 808 kick and sub, sharp clap/snare, tight closed hats, and occasional open hats or rides for lift. •   Use syncopated toms, rims, or woodblocks to add bounce. Perc fills that tease the drop (often with triplet flourishes) work well.
Bass and Sound Design
•   Center the mix on a tuned 808/sub that sustains on the downbeats or drop notes. Glide/portamento slides can add swagger. •   Layer with short, punchy mid-bass or brass/synth stabs for impact. Sidechain the sub to the kick to maintain clarity.
Melodic and Harmonic Content
•   Keep harmony minimal—often a single key or short two-chord loop. The focus is rhythm and low-end movement. •   Use bold, simple motifs: brass hits, horn stabs, detuned leads, or vocal chops that punctuate the groove.
Vocals and Hooks
•   Incorporate chant-style phrases, hype ad-libs, and call-and-response lines that cue movement (e.g., “drop,” “shake,” “hands up”). •   Vocal chops pitched to the key can serve as the main riff. Leave rests to emphasize the beat.
Arrangement and FX
•   Build–pre-drop–drop structure borrowed from EDM: risers, snare rolls, filters, and tape stops set up the release. •   First drop: straightforward and heavy; second drop: introduce variation (new percussion, fills, or sub slides). •   Mix for impact: prioritize sub and snare; carve mids for stabs; keep top end crisp but not harsh.
Top albums
Naked & Wasted
Leaf
Main artists
Influenced by
Bounce
Bounce is a high-energy regional style of hip hop that emerged in New Orleans in the early 1990s. It is built on fast, repetitive party grooves, commanding chants, and call‑and‑response hooks that directly engage dancers and the crowd. Its signature rhythmic bed centers on the "Triggerman" beat (from the Showboys' 1986 track Drag Rap) and the "Brown Beat" break, usually driven by punchy TR‑808 drums, handclaps, and chopped vocal samples. Lyrics tend to be chant-like, local, and instructional—naming neighborhoods, wards, and housing projects, and cueing specific dance moves (notably twerking). Bounce’s performance tradition connects to New Orleans second‑line and parade culture: it’s communal, percussive, and built for the club and block party. The result is a kinetic, minimal, bass‑forward sound that prioritizes movement, crowd interaction, and relentless momentum.
Bounce Beat
Bounce beat is a late-2000s offshoot of Washington, D.C.’s go-go that intensifies the pocket with heavy tom-led cadences, booming 808 subs, and chant-driven call-and-response. It keeps go-go’s live band core—drum kit, congas, bass, keys, and multiple vocalists—but shifts the rhythmic center toward rolling floor-tom patterns and sudden drop-outs that create a visceral, athletic “bounce.” The style favors extended grooves over complex harmony, street-level hooks over sung choruses, and crowd participation as a primary musical element. It is club- and party-focused, often performed at teen nights and community events across the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia). Not to be confused with New Orleans “bounce,” D.C. bounce beat is a distinct evolution within the go-go tradition.
Hip Hop
Hip hop is a cultural and musical movement that emerged from Black, Latino, and Caribbean communities, centering around rapping (MCing), DJing/turntablism, sampling-based production, and rhythmic speech over beats. It prioritizes groove, wordplay, and storytelling, often reflecting the social realities of urban life. Musically, hip hop is built on drum-centric rhythms (from breakbeats to 808 patterns), looped samples, and bass-forward mixes. Lyrically, it ranges from party anthems and braggadocio to political commentary and intricate poetic forms, with flow, cadence, and rhyme density as core expressive tools. Beyond music, hip hop encompasses a broader culture, historically intertwined with graffiti, b-boying/b-girling (breakdance), fashion, and street entrepreneurship, making it both an art form and a global social language.
Trap
Trap is a subgenre of hip hop that emerged from the Southern United States, defined by half-time grooves, ominous minor-key melodies, and the heavy use of 808 sub-bass. The style is characterized by rapid, syncopated hi-hat rolls, crisp rimshot/clap on the backbeat, and cinematic textures that convey tension and grit. Lyrically, it centers on street economies, survival, ambition, and introspection, with ad-libs used as percussive punctuation. Production is typically minimal but hard-hitting: layered 808s, sparse piano or bell motifs, dark pads, and occasional orchestral or choir samples. Vocals range from gravelly, staccato deliveries to melodic, Auto-Tuned flows, often using triplet cadences.
