new jack swing

new jack swing

n.

A style of rhythm and blues of the late 1980s and early 1990s, characterized by upbeat tempos, synthesized instruments, and elements of hip-hop.

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[Coined by American journalist and screenwriter Barry Michael Cooper (born 1956) : African American Vernacular English new jack, newcomer, new member of a gang (from jack, man) + swing (in reference to swing beat setting on drum machines that was often used by American new jack swing producer Teddy Riley (born 1967) to craft beats).]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

new jack swing

A musical style that developed in the 1980s as soul musicians began incorporating elements of rap and hip hop into their music.

Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited