Funky Vibes: The Past and Present of Funk Music

Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)Parliament

Parliament – Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)

A regular on the theme of all-time funk greats—and truly a masterpiece among masterpieces—this is the classic of funk classics: “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)”! Performed by Parliament, led by George Clinton, one of the world’s most famous funk bands and the originator of so-called P-Funk, the track appears on their hit 1976 album Mothership Connection and became their biggest hit single.

From its anthemic chorus to the uncanny groove where every instrument seems to drive the beat rather than carry a melody, every aspect earns its status as a classic.

It’s no surprise that it’s also hugely popular as a sampling source.

The title itself is a kind of paradox, hinting at a sly intelligence that adds to its allure.

Super FreakRick James

Super Freak

For music lovers who adore funk, the bassline of this track is nothing short of a classic—legendary, even.

It’s the masterpiece “Super Freak,” released in 1981 by Rick James, a quintessential funk musician who was both a genius and an eccentric, and who achieved major success through the 1970s and 1980s.

It’s also well known for being sampled by M.

C.

Hammer in his massive hit “U Can’t Touch This.” Rick’s bassline, which pulses throughout the entire track, has an almost magical allure, and the song itself stands as a truly sensual funk classic, boasting a level of quality that will go down in history.

It showcases Rick’s extraordinary talent both as a bassist and as a composer.

KissPrince & The Revolution

Prince and the Revolution – Kiss (Official Music Video)

Prince was a genius artist who did everything by himself—songwriting, composing, singing, playing numerous instruments, and even producing—and especially at his peak, he stirred up sensational headlines while blazing through his 57-year life, leaving an indelible mark on music history.

In Japan, he’s also affectionately known as “His Highness,” and while his musicality can’t be summed up in a few words, Kiss—one of his signature songs, released in 1986 under the name Prince & The Revolution on the album Parade—topped the U.

S.

charts and can be called the ultimate form of minimal funk.

Stripping out the bass, an instrument considered vital in funk music, and building the track out of drum machine, choppy guitar, and His Highness’s alluring falsetto vocals, the stark, spacious funkiness is nothing short of overwhelming.

Immerse your whole body in Prince’s brand of funk.

Do ItTuxedo

Tuxedo – Do It (Official Video)

Debuting in the late 2000s and beloved in Japan as a pinnacle of blue-eyed soul, Mayer Hawthorne teamed up with renowned hip-hop producer Jake One to form the unit Tuxedo, and this is their signature track—a modern disco-boogie classic! It’s a song that bursts with love for ’70s–’80s disco and funk, boasting top-tier pop sensibilities and catchiness that earned rave reviews worldwide, including in Japan.

Many people likely discovered Mayer through Tuxedo’s 2015 debut album, Tuxedo, which includes this track.

It’s a tune that makes you want to start dancing just by listening, and the music video—where everyone is joyfully dancing—fits it perfectly.

The quality they achieved is something only true music obsessives and outstanding musicians could deliver, and even those from the original era can’t help but tip their hats in admiration!

LevitatingDua Lipa

Dua Lipa – Levitating Featuring DaBaby (Official Music Video)

In 2020, Dua Lipa—a young British singer-songwriter and pop icon who propelled her career not just one but two levels higher—made a huge splash.

Among the standout tracks on her massively successful second album, Future Nostalgia, which embraces themes like disco and funk, this time we’re highlighting Levitating, said to be the song that inspired the album’s overall concept.

It’s irresistibly pop and catchy—a track that updates a retro ’80s disco-funk vibe for today in a way that’s so fun and danceable it almost feels crude to try to put it into words.

The rap-like vocal parts are apparently imagined as if Blondie, the quintessential ’80s new wave band, were rapping in British English—how fascinating is that? By the way, the version featuring DaBaby was released as a single and became a major hit.

And the fact that there’s also a remix featuring Madonna and Missy Elliott? Say no more—totally fitting!

Word UpCameo

Cameo – Word Up (Relaid Audio) (Official Music Video)

Cameo is one of the great funk bands born in New York that defined the 1980s.

From the formation of their predecessor band in 1974 to the 2020s today, they have continued to perform with Larry Blackmon at the center.

Originally a large ensemble, they gradually reduced both the number of members and the density of their arrangements, shifting their sound toward an era-conscious electric funk.

As a trio, they released their biggest hit, “Word Up!,” in 1986.

With its drum-machine-hard snare, Larry’s raw, feral vocals, popping bass lines, and synth textures, it’s a killer tune packed with sounds that could only come from the ’80s.

Many bands and artists have covered it, so it’s fun to compare the different versions, too.

PowerMarcus Miller

Marcus Miller – Power [live HD]

Marcus Miller proved that the bass can take center stage in a song and truly sing.

Of course his stylish slap technique is a highlight, but his fretless bass playing—strongly influenced by Jaco Pastorius—is also a must-see.

If you want to hear the coolest, funkiest bass around, there’s no one else like him.