Dirty South
Dirty South is a regional style of hip hop from the American South defined by heavy 808 bass, swaggering grooves, and gritty storytelling delivered with Southern cadence and slang. Sonically, it blends booming low-end, snappy claps/snares, rolling hi-hats, and minor-key synths or soul/blues samples. The mood ranges from menacing and nocturnal to triumphant and club-ready, with hooks that are chantable and often call-and-response oriented. Lyrically, the genre foregrounds street realities, hustling, regional pride, car culture, nightlife, spirituality, and survival. It embraces local production aesthetics such as Miami bass’s sub-pressure, New Orleans bounce’s party energy, Memphis’s dark lo-fi menace, and Houston’s chopped-and-screwed slow-motion vibe.
Miami Bass
Miami bass is a high-energy, bass-forward hip hop and electro offshoot that emerged in South Florida during the mid-to-late 1980s. It is defined by booming TR-808 sub-bass, crisp handclaps and snares, uptempo breakbeats, and chant-like vocals that favor call-and-response hooks over dense lyricism. Often nicknamed "booty bass," the style prioritizes dancefloor function and car-audio impact, with many tracks effectively serving as "bass tests" for subwoofers. Melodic and harmonic elements are sparse and repetitive, while the rhythmic programming and low-end power drive the music’s party-centric atmosphere.
Crunk
Crunk is a high-energy substyle of Southern hip hop built for clubs, arenas, and call-and-response crowd participation. It emphasizes booming 808 kick drums, aggressive snare/clap backbeats, and simple, chant-like hooks delivered by a lead rapper and a hypeman or group vocals. The production is stark and percussive: sub-bass 808s, handclaps, clattering hi-hats, and brash synth stabs or brass hits carry most of the weight, with very little harmonic movement. Tempos typically sit around 70–80 BPM in half-time (or 140–160 BPM double-time), creating a stomping, anthemic feel. Lyrically, crunk focuses on amping the crowd—party commands, fight music, and swagger—more than narrative storytelling. The word “crunk,” a Southern slang blend of “crazy” and “drunk,” reflects its rowdy, cathartic intent.
Electro
Electro is an early 1980s machine-funk style built around drum machines (especially the Roland TR-808), sequenced basslines, and a futuristic, robotic aesthetic. It emphasizes syncopated rhythms, sparse arrangements, and timbres drawn from analog and early digital synthesizers. Vocals, when present, are often delivered via vocoder or rap-style chants, reinforcing a sci‑fi, cyborg persona. Electro’s grooves powered breakdance culture, and its sonic palette—crisp 808 kicks, snappy snares, dry claps, cowbells, and squelchy bass—became foundational to later techno and bass music.
Moombahton
Moombahton is a dance music genre that fuses the high-energy, synth-driven sound design and build‑drop structures of Dutch/electro house with the slower, syncopated dembow rhythm of reggaeton and dancehall. Characteristically sitting around 108–115 BPM (often ~110), it emphasizes heavy, swung percussion, off‑beat stabs, and midrange lead synths, while retaining Latin/Caribbean groove and call‑and‑response vocal hooks. The result is festival‑ready EDM power at a slower, body‑rolling tempo that feels both tropical and club‑focused.
Dembow
Dembow is a high-energy urban dance genre from the Dominican Republic that builds on the iconic Jamaican dancehall "Dem Bow" riddim while accelerating the tempo and emphasizing party-ready hooks, chants, and streetwise bravado. It is characterized by a relentless, driving drum pattern, booming 808s, and loop-based, minimal harmonic content that keeps focus on rhythm and vocal cadence. Unlike reggaeton (which long used the dembow rhythm as a backbone at slower tempos), Dominican dembow pushes the beat faster, uses punchy percussion, and favors short, catchy refrains designed for clubs and block parties. The style often features humorous, double-entendre lyrics, Dominican slang, and call-and-response choruses that make it instantly participatory and viral-friendly.
