What WAS the very 1st Freestyle song?

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italo1 said:
I AGREE WITH YOU 100% THAT LET THE MUSIC PLAY SET THE DEFINITION OF THE SOUND FOR FREESTYLE AS WE KNOW IT, BUT I CANT AGREE WHEN YOU SAY THAT FREESTYLE IS A FORM OF HIP HOP MUSIC. THERE CAN SOMETIMES BE HIP HOP ELEMENTS IN FREESTYLE, BUT TO SAY THAT, I FEEL ITS KIND OF AN INSULT TO THE MUSIC. FREESTYLE IS MUCH MORE THAN THAT.LOL
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First of all, let's be real here. Freestyle's universal syncopation is a universal aspect of black and black-oriented music (makes it so creative and better than the 4/4 beats of basic House, Trance, Techno etc.-and how many damn Freestyle records sampled Bam's with his syncopated "Planet Rock"). Of course Freestyle has its love ballads, dance tunes, and hip hop, but Freestyle is Latin Hip Hop; you can also say Latin Pop, etc. as well but its basic foundation is a from of hip hop-Latin Hip Hop. Even AFRIKA BAMBAATAA CAN TELL YOU WHERE FREESTYLE CAME FROM AND WHAT IT IS. Freestyle IS A FORM OF HIP HOP AS IS ELECTRO-FUNK AND MIAMI BASS OR BOOTY BASS (MIX OF HIP HOP AND FUNK WITH DISCO). IT IS NOT AN INSULT. FREESTYLE GREW OUT OF DISCO'S ASHES (WHICH DID NOT TRULY DIE BUT MANIFESTED THROUGH OTHER DANCE/ELCTRONIC GENRES) YET ESP. THROUGH THE ELECTRO-FUNK SCENE. Shannon is Latin Hip Hop because of its electro use as well as is Lisa Lisa (You can ask many of the pioneers-producers, fans, DJs, marketers, sales managers, etc., I'm telling the truth) Back then, it was known as Miami Disco, Latin Pop, Latin Hip Hop, but the universal term is Latin Hip Hop. Overall, it's not an insult. You gotta know your history man. That's the truth. Study African American music and musical compositions and you will see for yourself the truth. Many historians, even those who despise such a genre, will agree where freestyle's roots lay (remember, Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock" is Hip Hop-Electro is a part of Hip Hop and the precursor to Miami Bass and Freestyle)

Shannon's "Let the Music Play" is truly the first Freestyle record. Like Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock", people were excited at such a novelty record back then that it became an instant classic hit, amassing fame as far as Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Many people began to imitate Shannon's sound during the 1983-1984 craze-dubbed "Shannonesque records-noted by Britain and America". That's why a lot of Latin was added in many dance records of the 80s, thanks to Shannon who played a crucial role (remember, Freestyle ruled the 80s and House was second-Electro really never went outside Miami or New York)

Oh, and I'll give you guys some debatable songs as which was the first freestyle song (Electro/Freestyle)

Trans Europe Express-Kraftwerk (1977)
Let the Music Play-Shannon (Fall 83)
The Mexican-Jellybean (summer 84)
I Remember What You Look Like-Jenny Burton (Late 83)
On the Upside-Xena (Late '83)
Summer Delight-Freestyle Express (or Freestyle, "Pretty Tony" Butler) (Mid 83)
All Night Passion-Alisha (Early 84)
Set It Off-Strafe (Mid 84)
When I Hear Music-Debbie Deb (officially released Mid 84; 1983)
Point of No Return-X-posed (Expose) (Fall 84)
Honey to a Bee-Tina B. (Fall 84)
Yo Little Brother-Nolan Thomas (Late 84)
The Party Has Begun-Freestyle (Late 84)
Lookout Weekend-Debbie Deb (officially released Late 84)
Sidewalk Talk-Jellybean feat. Madonna (Late '84)
Please Don't Go-Nayobe (Late '84)
I Wonder If I Take You Home-Lisa Lisa and The Cult Jam (Early 85; maybe late 84 to Britain)
All Night-Triner (Early 85)

Electro classics...
Play At Your Own Risk-Planet Patrol (Late 82)
Planet Rock-Afrika Bambaataa (May 82)
Jam On Revenge-Newcleus (mid 83)

