UK Funky Music: Explore the Genre’s History and Notable Artists

UK funky is a type of electronic dance music (EDM) that originated in London, United Kingdom. The subgenre takes influence from musical styles such as grime, UK garage, broken beat, dubstep, tribal house, and funky house, combining soulful African and Latin percussion styles with R&B vocals and basslines and synths from club and house music.

UK funky emerged in the mid-2000s and peaked in popularity by 2009, fading somewhat behind the popularity of the UK garage, a short-lived electronic dance music style that gained popularity in the 1990s.

Here is a brief overview of the history of UK funky:

• Beginnings: UK funky emerged around 2006, as its predecessors—primarily garage, grime, and dubstep—rose in popularity, and London’s rave scene embraced new sounds. During this time, a young artist named Apple produced a funky track called “Dutty Dance” with simple drum beats and loops that would form the foundation of the UK funky sound. Notable house DJs, such as Marcus Nasty, Soca, and Kismet, began remixing the song, which became a staple on popular radio stations like Rinse FM, an underground London-based radio station.
• Peak popularity: Between 2007 and 2009, UK funky saw several hit songs, such as “Do You Mind,” originally released by British artist Kyla and then remixed in 2008 by Crazy Cousinz to renewed popularity. During the same period, Boy Better Know released their hit song “Too Many Man,” and K.I.G. released their single “‘Head, Shoulders, Kneez & Toez.”
• Decline and influence: By 2009, the UK funky sound had become oversaturated, and the genre began to decline. Many major artists moved on or dropped the sound, and UK funky would give way to the more popular garage genre. However, the once-popular sound continues to inspire music, including Drake’s single “One Dance” in 2016, which samples the hit “Do You Mind” remix by Crazy Cousinz.

The UK funk movement during the late 2000s saw many dancehall electronic artists transitioning from their house styles to the new funky sound. Here are some of the artists who adopted the sound into their sets and continue to champion the genre:

1. 1. Crazy Cousinz: This collective of music producers formed in 2007 consists of two cousins, Flukes and Paleface, who released the hit song “Funky Anthem” and the majorly influential remix of “Do You Mind” by Kyla, which rapper Drake sampled for his hit single, “One Dance.”
2. 2. Katy B: A music artist popular in the UK bass scene, Katy B guested on many popular tracks during the rise of UK funky, including DJ NG’s song “Tell Me.”
3. 3. Donae’o: Born Ian Greenidge, Donae’o is a hip-hop songwriter from London who released the popular Afrobeat single “I’m Fly,” which reached No. 129 on the UK Singles Chart, on his 2009 album Party Hard.
4. 4. Lil Silva: Also known as Tyrone Jermaine "TJ" Carter, Lil Silva is a UK funky music producer best known for his early singles “Seasons” and “Funky Flex.”
5. 5. Scratcha DVA: Also known as DJ Scratcha, Scratcha DVA is an electronic music producer who made UK funky music and ran the Rinse FM house music station.
6. 6. DJ Champion: This Montreal-based multi-instrumentalist, who began playing guitar at age thirteen, is notable for his dynamic electronic music sets and off-beat funky style. Champion has appeared on many mixes and compilations, including Canadian Blast: The Sound of the New Canada Scene and FACT 129.
7. 7. Cooly G: Born Merrisa Campbell, the singer/rapper/producer gained popularity for her early work in the UK funky scene, with singles like “Love Dub” and “Weekend Fly.”
8. 8. Funkystepz: This music production team comprising Twitch, Renay & Stimpy, and DJ Maxsin released UK funky fusion tracks like “Hurricane Riddim” and the EP Sounds of Malibu.
9. 9. DJ Geeneus: Born Gordon Warren, Geeneus is an early pioneer of the UK funky style who co-founded Rinse FM, a UK radio station that played early UK funky house music. The producer cites jungle music and drum and bass as major influences on his musical sound.

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