Chicago Footwork is a genre of EDM akin to hip-hop and is famous in the electronic music scene. Though not well known by the general public, it has become a staple in the EDM industry since the 90’s when it originated. This week we will delve into some fun facts about the genre to introduce it to the (remastered) sphere.

Fun facts:

The origins and original influence

Chicago Footwork stems from Ghetto House, also known as booty house, a 90’s style of House that often-featured simple beats with minimal production layering and explicit lyrics. Chicago Footwork is known for its use of samples and rap influences integrated with the simple beat structure famous from Ghetto House.

The many names of Chicago Footwork

Chicago Footwork is a relatively new genre of music. Because of its recent origin, it has yet to find a name by which it is most well known. You may hear someone referring to the EDM genre as Juke, Footwork, Concept House, or Ghetto House, deriving from its genre’s origins.

The name origins for juke

In the late 1990’s after Chicago House had found its footing DJ Puncho and Gant-Man released the track ‘Juke It’, the success of this song influenced many people to call the genre ‘Duke’ referring to the hit. Founders of the genre protested and insisted that the genre would be named ‘Footwork’ or ‘Project House’ as ‘Juke’ was also a name for Ghetto House. This consequentially lead to the many different names that the genre is known under, though most commonly it was mentioned as belonging too ‘Chicago Duke scene’ to avoid debates.

Kanye West’s Chicago Footwork track.

People may not be too familiar with Chicago Footwork, however, the genre gained notoriety in 2007 on MTV after Kanye West featured on a remix of ‘Pro nails’ by Chicago rapper Kid Sister. The song highlights key features of Chicago Footwork, though it does utilize a lower tempo.

Connection to Jungle

In its structure, Chicago Footwork is similar to Jungle, making it easier to recognize for fans of the Jungle genre. It uses the repetitive rhythms and sub-bass that is often found in early Jungle music from when the genre originated.

Ready to learn more about Chicago Footwork by exploring the genre yourself? Check out this Spotify playlist with Chicago Footwork (or ‘Juke’) tracks to enhance your own knowledge.

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