Memphis rap, also known as Memphis hip hop or Memphis horrorcore,[1] is a regional subgenre of hip hop music that originated in Memphis, Tennessee in the early 1990s. It has been characterized by its often low budget, repetitive production and its occasional lo-fi sound[1] that utilizes the Roland TR-808 drum machine[2] and minimal synth melodies.[3] The genre commonly features double timeflows and samples ranging from soul and funk to horror film scores and classical music, as well as hooks from songs by related rappers in the same genre, although DIY production without sampling is common as well.[4]
Memphis artists released recordings on independent labels. The dominance of New York and Los Angeles’s hip hop scenes forced southern artists to form an underground style and sound to compete with the other regions. Artists used a grassroots approach through word-of-mouth in the club scene and mixtapes to promote their music.[5]
DJ Spanish Fly is commonly cited as one of the pioneers of the genre,[6] being the bridge between 1980s electro-funk and the heavier gangster rap of the following decade.[7]
^Grem, Darren E. "The South Got Something to Say": Atlanta's Dirty South and the Southernization of Hip-Hop America." Southern Cultures 12.4 (2006): 55-73. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. Sep 14, 2011.
