What it sounds like
Phonk has two distinct eras. The original phonk was a 2010s SoundCloud micro-scene of producers (DJ Smokey, Mythic, SoudieRR) sampling early-90s Memphis underground rap — Three 6 Mafia, Tommy Wright III, DJ Squeeky — into lo-fi instrumental tracks with cassette-tape grit. The drift phonk / “neo-phonk” wave that exploded on TikTok around 2020 (Kordhell, Phonk Killer, KSLV) sped the BPM up, added distorted 808 cowbells, and synced everything to car-drift videos. Both branches share DNA: minor-key gloom, 808 cowbells, lo-fi filter, vintage hip-hop atmosphere.
A bar in and you’ve got it: a half-time trap kick at 140–160 BPM, distorted 808 cowbell on the offbeats, and a Memphis-rap vocal sample chopped and pitched into the chord stack. The bass is a deep distorted 808 sub following the chord roots. Everything is run through cassette-tape saturation. The whole track sounds like it was found on a dusty TDK in someone’s grandmother’s car.
The chord moves
Phonk barely moves harmonically. One minor key, one chord (often just a single sustained Dm or D-minor pad), maybe a iv lift at bar 9 or 17. The chord is atmosphere; the energy comes from the cowbells, the bass, and the vocal sample.
--chord minor --voicing closed --pattern stab and don’t add complexity. The genre punishes melodic ambition.
The groove
Half-time trap pattern at 140–160 BPM — kick on 1, snare/clap on 3 (so it feels like 70–80 BPM). Distorted 808 cowbell on the offbeats — this is the genre’s tell. Hi-hats either trap-style 16th rolls or absent entirely.
The 808 bass slides between chord roots with pitch glide — that’s the second tell. It’s tuned to the song’s key and plays the bass note for each chord change. Often distorted with light overdrive.
The sounds
- 808 sub: deep sub-bass with pitch glide between chord roots. Saturated. Mono.
- Cowbell: distorted 808 cowbell on offbeats. THIS is the genre. Layer with overdrive.
- Chord pad: dark sustained Rhodes or string pad in minor key. Low in the mix.
- Vocal sample: chopped Memphis-rap vocal (legally tricky — use original-style samples or royalty-free Memphis packs). Pitched and looped.
- Drums: layered trap kick + snare with cassette saturation. Sometimes a chopped jazz drum break.
- Atmospheres: cassette hiss, vinyl crackle, low-bitrate compression artifacts. The dirt is the sound.
Production tells
Want it modern (drift phonk)? Tighter low end, brighter cowbell, wider stereo. More energy at the drop. Master loud at -7 LUFS for car speakers.
Want it 2017-DJ-Smokey-vintage (original phonk)? Maximum lo-fi. Cassette-tape simulator on the bus. Pre-EQ rolling off everything above 8kHz. Master quietly at -16 LUFS. Should sound like it’s being played from a 90s boombox in the next room.
Dm → Dm → Gm → Dm
Click to hear it.
Listen to
Three records that show the style at full strength. Read them as listening pointers, not templates to copy.
Got Robbed by a Soundcloud Rapper
DJ Smokey
listen ↗
Murder in My Mind
Kordhell
listen ↗
Why Not
Ghostface Playa
listen ↗
Six recipes
Six ways to cook Phonk.
One starter recipe, three variations that each take the style in a different direction, one sectioned recipe, and one curated Live handoff recipe. Each one cooks from a Markdown recipe — edit it before the MIDI lands in your DAW.
Starter
Drift Cowbell Shadow
A phonk first cook with tresillo minor hits, trap-808 bass, root drones, and sparse motif detail.
Study: DJ Smokey, “Codeine Demonz” (2013). Use the reference for drift pressure, Memphis-adjacent darkness, and simple loop utility without sample copying, not for melody, hook, groove, or sound design copying.
python jamburgr.py --config configs/recipes/phonk/phonk_drift_cowbell_shadow.mdVariation
Hard Drift Switch
A harder switch lane with three-three-two hits, 808 bass, cluster pad color, and call-response cuts.
Study: Kordhell, “Murder In My Mind” (2021). Use the reference for drift pressure, Memphis-adjacent darkness, and simple loop utility without sample copying, not for melody, hook, groove, or sound design copying.
python jamburgr.py --config configs/recipes/phonk/phonk_hard_drift_switch.mdVariation
Night Ride 808
A bass-forward phonk lane with sidechain gaps, 808 pressure, fifth drones, and call-response taps.
Study: Soudiere, “Cash Flow” (2016). Use the reference for drift pressure, Memphis-adjacent darkness, and simple loop utility without sample copying, not for melody, hook, groove, or sound design copying.
python jamburgr.py --config configs/recipes/phonk/phonk_night_ride_808.mdVariation
Sparse Memphis Cell
A sparse cell with lofi push-pull chords, pedal bass, root drones, and tiny blues-minor motifs.
Study: DJ Yung Vamp, “I Need More” (2017). Use the reference for drift pressure, Memphis-adjacent darkness, and simple loop utility without sample copying, not for melody, hook, groove, or sound design copying.
python jamburgr.py --config configs/recipes/phonk/phonk_sparse_memphis_cell.mdSectioned
Drift Loop Section Sketch
A section-aware phonk sketch that creates intro darkness, bass pressure, and a sparse return.
Study: DVRST, “Close Eyes” (2021). Use the reference for drift pressure, Memphis-adjacent darkness, and simple loop utility without sample copying, not for melody, hook, groove, or sound design copying.
python jamburgr.py --config configs/recipes/phonk/phonk_drift_loop_section_sketch.mdLive handoff
Live Drift Session
A Live phonk session with section clips, sound cards, and licensed texture/vocal prompts.
Study: INTERWORLD, “Metamorphosis” (2021). Use the reference for drift pressure, Memphis-adjacent darkness, and simple loop utility without sample copying, not for melody, hook, groove, or sound design copying.
python jamburgr.py --config configs/recipes/phonk/phonk_bridge_ready_drift_session.mdReady when you are
Cook a Phonk pack.
Drop this in your terminal and you'll have a Standard MIDI pack in a folder, ready to drag into Live. Edit anything, swap any sound, throw out what doesn't work.
python jamburgr.py --key "D minor" --style phonk --progression i,i,iv,i --pattern stab --output-mode pack --out ./jams/phonk