![]() While it's nice to have national media finally paying attention to such an overlooked scene, the exclusive focus on the sissies reeks of tokenism and too often misrepresents the bounce community as a predominately or even exclusively gay one. Drag performance has seen a revival in the 21st century, as the bounce scene is partially ruled by cross-dressing acts like Big Freedia, Sissy Nobby and Katey Red.ĭubbed "sissy bounce" by the media, it's been a hot topic over the past few years, for better or worse. In fact it was noted R&B singer, entrepreneur, and cross-dresser Bobby Marchan who first put on early NO rappers like Warren Mayes and even had a hand in the early formation of Cash Money Records. Nevertheless, the "Triggerman" legacy continues to dominate and Hot Boy Ronald's "Walk Like Ronald" is just one of the hundreds of local records to make use of this model.Ĭross-dressing has long been a part of New Orleans musical culture, and that legacy extends all the way into the hip-hop era. Other artists weren't quite as fortunate, often having to settle for the pride of local success over significant fame or financial gain. This combination, in essence, formed the backbone for New Orleans bounce music.Ĭash Money maestro Mannie Fresh once bragged that he'd "clock six figures/Off 'Brown Beats' and 'Triggers'," and he did. "Triggerman" was quickly expanded by the addition of "Brown Beats," a similarly angular loop pulled from Bay Area producer Cameron Paul's Bits and Pieces breakbeat collection. Showboys member Triggerman's rap name was a shorthand title for the record, and thus the "Triggerman" break was born. It flopped in New York but caught on in Southern markets, particularly NOLA, where it became standard-issue sample fodder for aspiring producers and DJs and the subsequent backbone for the entire subgenre of bounce music.Įvery last fragment of "Drag Rap" has found its way into various corners of New Orleans rap music-its rolling 808 drum sequences, the Dragnet theme, its xylophone sounds- which the Showboys themselves call "the bones"-its chants of "alright," its violent narrative, and even its interpolation of the Old Spice deodorant commercial theme. The Showboys' "Drag Rap" may not technically be a New Orleans rap record-it was cut in Queens by childhood friends of Run DMC-but it's the most important rap record to hit New Orleans. The city's scene is so deep that 50 only scratches its surface, but the list offers a solid cross-section of the many styles and subscenes that the city has produced over the years, from major national hits to records that only impacted on the underground level.Īlbum: Bounce Back/Buggs Can Can Triggerman Y2G's/Beats & Pieces To celebrate that great legacy, Complex took a look back at The 50 Best New Orleans Rap Songs. In 2011, No Limit celebrates its 20th anniversary, Cash Money still rules the charts (albeit with a sound that has very little to do with the city that birthed it), and bounce sees its highest mainstream critical profile in years, with artists like Big Freedia becoming hipster darlings and David Simon's recently relaunched HBO series Treme taking a long-delayed interest in the genre. And much like the city itself, it has seen both its highs and very low lows, but it's still here, surviving. ![]() ![]() In this time New Orleans' hip-hop circuit produced some of the genre's biggest stars and most unheralded talents. ![]() From the chant-heavy, repetitive bounce that ruled the area in the early '90s to its more streamlined and lyrical sibling that took over the national charts by the end of the decade, the city's scene(s) thrived on this unique push-and-pull relationship. As the rebellious love child of old-school New York hip hop's rigid traditionalism and its own city's rich musical legacy, New Orleans' hip hop scene has always been one of the most fascinatingly distinctive. ![]()
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