And the classic "Trans Europe Express" by legendary Kraftwerk 1977
 
lmond said:
Look My definition of freestyle led me to believe that nayobe was the first. I said shannon was disco dance not just disco!!! I'm not trying to start an argument here that why I ended my statement with IN MY OPINION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is not a debate just a guess which one was first question!! hmph😡
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Shannon is not even Disco dance. Disco and Electro can be told apart greatly (Electro is more stripped down) She was more Electro yet added Latin percussion-so she really did start Freestyle. You can probably say Nayobe was the first freestyle artist of Latin Heritage (Cuban-American I think).
 
Kenny Guido said:
LATIN HIP HOP WAS THE NAME FOR "FREESTYLE" WAY BACK IN THE DAY.

SHANNON, AS GREAT AS HER SONGS WERE AND STILL ARE, IS NOT "LATIN" THEREFORE DISQUALIFING HER AS THE FIRST.

NAYOBE'S "PLEASE DONT GO" WAS THE 1ST TO BE CALLED THE FIRST "LATIN HIP-HOP" SONG.
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Wrong. Shannon incorporated the first Latin instrumentation to an Electro record. However, Nayobe can be credited with having the first hip-hop sounding record "Please Don't Go" released late 1984. I don't get where people are saying Shannon is not freestyle! Give her the respect she deserves!
 
RaGsta2K said:
Ummm, it was dubbed "Latin Hip Hop" because of the dominant Latin audience. It doesn't matter if the artist is Latin or not.
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Ain't that the truth. Many blacks listened to Hip Hip and Soul while the whites listened to rock/pop/country/ac etc. A majority of those who listened to Freestyle were Latins with some whites (Italians mainly), Jews, blacks, etc.
 
UK-Freestyle said:
1st track?
Freestyle sounding - Probably "xena" and "on the upside".1982

Followed by Bambaata and Planet Rock.(and planet patrol - play/rock at your own risk)
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No bro-Planet Rock 1st, Planet Patrol 2nd, Xena 3rd. Xena didn't even sing in 1982!
 
Just to sum up, in my opinion, the first TRUE Freestyle song is Shannon's "Let the Music Play". However, to be fair, I'll say Afrika-Bambaata's "Planet Rock" (although he started Electro-Funk) because C-Bank's "One More Shot" and Freeez's and John Rocca's "I.O.U." were released later before Shannon, with similar sounds to the Freestyle that blossomed in the mid 80s (the glass break such as in Monet's "My Heart Gets All the Breaks"-C-Bank with Jenny Burton uses that in "One More Shot", Trinere's "I I I I I I I" in "I'll Be All You Ever Need"-Freeez uses that repetition of vowels). But, I'm kind of debating bewteen who introduced TRUE Latin Hip Hop-Nayobe or Lisa Lisa.
 
if you really want to get technical and say where the whole electro sound comes from, it comes from europe and one of the first inovators to do that was kraftwork along with others of course, and to pin point exactly where freestyle comes from its not just from one genre of music, its from numerous types of music thats part of the reason which i feel anyway why its called freestyle. you can have so many different musical styles in one song sometimes.. for instance there could be a CLASSICAL FEEL, R&B ,ROCK,HIPHOP, ELECTRO,LATIN ELEMENTS,ETC. ALL COMBINED IN A CERTAIN WAY IN A SINGLE TRACK. and second of all some of the first freestyle tracks were produced by arthur bakur and john robbie who were white and the first group of producers which gave freestyle its sound as we know it today (shannon-let the music play) were peurto rican, italian and white and as a matter of fact on most of those productions there was a vocalist that we always fail to mention for some reason.his name was jimmi tunnel which was also white and he happened to be a driving vocal force behind those tracks which realy should have been called duets. and to get even more technical, part of the concept for let the music play came from some tracks that emergency records ,sergio cossa brought back from italy which inspired and gave chris barbosa more input on that track. id also like to say that for years ive been hearing stereotypes about freestyle music with people fom all walks of life constantly calling it guido music or puerto rican music, i think these stereotypes are ridiculous and in part destroyed the music and continues to due so to this day .we should start concentrating on making better freestyle instead of thriving on whos music it is and all this bullshit. in a way freestyle was the cause of its own death due to numerous reasons and if its ever to make a come back its going to take a lot of unity at the hands of the people that are involved in this genre, and unity is something i feel freestyle never had too much of.
 
