Freestyle music facts for kids

Freestyle is a fun type of electronic dance music. It's also known as Latin freestyle. This music style started in the early 1980s in big cities like New York City, Philadelphia, and Miami. Many Hispanic Americans and Italian Americans helped create it.

Freestyle music was super popular from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. Its songs often told stories about heartbreak in city life.

A very important song that came before freestyle was "Planet Rock" by Afrika Bambaataa & Soul Sonic Force in 1982. Then, in 1983, Shannon's hit song "Let the Music Play" came out. Many people think this was the first true freestyle song.

The first big freestyle song by a Latin American artist was "Please Don't Go" by Nayobe in 1984. After that, freestyle music became very popular in clubs across America. Radio stations started playing it a lot in the mid-1980s.

Bands like Exposé, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, Stevie B, and Sweet Sensation became famous with freestyle music. They had many songs on the music charts in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Even though its biggest fame faded, freestyle is still loved today. It's especially popular in Brazil, Germany, and Canada.

History of Freestyle Music

How Freestyle Music Started (1982–1987)

Freestyle music grew in the early 1980s. It started in Hispanic and Italian-American neighborhoods in New York City, New Jersey, and Long Island. It mixed electronic sounds with catchy drum beats. This style was popular with breakdancing fans.

Music producers also started using "sampling." This means taking small parts of other songs and using them in new ones. Key songs that influenced freestyle include "Planet Rock" (1982) and "Let the Music Play" (1983). "Let the Music Play" was a huge hit, reaching the top ten on the Billboard charts.

In 1984, Nayobe, an Afro-Cuban singer from Brooklyn, released "Please Don't Go." This song became a big success. By 1987, freestyle songs were played more often on American pop radio. Hits like "Come Go with Me" by Exposé and "Show Me" by the Cover Girls made freestyle even more popular. Many early freestyle artists and DJs had Hispanic or Italian backgrounds. This helped the music become very popular in those communities.

Freestyle Goes Mainstream (1988)

By 1987, freestyle music was a big hit on Top 40 radio stations. Artists like George Lamond, Exposé, Sweet Sensation, and Stevie B were heard everywhere. In 1991, songs like "Temptation" by Corina and "Together Forever" by Lisette Melendez brought freestyle back to the top of the charts. "Temptation" even reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.

Many freestyle artists also released slower, emotional songs called ballads. These songs often became even bigger hits. Examples include "Seasons Change" by Exposé and "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)" by Stevie B.

Later, other pop artists like MC Hammer and Paula Abdul became popular. They used hip hop beats and electronic sounds in their music. This led to new styles like new jack swing and Eurodance. Even so, some freestyle artists continued to have hits into the late 1990s.

Freestyle Today

Freestyle music stayed popular with a dedicated group of fans, especially in New York. Recently, it has made a comeback in the cities where it first became famous. In 2004, a show called "Stevie Sly's Freestyle Party" brought together many famous freestyle singers. This show was a big success.

In 2006, a huge concert was held at Madison Square Garden featuring top freestyle performers. New freestyle songs are still being released and enjoyed by fans. Famous rapper Pitbull even worked with freestyle artist Stevie B to update Stevie B's hit song "Spring Love."

Today, freestyle music still has a strong fanbase. Concerts by freestyle artists in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles often sell out.

Freestyle Music Scenes

New York

"Let the Music Play" by Shannon is often called the first big freestyle hit. Its unique sound helped create the genre. The producers of the song added Latin-American rhythms and special drum machine sounds.

In 2013, Radio City Music Hall hosted a big freestyle concert. Popular artists like TKA, Judy Torres, and Lisa Lisa performed. The first night sold out so quickly that a second night was added!

Miami

Radio stations across the country played hits by artists like TKA, Sweet Sensation, and Exposé. These songs were played alongside music from Michael Jackson and Madonna. Miami's radio station WPOW/Power 96 was famous for playing freestyle music.

Many hits came from Miami, including Debbie Deb's "When I Hear Music" and Stevie B's "Party Your Body." Producers in Miami helped create the unique "Miami freestyle" sound.

Philadelphia

The song "Nightime" by Pretty Poison in 1984 helped put Philadelphia on the freestyle map. Their next song, "Catch Me I'm Falling," was a worldwide hit. It brought freestyle music to popular TV shows like American Bandstand and Soul Train.

Other freestyle artists from the Philadelphia area also became popular in the early 1990s. They benefited from local clubs and radio stations that played dance music.

California

Freestyle music also had many fans in California, especially in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. California's large Latino community loved the sounds from the East Coast. Many California artists became popular with freestyle fans across the country.

Artists like Timmy T, Angelina, and One Voice came from California. The Filipino American community in California also loved freestyle music. Jaya was one of the first Filipino-American freestyle singers to have a hit song.

Canada

Freestyle music became popular in Canada, especially in the Greater Toronto Area. It was loved by Italian, Hispanic, and Greek communities. Freestyle was played in Toronto nightclubs alongside house music.

Canadian singer Nancy Martinez had a hit song called "For Tonight" in 1986. It was the first Canadian freestyle song to reach the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Elsewhere in the World

Freestyle artists and producers came from all over the world. This included Murat Konar from Turkey and Paul Lekakis from Greece. Even British musicians like Freeez and Samantha Fox adopted the freestyle sound.

Some British new wave and synthpop bands were also influenced by freestyle. For example, Duran Duran had their song "Notorious" remixed by the Latin Rascals. New Order worked with producer Arthur Baker on their song "Confusion." The Pet Shop Boys also had a freestyle-inspired hit called "Domino Dancing."

Record Labels

These record labels were important for freestyle music:

• Salsoul Records
• Sleeping Bag Records
• Fever Records
• Vinylmania
• Profile Records

See also

A friendly robot for kids.

In Spanish: Freestyle (música) para niños