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Phonk is a subgenre of hip hop and trap music directly inspired by 1990s Memphis rap. The style is characterized by vocals from old Memphis rap tapes and samples from early 1990s hip hop, especially cowbell samples resembling that of the Roland TR-808 drum machine. The genre draws from the dark, distortive techniques of the chopped and screwed sound.

Initially developed in the 1990s in the Southern United States, mainly in Houston and Memphis, the genre's early pioneers include DJ Screw, X-Raided, DJ Spanish Fly, DJ Squeeky, and the collective Three 6 Mafia. The term "phonk" was created and popularized by rapper SpaceGhostPurrp in the early 2010s.

Drift phonk is a subgenre of phonk that emerged in Russia in the late-2010s; its distinguishing features are the use of cowbells as a melodic element and loud, persistent electronic bass.

History
Phonk took inspiration from trap roots in the Southern United States in the mid-1990s. Artists or musical groups like DJ Screw, X-Raided, DJ Spanish Fly, DJ Squeeky, and the collective Three 6 Mafia all helped pioneer the foundations for the genre to emerge many years later, with the Houston chopped and screwed seen as the precursor to the genre. Artists such as SpaceGhostPurrp and Lil Ugly Mane revived the sound in the form of phonk in the early 2010s.

The word "phonk" was popularized by SpaceGhostPurrp, who released tracks such as "Pheel tha Phonk", "Bringin' tha Phonk", and "Keep Bringin' tha Phonk" as well his debut album in 2012 called Mysterious Phonk: Chronicles of SpaceGhostPurrp. In an interview, he explained that "phonk is slang for funk", in reference to the G-funk music genre. YouTube channels such as Ryan Celsius also helped popularize the genre. Phonk producers continued to push this sound in the underground, before the genre gained real momentum during the mid-2010s.

By the end of 2017, phonk had shifted away from the "gritty, dark, Memphis-oriented sound", incorporating more modern vocals, with elements of jazz and classic hip hop. This stream of phonk has been described as "rare phonk" by Celsius, characterized by "more of a cleaner, almost mainstream trap sound". Between 2016 and 2018, phonk was one of the most listened genres on SoundCloud, with the hashtag #phonk among the most trending each year.

Characteristics
Directly inspired by 1990s Memphis rap, phonk is characterized by old Memphis rap vocals and samples from early 1990s hip hop. These are often combined with jazz and funk samples. The chopped and screwed technique is mainly used, in order to create a darker sound.

A peculiarity of phonk is the fact that it is not anchored to a regional "scene": it is tied to SoundCloud itself as an online platform, which highlights subgenres derived from hip hop and experimental pop. Other notable artists associated with "new-age phonk" include DJ Smokey, DJ Yung Vamp, Soudiere, and Mythic.

Drift phonk
"Drift phonk", a subgenre of phonk, emerged in the late-2010s in Russia. It is characterized by the use of high bass, cowbells, and distorted sounds, making the lyrics of the samples often unrecognizable. Drift phonk tracks tend to have a greater tempo than normal phonk tracks. Drift phonk music is often used in videos pertaining to the topics of weight lifting, drifting, and street racing cars. The genre quickly gained traction through the app TikTok in 2020. Most of the prominent drift phonk producers come from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other countries of Eastern Europe.

As drift phonk became popular on TikTok, it surpassed the original genre in popularity; this, in turn, gave the word "phonk" a stronger association with the drift phonk subgenre. Following the rise in popularity of the genre in Russia, Spotify released its official curated phonk playlist in May 2021, which was almost exclusively composed of drift phonk and Brazilian funk songs. One of the first songs in this genre is called “Scary Garry”, released in 2016 by Kaito Shoma.

Ambient Phonk
Ambient Phonk, a subgenre of Phonk, is distinguished by its intense, distorted, and harsh atmospheres, deep and saturated bass, and simple yet impactful drums. Despite the word "Ambient" being in its name, this subgenre often produces energetic and aggressive tracks, creating confusion among listeners.

The contradictory nature of the name "Ambient Phonk" has prompted discussions within the Phonk community about potential name changes. One proposed change, suggested by producer BOOSTED P.S.I. — who is recognized as one of the original creators of Ambient Phonk — is to rename it to Heavy Ambient. This change has been met with positive outcomes, with a growing number of producers adopting the term and approach of Heavy Ambient.

The term "Heavy Ambient" more accurately reflects the intense and distorted nature of the subgenre, distinguishing it from traditional ambient music. It suggests a fusion of the dark, atmospheric elements of ambient music with the heavy bass and distorted sounds of Phonk.

The decision to rename Ambient Phonk to Heavy Ambient underscores the evolution of the subgenre and its departure from its original name. While the term "Ambient" may have initially been used to describe the immersive and atmospheric qualities of the music, the genre has since developed its own unique identity, characterized by its intensity and aggression.

The adoption of the name Heavy Ambient provides a clearer definition of the subgenre and allows artists and listeners to better understand and appreciate its distinct characteristics. It also creates a sense of community and shared identity among producers and fans of the genre, further solidifying its place within the broader Phonk movement.

Additionally, many producers of Ambient Phonk/Heavy Ambient, as well as many of the Phonk community as a whole, have expressed frustration with the prevalence and popularity of House Phonk, Drift Phonk, and Brazilian Phonk,