Baltimore Club
Encyclopedia
Baltimore club, also called "Bmore Club" or "Club Music" is a breakbeat
genre. As blend with hip hop
and chopped, staccato house music
, it was created in Baltimore, Maryland, United States
in the late 1980s by 2 Live Crew's Luther Campbell, Frank Ski
, Big Tony (or Miss Tony
), Scottie B. and DJ Spen.
Baltimore club is based on an 8/4 beat structure, and includes tempos around 130 beats per minute. It combines repetitive, looped vocal snippets similar to ghetto house
and ghettotech
. These samples
are often culled from television shows such as Sanford and Son
and SpongeBob SquarePants
, though can also be simple repeated calls and chants. The instrumental tracks include heavy breakbeats and call and response
stanzas similar to those found in the go-go music of Washington, D.C.
. The breakbeats have been notably pulled from records such as: "Sing Sing" by disco
band Gaz
, and "Think (About It)
" by Lyn Collins
. Much like the rave-era sub-genre of techno music known as breakbeat hardcore
, Baltimore club sounds as if the music was intentionally hurried, as each song is made with a limited palette of sounds and is based on similar frameworks.
In the early 1990s, Baltimore club music developed a cult following in the North Jersey
club scene, particularly in the Brick City club
genre of Newark
, New Jersey
developed by DJ Tameil. This spread stems from the distribution of mix tapes from traveling Baltimore Dj's. There were also a number of Boston-area radio shows in the mid-nineties that played Baltimore club music. It has also spread south to Virginia
club scene and even farther south in Alabama
with DJ Seven formally known as DJ Taj developed Bamabounce.
Recently the genre has gained popularity in Baltimore's rock underground, due to Baltimore club nights at the Talking Head Club and others. Baltimore club was featured in Spin Magazine in January 2006.
Breakbeat
In 1992, a new style called "jungalistic hardcore" emerged, and for many ravers it was too funky to dance to. Josh Lawford of Ravescene prophesied that the breakbeat was "the death-knell of rave" because the ever changing drumbeat patterns of breakbeat music didn't allow for the same zoned out,...
genre. As blend with hip hop
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...
and chopped, staccato 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...
, it was created in Baltimore, Maryland, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the late 1980s by 2 Live Crew's Luther Campbell, Frank Ski
Frank Ski
Frank Ski is an American DJ, journalist, philanthropist, and public forums host.-Career highlights:As a journalist, he conducted the final interview with Coretta Scott King, widow of Martin Luther King, Jr...
, Big Tony (or Miss Tony
Miss Tony
Miss Tony , real name Anthony M. Boston, was a Baltimore radio personality who was a pioneer in the genre of Baltimore Club music...
), Scottie B. and DJ Spen.
Baltimore club is based on an 8/4 beat structure, and includes tempos around 130 beats per minute. It combines repetitive, looped vocal snippets similar to ghetto house
Ghetto house
Ghetto house, or booty house, is a type of Chicago House which started being recognised in its own right from around 1992 onwards. It features minimal 808 and 909 drum machine-driven tracks, and sometimes sexually explicit lyrics....
and ghettotech
Ghettotech
Ghettotech or Detroit club music is a form of electronic dance music originating from Detroit. It combines elements of Chicago's ghetto house with electro, hip hop, techno, and grafts the perceived raunch of Miami Bass as the vocal stamp of the music. It is usually faster than most other dance...
. These samples
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...
are often culled from television shows such as Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son is an American sitcom, based on the BBC's Steptoe and Son, that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977....
and SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
, though can also be simple repeated calls and chants. The instrumental tracks include heavy breakbeats and call and response
Call and response (music)
In music, a call and response is a succession of two distinct phrases usually played by different musicians, where the second phrase is heard as a direct commentary on or response to the first...
stanzas similar to those found in the go-go music of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. The breakbeats have been notably pulled from records such as: "Sing Sing" by disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
band Gaz
GAZ
GAZ or Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod , translated as Gorky Automobile Plant , started in 1932 as NAZ, a cooperation between Ford and the Soviet Union. It is one of the largest companies in the Russian automotive industry....
, and "Think (About It)
Think (About It)
"Think " is a funk song recorded by Lyn Collins and released as a single on James Brown's People Records in 1972. The recording was produced by Brown and featured instrumental backing from his band The J.B.'s...
" by Lyn Collins
Lyn Collins
Lyn Collins was an African American soul singer best known for working with James Brown in the 1970s. Contrary to some reports, she is not related to Bootsy Collins, nor Catfish Collins....
. Much like the rave-era sub-genre of techno music known as breakbeat hardcore
Breakbeat hardcore
Breakbeat hardcore is a derivative of the acid house and techno, of the late 1980s and early 1990s, that combines four-to-the-floor rhythms with breakbeats, and is associated with the UK rave scene.-The rave scene:...
, Baltimore club sounds as if the music was intentionally hurried, as each song is made with a limited palette of sounds and is based on similar frameworks.
Development
Baltimore club was born in the record stores of Baltimore first by Scottie B, Shawn Caesar and DJ Equalizer.They were then joined by DJ Patrick, Kenny B, DJ Class, Diamond K and others. They took some inspiration for their sets and production from British breakbeat hardcore records.The Blapps! Records (UK) label released several records between 1989 and 1992 that are considered classics in the Baltimore genre, as well as in the British rave scene. "Don't Hold Back", "Too Much Energy" and "Let the Freak" were sampled and played heavily by DJs and producers, and would define the Baltimore club sound.In the early 1990s, Baltimore club music developed a cult following in the North Jersey
North Jersey
North Jersey is a colloquial term, with no precise consensus definition, for the northern portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey. A straightforward, noncolloquial term for the region is northern New Jersey.- Two-portion approaches :...
club scene, particularly in the Brick City club
Brick City club
Brick City Club Music is a version of Baltimore club music from Newark, New Jersey popularized by DJ Tameil , DJ Tim Dolla, Mike V ,DJ Black Mic ; in the early/mid 1990s to the 2000s...
genre of Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
developed by DJ Tameil. This spread stems from the distribution of mix tapes from traveling Baltimore Dj's. There were also a number of Boston-area radio shows in the mid-nineties that played Baltimore club music. It has also spread south to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
club scene and even farther south in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
with DJ Seven formally known as DJ Taj developed Bamabounce.
Recently the genre has gained popularity in Baltimore's rock underground, due to Baltimore club nights at the Talking Head Club and others. Baltimore club was featured in Spin Magazine in January 2006.
Further reading
- Inoue, Todd. "Rod Lee, Putting B-More On The Map." The Washington Post. 07/31/2005. N02.