Atlanta Bass

AKA: ATL Bass • Atlanta bass is a subgenre of Miami Bass that emerged in Atlanta in the late 1980s and early 1990s and is differentiated by a lower tempo with an organic, melodious sound palette consisting of airy pad melodies and sung vocals from Contemporary R&B influence. While Miami bass was being made in Atlanta by acts like MC Shy-D or Tony M.F. Rock, the city’s unique sound would not emerge until DJ Toomp returned from studying bass music in Miami in 1987, introducing it to the city and helping produce for Shy-D’s single “Shake It.” He also met Raheem the Dream, who helped produce a slew of local hits like “If U Ain't Got No Money.” In the Bankhead neighborhood, Kilo would establish a transitional sound on America Has a Problem at the turn of the decade, bridging the gap between the two scenes. College Park producer DJ Smurf would work with Ichiban Records and contribute to DJ Easy Lee's sub-label Wrap Records, which housed many aforementioned acts. In the mid-1990s, Atlanta bass received notoriety outside of its city when Jermaine Dupri would create the compilation album So So Def Bass All Stars produced by Lil Jon, meant to capture the songs of DJ sets at Freaknik festivals. The song “My Boo” by Ghost Town DJs would reach far outside Atlanta and introduce the melodious sound to the rest of the country alongside Freak Nasty’s “Da' Dip.” Lil Jon moved on from this scene and use his experience with bass music to create Crunk with influence from Memphis’ “get-buck” dance movement. While Atlanta bass was a recurring motif in Pop Rap and contemporary R&B, it also influenced Pop music in general especially in the late 2010s. Specifically, styles like Bubblegum Bass and K-Pop with acts like NewJeans.