Phonk music represents a gritty subgenre of hip-hop whose authentic influence is a combination of the Memphis hip-hop, modern trap, and lo-fi subgenres. It has a dark theme and lots of energy, which is why Phonk is now increasingly being used by content creators as an addition to their video edits. From creative gameplay to quick editing on TikTok, this sound style adds perfect mood and timing to the videos.
So, let’s bring you more valuable pieces of information regarding the origins of Phonk and its Core and Advanced features to help you apply this style in your videos right away.
What is Phonk Music?
Phonk Music is a subgenre of hip hop that is characterized by the elements of 90s Memphis rap, modern trap, lo-fi, and distorted bass. It is characterized by dark vocals, old samples, and the use of heavy drums. Originally underground, it rose to fame through platforms like TikTok and YouTube. Artists use it to inject raw emotion and energy into their edits. This genre usually also includes chopped-and-screwed techniques, which give the track a somewhat nostalgic yet quite intense atmosphere ideal for clips, in-game, or narrative.
Characteristics of Phonk Music
Discover how Phonk Music is different in terms of its sound and music style.
Signature Sound Elements
Phonk Music also has an aesthetic that is characterized by a rough and unpolished sound and vibe. It incorporates distorted 808 bass, slowed-down, chopped-and-screwed vocals, and samples of early Memphis rapping. The music is lo-fi, which gives the song an indie feel, while the echo and reverb effects make the song all the more cinematic.
Frequently, cowbells, crisp snares, and heavy hi-hats are used to create a rhythm and intensify the track. These distinctive sound attributes make Phonk suitable for cuts that are to be used in videos that require suspense, energy, or a vintage touch. Whether it’s fight scenes, game edits, or even TikTok transitions, the sound aspect of Phonk adds to the visuals.
Subgenres & Variations
Phonk Music has been divided into several subgenres over the years. Drift Phonk has a heavy bass and a fast tempo and is often applied to car edit videos and reels. Chill Phonk is a more laid-back and atmospheric track that is perfect for use in scenes or visuals that have an artistic theme.
Trap-influenced Phonk features a faster tempo and brings a faster tempo and heavy bass for action scenes. All of them are based on the Phonk sound but adapted for different moods, which makes this genre suitable for any video editor posting on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
Why Phonk Works Perfectly for Video Editing
Phonk Music complements the visual narrative well since the genre is characterized by its vivid and atmospheric sound.
High-Energy Moments: Sync with fast cuts (TikTok/YouTube Shorts)
Phonk Music is characterized by strong bass, fast tempo, and aggressive beats that sync well with rapid cuts. Due to its short and punchy beats, it is suitable for TikTok and YouTube Shorts, where every second counts. Phonk is used by the editors to build up the stunts, cars, sports events, or transitions that require high energy. It is natural to synchronize the visuals with the beats to make the viewers have an exciting experience.
Mood Enhancer: Dark, cinematic tension (gaming montages, fight scenes)
Phonk Music stands out because it seeks to elicit the mood of the song. The darkness and low quality of sound, along with distortion, emphasize actions. Phonk heightens tension in gaming montages and cinematic fight scenes and adds emotional appeal to the characters. It makes every slow-motion or fight scene look more realistic and rough. The trap drums and samples are used to build tension, and they feel authentic to create real emotions for video narration.
Nostalgic Appeal: 90s retro aesthetic (VHS-style edits)
Phonk Music is, therefore, a product of the 90s Memphis rap, which brings with it a certain urgency. The samples gather organic nostalgic voice and instrument cuts with vinyl noise, and the samples are slowed down with overlays of VHS texture, film grain, and digital video aesthetic. As seen in the first example, editors appreciate this as a nostalgic feature for nostalgia, text, video content, or even videos with a reflective theme. The combination of the sentimental and the realistic also enables the creators to appeal to the audience on the emotional and aesthetic planes.
Best AI Tools to Generate Phonk Music
There are so many tools available for use in making Phonk music, and users can create quality tracks in just a few minutes.
Singify
Singify offers royalty-free Phonk music, and therefore, it is ideal for those seeking to get personalized music for their videos, games, or social media content. As it is easy to use, users can easily create Phonk beats using the tool.
BandLab SongStarter
SongStarter is one of the tools provided by BandLab that can be used to create new ideas for music and may include Phonk. It is also possible to fine-tune these tracks with the help of AI Smart Tools, which let you change such parameters as melody and rhythm. It is suitable for those who wish to have a more customized experience with their Phonk tunes.
AIVA
Phonk is one of the styles that AIVA can develop since it is a multiple-style AI music generator. Its versatile features allow users to design custom drum patterns and mix the sounds in a special way.
Soundful
Soundful is an application that is capable of creating royalty-free Phonk music with a simple touch of a button. It is suitable for designers who require music that is ready for use, especially for short-form videos such as YouTube Shorts, gaming highlights, or videos with a retro aesthetic. The AI music is adjustable and can be exported in a short time.
Tempolor
Tempolor is a relatively new tool for creating music with the help of artificial intelligence, which primarily targets musical styles and sub-genres like Phonk. It has a variable tempo, vocal effects, and vintage filters for making raw Memphis sounds without much effort.
How to Edit Videos with Phonk Music
- Pick an Appropriate Track: Choose a Phonk music track that is appropriate for the mood and tempo of the video.
- Import the Music: The chosen Phonk track should be imported into the video editing software that is to be used.
- Synchronization with picture: Synchronize the track: Edit the music to align with key visual moments in the video, such as a fast-paced scene change.
- Fade Music and Sound Effects: Ensure that the music is faded to correspond with either the dialogues or other sound effects.
- Add effects: Use effects such as reverb, delay, or any other effects on the Phonk track to make it sound fuller and more atmospheric.
When all these elements fit, export the video for an energetic and cinematic vibe accompanied by Phonk music.
Conclusion
Phonk is a very effective and very expressive subgenre that gives the video edits that power and emotions and sets the mood for those who are on TikTok or YouTube Shorts. Using Tempolor AI music generator, it is now possible to create your own Phonk tracks for your projects. Phonk music is suitable for trimming high-energy clips or cinematic scenes as it will add the right mood and make the video unique. It is suggested not to lose the chance to enrich your content with royalty-free music downloads and AI music.
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