Florida Breaks
Florida breaks (often called Florida breakbeat or funky breaks) is a high-energy, DJ‑driven form of breakbeat that emerged from the Florida rave and club circuit. It features syncopated, funk‑rooted drum breaks, booming 808/909 low end, bright rave stabs, and chopped vocal hooks, often flavored by electro and Miami-bass aesthetics. Typical tempos sit around 130–140 BPM, with shuffling hi‑hats, snappy snares, and big, rubbery sub‑bass lines designed for large club systems and car audio culture. Stylistically, it blends the turntablist spirit of hip hop with the sheen of 90s US club music—melodic, playful, and bass‑forward—while remaining relentlessly dance‑floor focused.
Moombahcore
Moombahcore is a heavy, mid‑tempo offshoot of moombahton that fuses reggaeton’s dembow groove with the sound‑design and impact of dubstep and electro house. Typically set around 100–115 BPM (with 108–110 BPM common), it features syncopated dembow drums, massive wobble/growl basses, hard electro leads, and festival‑style builds and drops. Compared to standard moombahton, moombahcore is darker, more aggressive, and more sound‑design‑driven, yet it retains the swaying, dance‑forward pulse of Latin and dancehall rhythms. Producers often employ complex bass resampling, heavy distortion and saturation, sharp snare accents on the 3, and percussive fills drawn from reggaeton and dancehall, making the genre ideal for high‑energy club and festival contexts.
Trap Edm
Trap EDM (often called EDM trap) is a fusion of Southern U.S. hip hop trap rhythms with the build–up/drop architecture and sound design of electronic dance music. It typically runs at 140 BPM with a halftime feel (or 70–75 BPM), featuring 808 sub‑bass, crisp snare/clap on the third beat, rapid 1/16 to 1/32 hi‑hat rolls, brass or synth stabs, and big festival‑style drops. Unlike rap-oriented trap, Trap EDM is primarily instrumental and designed for large dance floors and festivals, emphasizing dramatic risers, tension–release dynamics, and heavy low‑end impact.
Philly Club
Philly club is a high-energy, sample-driven dance style from Philadelphia that sits between Baltimore club and Jersey club. It typically runs around 130–135 BPM and features chopped vocal phrases, aggressive kick–snare patterns, and rapid-fire edits designed for quick transitions and call-and-response moments on the dancefloor. Compared to its neighbors, Philly club often leans harder on rap ad‑libs, 808 sub-bass, and gritty party breaks, reflecting the city’s hip hop and radio mixshow culture. The result is a raw, percussive, and kinetic club sound built for block parties, mixtapes, and DJ battles as much as for late-night clubs.
Club
Club is an umbrella term for dance-focused, DJ-driven music created primarily for nightclubs, featuring steady four-on-the-floor beats, extended arrangements for mixing, and hooky vocal or instrumental motifs designed to move a crowd. The style prioritizes rhythm, groove, and energy management over intricate song structures. Tracks often come as 12-inch or extended mixes, emphasize strong kick drums, syncopated basslines, and percussive loops, and make heavy use of breakdowns, builds, and drops to structure the dancefloor experience.
Glitch Hop Edm
Glitch hop EDM is a bass-heavy, midtempo offshoot of glitch and hip-hop that adopts the large-scale sound design, drops, and festival-ready structures of contemporary EDM. It typically runs around 90–115 BPM with a swung or syncopated hip-hop groove, while employing stutter edits, tape stops, bitcrushing, buffer repeats, granular chops, and intricate automation to create the characteristic "glitched" feel. Tracks often feature thick, modulated basslines; punchy, off-kilter drums; chopped vocals and foley; and harmonies that borrow from jazz, funk, and soul, all arranged in EDM-style buildups and drops.
Festival Trap
Festival trap is a high-impact branch of EDM trap engineered for large festival stages. It merges hip‑hop trap’s 808 sub-bass, half‑time drum patterns, and rattling hi‑hats with big‑room/electro house build‑ups, supersized drops, and cinematic brass stabs and synth leads. Designed for peak-time crowd reaction, the style emphasizes explosive tension-and-release: long risers and snare rolls crescendo into colossal drops built around tuned 808s, horn-like leads, and call‑and‑response hooks. Harmony is sparse and minor‑key, while arrangement prioritizes DJ‑friendly intros/outros, dramatic buildups, and multiple drop variations to energize festival audiences.
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