New Jack Swing Music Guide: What Is New Jack Swing?

New jack swing, sometimes called swingbeat, is a highly rhythmic subgenre of R&B music associated with the New York-based producer Teddy Riley. Riley—along with 1980s artists like Keith Sweat, Bernard Belle, Al B. Sure!, and Heavy D—helped launch a series of hits based around a few core elements. Those core elements include classic funk and soul samples, rapping, funky drum grooves via the Roland TR-808 drum machine and propulsive mixes via the E-mu SP-1200 sampler.

Journalist and screenwriter Barry Michael Cooper coined the term “new jack swing” in his 1987 profile of Teddy Riley in New York's Village Voice. Cooper's 1991 film New Jack City, directed by Mario van Peebles, introduced the phrase and the music to mainstream audiences throughout the world.

From the mid-1980s through the early 1990s, new jack swing music produced a steady stream of Billboard Top 40 hits.

• A teen prodigy: Teddy Riley was born in New York City in 1967. He grew up with the music of the Black church and had learned multiple instruments by the time he was a teenager. He began producing R&B and hip-hop tracks as a teenager, and by the age of 18, he had produced his first Billboard Hot 100 hit—1986's "Go See the Doctor" by Kool Moe Dee.
• Rapid mainstream embrace: Immediately following the success of "Go See the Doctor," mainstream artists took interest in the sound of new jack swing. This was perhaps best exemplified by Janet Jackson, who hired legendary R&B producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to guide her third studio album, Control.
• Producers step out: In 1987, Teddy Riley formed his own group, an R&B ensemble called Guy that also featured Aaron Hall and Timmy Gatling. The trio's song "Groove Me" stands as a touchstone in new jack swing. In 1991, he formed a second group, Blackstreet, with Chauncey Hannibal. He also helped mastermind the hip-hop group Wreckx-n-Effect, which became a touchstone of new jack rap music.
• Mainstream peak: The late 1980s and early 1990s saw numerous artists thrive by using the new jack swing formula. New jack swing era hits include Johnny Kemp's "Just Got Paid," Johnny Gill's "Rub You The Right Way," Ralph Tresvant's "Sensitivity," Babyface's "It's No Crime," Heavy D & the Boyz's "We Got Our Own Thang," New Edition's "If It Isn't Love," Jodeci's "Forever My Lady," and Christopher Williams's "I’m Dreamin’."
• Breakout performances from female artists: Although Janet Jackson was the first artist to score a major hit with the new jack swing sound, many of the genre’s early purveyors were men. This changed over time, thanks to female-fronted hits like En Vogue's "Hold On," Karyn White's "Secret Rendezvous," and Whitney Houston’s “I’m Your Baby Tonight.”
• Renewed focus from the Jacksons: Janet Jackson, who had helped launch the new jack swing genre, doubled down with the album Rhythm Nation 1814. Even her older brother Michael Jackson teamed up with Teddy Riley for 1991's Dangerous album—which remains the top-selling new jack swing record of all time.
• Virginia Beach offshoot: In 1991, New Yorker Teddy Riley put down roots in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he built Future Recording Studios. This helped launch a new music generation that cut their teeth on classic new jack swing records, including chart-toppers Missy Elliott and Timbaland.
• Continued relevance: New jack swing music remains popular on R&B and hip-hop playlists and R&B radio stations. Contemporary artists like Bruno Mars and Cardi B delved into the new jack sound with their 2018 remix of "Finesse," introducing the genre to a new generation of listeners.

Four main characteristics help define new jack swing music.

1. 1. Swinging drum beats: New jack music is based on propulsive drum beats, played in either 4/4 or 12/8 time. New jack swing producers often used Roland TR-808 drum machines to produce such beats.
2. 2. Funky, danceable bass lines: New jack swing uses synth bass to produce catchy, danceable melodies that anchor songs.
3. 3. Smooth group backing vocals: From Guy to Blackstreet to Boyz II Men, new jack swing acts often incorporate smooth group vocals to add texture and flair.
4. 4. Classic funk and soul samples: New jack swing music embraces sampling. Early new jack swing artists gravitated to the E-mu SP-1200 as the sampler of choice.

New jack swing produced numerous hits—particularly in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.

1. 1. "Groove Me" by Guy: As new jack swing stalwarts, Guy enjoyed many hits, including "Teddy’s Jam" and "I Like.” 1988's "Groove Me" set the groundwork for the entire genre thanks to its swinging beat, funky bass, harmonized vocals, and silky smooth synths.
2. 2. Don't Be Cruel by Bobby Brown: A breakout star from Boston's New Edition, Bobby Brown could croon, shout, and rap. This record, produced by LA Reid and Babyface, showcased all of these talents and featured the hit song, "My Prerogative."
3. 3. "Poison" by Bell Biv Devoe: Bell Biv Devoe's Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe were Bobby Brown's bandmates in New Edition, and their breakout group pushed the boundaries of sexuality on early ‘90s mainstream radio. That, combined with an infectious drumbeat, made "Poison" a major hit.
4. 4. "Remember the Time" by Michael Jackson: By the time he worked with Teddy Riley, Michael Jackson had collaborated with all sorts of pop music luminaries from Berry Gordy to Quincy Jones. On his Dangerous record, Jackson and Riley elevated each other to new heights and audiences rewarded them. The song "Remember the Time" merged the two musicians' signature styles and created a major hit in the process.
5. 5. "Motownphilly" by Boyz II Men: While Michael Jackson’s Dangerous sold more copies than any other new jack swing record, Boyz II Men’s Cooleyhighharmony more than held its own, moving over nine million units. The relentlessly uptempo “Motownphilly” was among its breakout hits.
6. 6. "Feels Good" by Tony! Toni! Tone!: New jack swing music was closely affiliated with east coast cities like New York, Boston, and Virginia Beach. Despite this, the Oakland, California group Tony! Toni! Tone! captured the sound with this chart-topping song based around a sample of Lyn Collins’ “Think (About It).”
7. 7. "I Want Her” by Keith Sweat: After debuting on Sweat’s first album, Make It Last Forever, this 1988 song hit the top of the R&B charts and number five on the Billboard Hot 100.
8. 8. "Ain’t My Type of Hype” by Full Force: This 1989 song became the unofficial theme song for the 1990 movie House Party, after it was featured predominantly in a dance battle scene.
9. 9. "I’m Your Baby Tonight” by Whitney Houston: Many new jack swing songs are written in major keys, but “I’m Your Baby Tonight” is in a minor key. This is augmented by a swinging 12/8 rhythm pattern that keeps the song catchy and danceable.
10. 10. "I Wanna Sex You Up” by Color Me Badd: New jack swing frequently samples classic soul records, and this is no exception. The chorus repurposes the melody from Shuggie Otis’s 1977 hit "Strawberry Letter 23."
11. 11. "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)” by Hi-Five: This 1990 hit was written by a dream team of new jack swing producers—Teddy Riley, Bernard Belle and Dave Way. It was the only prominent single for Hi-Five.

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