How the California sun slowed down the dance rhythm
The relaxed groove of the West Coast
While New York hip-hop in the early nineties relied on raw, aggressive boom-bap beats, a completely different vibe was developing on the Pacific coast. G-Funk history and dance are inextricably linked to the sunny, relaxed lifestyle of California. Dr. Dre significantly shaped this sound by combining heavy synthesizer melodies with extremely deep, rolling bass lines and soulful samples. This slow, driving G-Funk beat rhythm did not require dancers to perform hectic, jerky movements, but rather a deep, fluid sinking into the beat. The Dr. Dre influence on dance is reflected in a posture that radiates coolness and absolute control. In a direct comparison of West Coast vs East Coast sound, it becomes clear that the relaxed, sunny G-Funk brought forth its own unique, earthy body language. Anyone who wants to understand the development of hip-hop dance styles must know this musical milestone. A look at From Funk to Soul: The musical roots of street dance also shows how strongly this era benefited from the funk classics of the seventies.
