#latin freestyle

[haveyouheardthisband]

[skol1]

[bazedjunkiii]

get locked for a proper foundation mix!

[stellavista]

Shannon - Let The Music Play (23 Summer Remix)

[completeandrandommusic]

Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - All Cried Out

[louiesmixtape]

freestyle music reached it’s peak in 1988. as crossover radio, what later became known as dance radio, grew in popularity, so did freestyle music. many of the genre’s most popular artists quickly went from being on independent labels to majors. this should have guaranteed the genre’s mainstream reach but many labels fumbled on marketing the artists. this was because freestyle music was a genre without a category. was it pop? was it dance? was it latin pop? because of this, labels visually promoted many freestyle groups as bands - rock bands. it also made groups like linear palatable for the masses.

i was living with my aunt janet and in the process of dropping out of middle school when this song was all over radio. i wasn’t a fan of freestyle music then but i did like this song. it was melodic, catchy and the synths irresistible.

linear was a group out of fort lauderdale, florida. their debut single “sending all my love” was released on an independent label in 1989. after becoming a regional hit, the group signed to atlantic records and the song was rereleased in february 1990 to massive success.

“sending all my love” was a staple on mtv’s then daily countdown show “dial mtv” and reached #5 on the billboard hot 100. linear would score one more top 40 hit in 1992 before fading into obscurity. just as well because by late 1992, rock bands and freestyle music were declared “dead” and pulled from all radio station playlists.

[ericas-music-exploration]

The 80’s Freestyle Scene 

 Let’s go on a time journey to the 80’s in New York City. Freestyle has a touch of hip hop rap electro beats all mixed into one. Freestyle is a perfect genre to put on if you want to dance, sing, feel good etc. With Hip Hop on the come up in the 70’s a lot of Hispanic communities began to form their own electro-beat feel good music. FREESTYLE. 

Now I know what you're all probably thinking. Freestyle? That’s just the process of making music with no specific rhythm or words, just first hand making music with not much prior thought to it. Now I wish I could say the same but for the entirety of my life my mom, dad, uncles, and aunts had me hooked on the genre freestyle, and after you learn about this ecstatic music scene you might be hooked as well.

With this background let's go back to the 80’s. Disco had just peaked hip hop was on the come up and latino’s and Italians were everywhere. The latin people of New York created a form of music that incorporated a bunch of different genres and started sending them to clubs making performances and making this impact with their music. Before looking at the music itself let's look into the people making the songs or listening. When you think about it, the Hispanic and Italian communities are typically big on cooking so I can see them using different genres as spices just throwing things in a pot to make an amazing “meal” and that being freestyle. 

“Let the music play” by shannon is considered the first and maybe most quintessential freestyle track, this #1 US pop hit and its stellar dub mix showcase the drum programming, vocal style, samp”. Many more popular artists rose from the the scene that Shannon created leaving inspiration for others such as Stevie B, Johnny O, The Cover Girls, Nice and Wild and so many more.

Now you might be thinking what makes a freestyle song different or just what makes it unique. These songs with it being an electric beat, the vocals, with a touch of latin beats and inspiration, while keeping disco alive along with adapting to hip hop since it was on a come up. Sure it sounds like it would be messy but it is such a vibe when it comes together.

With so much popularity still there are so many people who haven’t had the privilege to look into this scene. With it being less popular now the freestyle lovers are still doing what they can to keep the music alive. “Freestyle ultimately went underground, albeit with a large fan base in New York. Steve Sylvesters Freestyle Party show at the Coda in Manhattan in 2004 brought popularity back to the genre. Featuring artists like the Cover Girls and Cynthia, the show's success led to a Madison Garden Square summer 2006 concert that featured Freestyle's most popular artists and newcomers like Pitbull. Most freestyle concerts and events in the United States are still successful, with many selling out, proving that the genre is still very much alive. 2012 and 2013 saw the coming up of teen Latin rappers, including a group from Texas called Sur Lado Entertainment that has produced ethnic Latin hip hop focused on Hispanic identity in the United States. Just as Latin Freestyle was a large part of living in New York in the 1980s, it continues to be a thriving genre in the world today, thanks to its legacy that lives on.” So in the end no matter the truest freestyle fans are keeping it a live!

[suneiku]

Let NY Freestyle come back.

[adamsrib66]

[tblondet]

(Thomas Blondet)

[bazedjunkiii]

100% 7" vinyl mixed by baze.djunkiii

[debisco]

DeBisco - Never B Mine (Freestyle Mix) (2021)

Genre: Freestyle

A freestyle flip on the original inspired by late 80's/early 90's Latin freestyle music made famous by NYC's #1 dance music station, 103.5 KTU!

Support the release on Bandcamp ✨

[gabetex]

Viral Video : The Cover Girls via The Wendy Williams Show

Viral Video : The Cover Girls via The Wendy Williams Show

I love Latin Freestyle of the 1980s and 90s and The Cover Girls, an iconic girl group of the genre, appeared on The Wendy Williams Show today with Leah Remini and Michelle Visage. They’re on tour with key summer shows and I really want to go!

[moryestrella]

DE RD SOY UN BONU$ !