Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Top Freestyle Tracks of All-Time

"Freestyle" or "Latin Freestyle," also called Latin Hip Hop in its early years, is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in the early 1980s. Mostly popular during the mid-to-late 80's, its following declined as it was displaced by house music.  It continues to be produced today and enjoys some degree of popularity, especially in urban Hispanic and Italian communities, as it did when it first came on to the scene.

Freestyle music is almost always between 110 and 130 beats per minute, with most songs residing at 118 beats per minute for a nice, danceable party groove.  The songs are typically about love and relationships.

Notable performers in the Freestyle genre include Stevie B, Shannon, Cynthia, Collage, Lil' Suzy, Sa-Fire, Johnny O, Judy Torres, Information Society, Exposé, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, La India, TKA, Corina, Nocera, Company B, The Cover Girls, Noel, Pajama Party, Shana, Will to Power, Sweet Sensation, Seduction, Linear, George Lamond, Lisette Melendez, Laissez Faire, Coro and Rockell.


While not frequently requested, freestyle music evokes a sentimental feeling among those who grew up with these danceable jams.  Ambient DJs' freestyle hound, DJ Greg Nice, suggests these 20 songs for your freestyle playlist or DJ crate: 

DJ Greg Nice's Top 20 Freestyle Tracks of All Time

1. TKA - Louder than Love
2. Debbie Deb - When I Hear Music
3. Nice & Wild - Diamond Girl
4. Giggles - Love Letter
5. Val Young - If You Should Ever Be Lonely
6. Latin Rascals - Arabian Nights
7. Connie - Funky Little Beat
8. Stevie B - I Wanna Be the One
9. George Lamond - Bad of the Heart
10. Nu Shooz - I Can't Wait
11. Judy Torres - Come Into My Arms
12. Pretty Poison - Catch Me I'm Falling
13. D'Zyre - Forever Amo'r
14. & More - You'll Never Find Another Love
15. Hanson & Davis - Hungry For Your Love
16. Cynthia - Change on Me
17. Coro - Where are You Tonight
18. Nocera - Summertime, Summertime
19. Johnny O - Fantasy Girl
20. Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - Can You Feel the Beat

To request a copy of DJ Greg Nice's latest freestyle mix or book him for your next party, contact gregnice@ambientdj.com.  

For even more Freestyle favorites, check out this Top 100 list provided by Digital DreamDoor.

Please comment with your own freestyle favorites!

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