Unity dont pay the bills. Commin togeather as 1 is a great Idea, but Like a freind once told me (what up pete) thease days you gotta have money for any producer, lable, artists, to even look at you.....Thats why its crumbling the way it is.....But as long as you have those few who comtinue the up hill battle and continue 100% freestyle ...theres always hope.
 
Planet Patrol - Play At Your Own Risk
Freeze - IOU
Xena - On The Upside
 
1st there was Electro Funk....The 1st songs to feature Planet Rock Loops...Besides Kraftwerk.....then those Electro Funk elements were thrown in to a new music called Latin Hip Hop.....Better known today as Freestyle.
 
italo1 said:
if you really want to get technical and say where the whole electro sound comes from, it comes from europe and one of the first inovators to do that was kraftwork along with others of course,

Yes, it is a U.K. Dance genre (it began in northern England), but I'm not talking about where Electro came. Freestyle was most influenced by the Electro-Funk period as Afrika Bambaataa really united blacks with Electro, thus resulting in a hip hop sound (Yes, D-Train had electro hits as did Lime, Sinnamon, etc. before Bam,-yes, even Donna Summer's electronic "I Feel Love" etc.) using syncopation, "robotic/space age" etc. etc. As you can see, I even described Kraftwerk in my argument as the group who really started Electronica. The SYNCOPATION as well as some or few Latin instrumentation does make a record Freestyle or the use of the syncopated Afrika Bambaataa beats or with Electro-Funk uses (the reason why many blacks in the 70s revered Kraftwerk because their music really had its roots from the African Americans' musical rhythms, esp. its syncopation-used in blacks slave songs, ragtime, up to House and Hip Hop)


and to pin point exactly where freestyle comes from its not just from one genre of music, its from numerous types of music thats part of the reason which i feel anyway why its called freestyle. you can have so many different musical styles in one song sometimes.. for instance there could be a CLASSICAL FEEL, R&B ,ROCK,HIPHOP, ELECTRO,LATIN ELEMENTS,ETC. ALL COMBINED IN A CERTAIN WAY IN A SINGLE TRACK.

Sorry to say, but its major catalyst was the U.S. Electro scene. Shannon's "Let the Music Play" was basically electro accompanied with a Latin feel through the instrumentation and syncopation. Yes, like I said in my other posts, Freestyle is "Free" to take any form of music, yet in reality, it mostly uses the Electro-Funk beats from the U.S. Electro scene (Freestyle does not have many love ballads and hip hop-its mostly dance). I mean, basically, what song in history never had bits and pieces of different genres or musical styles? Sadly to say, every genre has their own unique characteristics and styles and Freestyle happens to really be an Electro-Latinish with some Disco feel (now with house, techno, trance, etc.). A majority of Freestyle songs had these characecteristics (every music genre has its innovations i.e. hip hop merging with rock, classical merging with) dance, etc.) To sum up,even though many songs can have different types of genre, it still has its basic foundation and label (yes, we humans have to categorize things as has always been throughout history) which spells what it is. Rapper Nelly has several country-sounding tunes, but he is still Hip Hop (Pop for popular crossover). Celine and R. Kelly duet, but Celine is still AC. Shania crosses over into the pop market, yet she still is country.



and second of all some of the first freestyle tracks were produced by arthur bakur and john robbie who were white and the first group of producers which gave freestyle its sound as we know it today (shannon-let the music play)

Um, where do you think "Planet Rock" came from?....
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were peurto rican, italian and white and as a matter of fact on most of those productions there was a vocalist that we always fail to mention for some reason.his name was jimmi tunnel which was also white and he happened to be a driving vocal force behind those tracks which realy should have been called duets.

