Baltimore Club

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Baltimore club, also called Baltimore breaks, Baltimore house, knucklehead, thump and Dew Doo beat, is a genre of house and dance music. A blend of hip-hop and electronica, it was created in Baltimore, Maryland in the early 1990s by Scottie B., Frank Ski, Miss Tony aka Big Tony and DJ Spen and has since been performed by artists such as DJ BOOMAN, Rod Lee, KW Griff, Rod Braxton, Karizma, D.J. Technics, D.J. Phinesse, Diamond K, DJ Patrick, and DJ Kenny B. Female DJ K Swift is currently one of the most popular DJ's in Baltimore, with her radio shows on 92.3 WERQ.

Baltimore club is exemplified by its 8/4 beat structure and tempos at or near 130 beats per minute. It combines repetitive, looped vocal snippets similar to ghetto house with humorous vocal samples from television shows like Sanford and Son and Sponge Bob SquarePants, and also includes heavy breakbeats and call and response stanzas similar to those found in the go-go music of Washington, D.C.. More often than not, the breakbeats are pulled from two records; "Sing Sing" by Gaz, and "Think" by Lyn Collins and James Brown. Much like the rave-era sub-genre of techno music known as breakbeat hardcore, Baltimore Club sounds as if the music was purposely produced in a hurried manner as each song is made with a limited palette of sounds and is based on similar templates.

[edit] Development

Some say Baltimore Breaks grew out of Miami Bass, largely due to Frank Ski working with Luke Skyywalker Records in the early 1990s, remixing songs such as Disco Rick's "Wiggle Wiggle" in 1992. Other's say that Club music is whack and that Go-Go is better. Frank's production of the 1991 track "Doo Doo Brown" by 2 Hype Brothers and a Dog samples heavily from the 1989 "Doo Doo Brown edit" of "C'mon Babe" by the X-rated Miami bass group known as 2 Live Crew. This most likely explains the genre's nickname of "Dew Doo Beat." Despite its roots nearer to Miami bass, the sound of the music itself more closely resembles ghetto house and ghettotech. Indeed, "Doo Doo Brown" achieved popularity on airwaves and in clubs as far north as Detroit, eventually becoming a staple in the crates of ghettotech DJ's.

Ski helped to pioneer the sound with his nightly radio show on now defunct V103, playing many breakbeat hardcore songs such as "Acid Party", "Too much Energy" and others, alongside his newly released Doo Doo Brown track. The influence of the UK's breakbeat hardcore was critical in the development of the genre. Soon after the release of "Doo Doo Brown", Frank Ski teamed with Miss Tony and Scottie B. on the release of "What's up What's up" and "Pull Ya Guns Out", two of the earliest examples to feature the signature Baltimore Club sound. No discussion of Baltimore Club music would be complete without mentioning the late, "Tapp". Tapp (aka King David, the Tap Dance Kid) died in 1998. He helped put this genre on the map with such hits as, "Shake That Ass Girl" and other tracks he recorded at producer Don Corrieri's Techtrax studios.this fact is wrong!he only recorded the original version of its ya b-day at don's studio.shake that ass girl was done at chico's!

Baltimore club has long been popular in Baltimore, largely in African-American venues where DJs spin exclusively Baltimore Club. DJ K-Swift, initially popular for her sets at various clubs, now hosts a nightly radio show on 92Q that plays exclusively club music. Recently, club music spread beyond the city's borders to Philadelphia and New York City and inspired an offshoot in New Jersey (D.J.Tamiel /Brick City club). This expansion is due largely to the success and influence of the DJ duo Hollertronix, who present Baltimore Club in conjunction with hip-hop, rock, and other dance music.

Spank Rock is a popular American musical group influenced by Baltimore club. These natives of Charm City began their ascent to popularity in 2003 and continue the international spread of the Baltimore dance craze.

The warehouse club The Paradox, along with smaller clubs such as Club Choices, 32nd Street Plaza, Odell's and "Louie Louie" night at the club HammerJacks, have all been popular hotspots to hear Baltimore club the way it was meant to be heard: On a very large, very loud and bass heavy sound system. Club Paradox also hosted one of the most poplular rave-themed club nights on the east coast, "Fever", and helped to spread the popularity of Baltimore club with a wider audience.

Recently the genre has gained popularity in Baltimore's rock underground thanks to Baltimore Club nights at the Talking Head Club and others. There was also a feature on Baltimore Club in Spin Magazine in January 2006.

In the late 90s, Baltimore club music also grew a cult following in the Northern New Jersey club scene, mostly from the spread of mix tapes and traveling Baltimore deejays. There were also a number of Boston area radio mixshows in the mid-nineties that also played Baltimore Club Music including Acidburn and Beyond the QE2 on WZBC 90.3 and also on 92.3 92Q

[edit] The Making of new Hip Hop Genre

In recent years Baltimore Club has moved away from the dancehouses like the Paradox and into the studio with Rap artists. This combination of Club Muzik and Rap has created hope for a new sub-genre in hip hop music to rival Crunk in ATL, Hyphy in Oakland, and Go-Go in Washington, D.C. This can be traced back to the Bossman's "OH (Bmore anthem)" song, but it reallly heated up with the song "Ryda Girl" by D.O.G. This song became the number 1 requested song on 92 Q for a couple of weeks, beating out huge mainstream songs. It has also spawned a clothing line and has launched D.O.G. to a major deal with Universal. The recent songs of this genre have been: "Hammer Dance/Secrets In The Club" by 410 Pharoahs(Labtekwon,Jimmy Jones,DJ Booman)