New Jack swing mixes light Hip Hop and Funk production techniques and Contemporary R&B vocals and melodies. The beats are generally quite up-tempo and utilize aggressive drum hits. The genre peaked in popularity during the late 1980s after releases such as "Groove Me" and "Miss You Much" became top-5 hits. The term, which was coined in 1987 to describe Teddy Riley's music, describes both the novelty of the genre at the time it was created, as being a "new kid on the block," and the characteristic swing of the drums. The sound was first created through the usage of SP-1200 samplers and TR-808 drum machines, which helped to create the swung and syncopated patterns the genre became known for. In the 1990s, it evolved into Hip Hop Soul which features the R&B influence while leaving behind the Dance-oriented sound. Commercially, hip hop soul had its peak in popularity at the same time New Jack swing became unpopular. AKA: SwingbeatNew Jack
Total Tracks
42
Active Years
1987–2015
Peak Decade
1990s
En Vogue