In music defintion, a duet is when two singers sing together and are very noticed in equality by the audience. And what does this have to do with anything? I'm not even talking about where Shannon's "Let the Music Play" came from or who her producers were. I know the dang history behind the story; I just said she's the first artist to really give birth to the Freestyle genre. C-Bank's "One More Shot", for example, is considered Electro, or proto-Freestyle, just as there is proto everything in music (proto-disco, ragtime proto for jazz) Of course one of the reasons why a large Latin population embraced Freestyle because it represented them (with the latin instruments playing a big part) just as blacks are with hip hop, soul, and motown, whites with rock and country. And Shannon's record was the first electro record to incorporate a Latin feel that amassed global success at is innovation (just as Bam redid "Trans Europe Express" and Kraftwerk's "Numbers" to create Planet Rock with innovative sound machines). Billboard music, the most respected archival music expert, even credited Shannon's longlasting impact of creating a new genre. Many AF even claim Shannon had a new sound, and that's why she became very popular with them (and no not just 'cause she's black). Even BET< MTV, and VH1 acknowledged her historical impact: in VH1 alone, she made the #24 slot in the top 100 greatest dance songs!
 
and to get even more technical, part of the concept for let the music play came from some tracks that emergency records ,sergio cossa brought back from italy which inspired and gave chris barbosa more input on that track. id also like to say that for years ive been hearing stereotypes about freestyle music with people fom all walks of life constantly calling it guido music or puerto rican music, i think these stereotypes are ridiculous and in part destroyed the music and continues to due so to this day .we should start concentrating on making better freestyle instead of thriving on whos music it is and all this bullshit. in a way freestyle was the cause of its own death due to numerous reasons and if its ever to make a come back its going to take a lot of unity at the hands of the people that are involved in this genre, and unity is something i feel freestyle never had too much of. [/i][/b][/QUOTE]

Okay, I never said Freestyle was only for Hispanics; we can all enjoy music. Music is music-we're all humans. You're talking as if I'm trying to create dissonance here. I'M JUST TELLING EVERYONE TO KNOW YOUR HISTORY AND RESPECT WHAT YOU HAVE TODAY AND BEFORE. Shannon had the first true Freestyle record, Kraftwerk was the first band to popularize electronica, House is a direct descendant of Disco, Rock N Roll has heavy african american musical influences, Michael is the king of pop, Elvis is the king of rock, Bambaataa revolutionized hip hop and dance music forever. THE REASON WHY FREESTYLE FELL APART AS IT DID WAS BECAUSE 1) IT SAMPLED TOO MUCH OF BAMBAATAA 2) POOR VOCALIZATION 3) GREEDINESS 4) LACK OF COMMUNICATION, UNDERSTANDING, RESPECT 5) LACK OF "PROGRESSING" AS HAVE HIP HOP, ROCK, TRANCE, HOUSE ETC... There are so many reasons why Freestyle fell apart and continues to suffer; you're missing the bigger picture. Every dang genre has its discrepancies i.e. hip hop-drty south vs urban, etc. etc. artists vs. artist. You're missing the bigger problem. Somebody has got to get the truth told around here, and once we learn the truth and respect it can positive changes really be made.
 
If you want me to get even more technical, i'll give you the dang history of electronica even before Kraftwerk-dating to the 19th century.
 
If you can condence those last post you put in to about 6 sentences........I might read it.....I stopped when i read electro funk had no influence on freestyle........BUZZ!!! Wrong Answer.
 
for me the very best of latin hip hop song is monet my heart gets all the breaks
with the best of producer chris barbosa
 
the first latin hip hop song for me is shannon let the music play but there are too jenny burton and xena all release in 1983 year
 
GALVATRON said:
If you can condence those last post you put in to about 6 sentences........I might read it.....I stopped when i read electro funk had no influence on freestyle........BUZZ!!! Wrong Answer.
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Are you talking to me? If you are, since when did I say electro funk had no influence on Freestyle? I've said it countless times that electro-funk was what really gave birth to Freestyle (Come on, back then did you think many knew of Kraftwerk or where Electro really came from? Since Electro-Funk blew up the music scene in 82-84 (the period where Freestyle was born), Freestyle owes much of its credit to Electro-Funk (yes, you can find some Disco elements in the early Freestyle records before Freestyle began to embrace House in the mid to late 80s). If you're talking to me, I think you should read my posts carefully.
 
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