The history of bounce music spans over 20 years, and while mainstream media is aware of its presence now, this was not the case 15 years ago.  Bounce music was created in New Orleans in 1991 by MC T Tucker and DJ Irv who were local DJs and artists at the time.  The two performed a song called “Where Dey At” in a nightclub in the 17th ward and the song was an instant success. The song featured a new style of music, unlike hip-hop or rap, the beat featured a distinct beat that instantly brought people to the dance floor encouraging them to dance to the uptempo beat. 

     Bounce music is unique in its sound and it is based in the “Triggerman beat”, sampled above. The Triggerman beat is a bounce-specific, fast-paced, synthesized percussion derived primarily from a trio of early hip-hop songs and featuring sexually-explicit and suggestive lyrics, a chanted call and response format, and repetitive beats. The tempo ranges from 95 to 105 beats per minute and refers heavily to the various New Orleans wards and neighborhoods.  Mellow Fellow, a New Orleans rapper/producer who collaborated with DJ Jimi in the 90s, explains the elements of bounce music in his own words. 

     Bounce music dominated the New Orleans area and local hip-hop scene in the 1990s, but the sound stayed locally for a few years before other surrounding areas discovered this new sound. The local enthusiasm and love for bounce music drove the sales for local artist and helped establish the credibility of new up and coming labels such as, Cash Money Records.  Cash Money Records was owned by Bryan (“Baby”) and Ronald (“Slim”) Williams, and the label released a variety of gangsta rap and bounce artists, including Kilo G, M$ Tee, and the trio UNLV.

     A number of other labels were formed in the early 1990s, including Big Boy, with in-house producer Precise, and Take Fo’, which released records by the female duo Da’ Sha Ra’ and DJ Jubilee, among others. Magnolia Slim released several recordings during this era, including a full-length cassette for the local Parkway Pumpin label. These artists truly rose to fame locally and New Orleans put itself  “on the map” for creating a new sound.  At a time where coastal states were dominating the hip-hop culture, New Orleans bounce music introduced a new sound to represent the culture of its city.