New jack swing

For the Wreckx-N-Effect song, see New Jack Swing (song).

New jack swing
Other names
  • New jack
  • swingbeat
Stylistic origins
Cultural origins1985–1987, United States
Typical instruments
Other topics

New jack swing, new jack, or swingbeat[1] is a fusion genre of the rhythms and production techniques of hip hop and dance-pop, and the urban contemporary sound of R&B. Spearheaded by producers Teddy Riley, Bernard Belle, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, new jack swing was most popular from the late 1980s to early 1990s.

Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines new jack swing as "pop music usually performed by black musicians that combines elements of jazz, funk, rap, and rhythm and blues."[2] New jack swing took up the trend of using sampled beats and tunes, and created beats using electronic drum machines such as the then-new SP-1200 sampler and the Roland TR-808 to lay an "insistent beat under light melody lines and clearly enunciated vocals."[1] The Roland TR-808 was sampled to create distinctive, syncopated, swung rhythms, with its snare sound being especially prominent.[3][4][1]

  1. ^ a b c Silverton, Peter. "New Jack Swing". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on September 11, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  2. ^ "Definition of JACK SWING". Merriam-Webster. Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on June 10, 2011.
  3. ^ Mellonee V. Burnim, Portia K. Maultsby, African American Music: An Introduction, page 368, Routledge
  4. ^ "Alton 'Wokie' Stewart". AllMusic. Retrieved August 19, 2020.