Rising out of nightclubs in Newark, the ascension of “Jersey club” into the mainstream has been nearly a quarter century in the making. Fast tempos, fluttering beats, and chopped, repetitive vocals are some of the characteristics that have propelled high-energy, dance floor-shaking rhythms from the Garden State to the global stage. Merging elements of Chicago house while channeling the DIY ethos and sweaty urgency of Baltimore club and Miami bass, a new scene came to rise, fueled by mixtapes and frequent parties. Pioneering forces Tameil, Tim Dolla, Mike V and Dirty South Joe formed the Brick Bandits, with this collective of DJs and producers kicking off an underground movement that fused hip-hop and R&B with frenetic, bouncy beats and infectious grooves. Throughout the 2000s, the Brick Bandits and others leaned into new software such as Serato, which offered the freedom to be even more creative in their sets.
Coinciding with the rise of social media in the late 2000s, the scene began to expand into neighboring cities, especially at parties on college campuses throughout the state where a new crop of Neward producers and DJs, including R3LL and Sliink (who remain mainstays on the scene), ushered in a new chapter of Jersey club. The movement soon earned global notoriety, with DJs tapping into the Jersey club style in their sets at major festivals and Jersey’s own UNIIQU3 breaking through to international audiences in the 2010s. Unicorn (a.k.a. Killa Kherk Cobain)’s “It’s Time” advanced the movement still further, layering original rap verses over a reappropriated take on Cajmere’s Chicago house classic, “Percolator.”
As the era of viral dance videos emerged, Jersey club has provided a natural soundtrack, sparked by Cookiee Kawaii’s huge 2020 track “Vibe (If I Back It Up).” Rising producer MikeOnaBeat, straight out of Willingboro, NJ, is pushing boundaries of his own, with his music making an impact beyond his home state. In 2022, Drake embraced some of the key elements of Jersey, including its signature squeaking bed sample, with the superstar paying homage to Baltimore and Jersey over drum patterns evoking the groove and grit that put them on the map. Rap and club continued to combine seamlessly, as Philly’s Lil Uzi Vert dropped the viral smash “Just Wanna Rock,” pulling from the aforementioned hotbeds to the City of Brotherly Love. Meanwhile, artists ranging from Memphis rapper NLE Choppa to Norway’s Swank Mami have dropped Jersey club-style bangers. Still, Newark and neighboring cities across the state still remain the creative hub for Jersey club. Take a wild ride through the scene with heaters representing the rapidly ascending subgenre on SoundCloud and beyond.
LISTEN TO THE JERSEY CLUB PLAYLIST ON SOUNDCLOUD NOW.
ZaZa (P.H.N.T.M Real Page), “P.H.N.T.M - Tokyo Daydreams (Jersey Club Mix)”
Plainfield’s Zah Reed just happens to share his stage name with a particular strain of potent weed.
R3LL, “Drink Up (All Night)"
The latest from one of the original Brick Bandits crew members
Bandmanrill, “Bandmanrill - GET RIGHT!”
First solo release of 2024 from the hard-edged rapper, who combines Jersey club with Bronx drill
Sliink, “DJ Sliink - Break From Jersey [Booty Bounce]"
The first global star to emerge from the Jersey club scene is now partnered with Skrillex’s OWSLA Records
JAYTRENCHY, “Bounce (Jersey Club) @JAYTRENCHY”
Ominous restraint from this Jersey club specialist
JIDDY, “LIFE IS BETTER”
The Jersey artist’s tag – “Jay-Eye-Double-Dee-Why” – has become an iconic staple in his high-energy productions
🌴 AYO AMJ 🌴, “A Cold Sunday (Jersey Club Rmx)”
Don’t be fooled by the title: it’s another heater from the NJ producer
Swank Mami, “Bad B*tch”
Real name Umal Moses, this Norwegian star-in-the-making stakes her claim
Loog, “Praise The Lord ft. Fazobeats (hiei anthem) #jerseyclub”
Gospel sermon sample highlights this dancefloor hallelujah
Reek Ona Beat, “Made 4 Me (Jersey Club)”
The latest from Jersey club DJ who reimagined Sisqo’s “Thong Song”
Cookiee Kawaii, “Cookiee Kawaii - Ima Make a Bag”
Irvington, NJ’s Vanice Palmer is the child of parents who were both Chicago house DJs
Nicki Minaj, “Nicki Minaj - Everybody (feat. Lil Uzi Vert)”
The Queen heavily sampled Junior Senior’s “Move Your Feet” on her recent nod to Jersey club
TameCheetah Beats, “Burto be like? (Burto Anthem) #JerseyClub”
Young Jersey club producer making music “for fun,” as it should be.
Styles Savage Remixes, “Connceited - Bull (Styles Savage Jersey Club Remix)”
Jersey club remix of the Atlantic City singer’s 2022 track
NLE Choppa, “NLE Choppa - DO IT AGAIN (feat. 2Rare)”
Memphis checks in with Choppa’s take on Jersey club, sampling Rose Royce’s “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore”
DJ J Heat, “SNEAKY LINK (feat. DEMI THE BADDIE & ASH B)”
Lead track from J Heat’s 2022 release “You Know the Drill”
Dj Tray, “Mirror (JerseyClub)”
Sped-up, Jersey-clubbed, barely recognizable remix of Ne-Yo’s 2006 track
UNIIQU3, “Jersey Club Movie”
Starting out as a staple of Newark’s DIY party scene, the Jersey Club Queen has played a pivotal role in bringing the sound to dancefloors around the world
MikeOnaBeat, “@DJLILMAN973 - HIT IT TO THE BEAT 2019)"
So proud of his Jersey club origins, the NJ area code is embedded in his name
DJ Smallz 732, “Cupid, Pt. 1”
Jersey club vet behind 2014’s “We Are Young” remix co-produced Nicki’s “Everybody”
Kanii, “Kanii, Trippie Redd - sins (let me in) [Remix]"
D.C.’s Kani Nkshon Shorter Jr. (“I Know”) teamed with 1400 on this 2023 remix
Odetari, “BREAK A NECK (w/ Ayesha Erotica) [prod. Odetari]"
Houston-born producer, real name Taha Othman Ahmad, pairs with Cali singer-rapper on this brand new track
skaiwater, “choosin u"
British rapper (née Tyler Brooks) enlists Philly’s Lay Bankz on this free-ranging take on Jersey club
Lay Bankz, “Ick"
Philly rapper spoke for how we’ve all been feeling on this ‘23 track: “Ick”
KAYY DRiZZ, “I.Y.G.T.F.A"
Non-binary Jersey artist first hit the scene with “Skinny Girlz”
Unicorn151 aka Killa Kherk Cobain, “It’s Time (Jersey Gods) - Unicorn151 aka Killa Kherk Cobain ft Rolling Stone P"
TAFKA Killa Kherk counts himself as the creator of Jersey drill
Lil Uzi Vert, “Lil Uzi Vert - Just Wanna Rock"
Lead single from Uzi’s third album, 2023’s ‘Pink Tape’
@HvBurto I Love Yall🖤💯, “Eh eh Hmm @Mikey Anthem @Hv Burto #Stxrz #BullyFlow #JerseyClub"
Super glitchy track from the Florida-based “BatMan of Jersey club”
AceMula, “Na Na Na - Lay Bankz (Prod. By AceMula & Grks) [On The Radar Freestyle]"
“King of Jersey drill” teamed with Philly’s Bankz for this one last year
Dj Fade, “Crank dat Fade 2010"
Previously unreleased vault classic from “The Future”
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