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The word hyphy ( /ˈhaɪfiː/ HY-fee) is a short word meaning "hyperactive."^[1] It was created by Bay Area rapper Keak da Sneak^[1][2] when he used the term on an album he recorded in 1994. Hyphy is a style of music and dance associated with San Francisco Bay Area hip hop culture. The culture began to emerge in the late 1990s and early 2000s as a response from Bay Area rappers against commercial hip hop for not acknowledging the Bay for setting trends in the hip hop industry. The term is said to be a combination of the words "hyper" and "fly". It is distinguished by gritty, pounding rhythms, and in this sense can be associated with the Bay as crunk music is to the South. An individual is said to "get hyphy" when they dance in an overstated and ridiculous manner, or if they get overly loud with other people. Although the "hyphy movement" has just recently seen light in mainstream America, it has been a long standing and ever evolving culture in the Bay Area since the early 90s. Throughout the Bay Area (particularly in East Oakland), there are regularly events called "sideshows". This is where different people come together and partake in or watch illegal automobile performances. This is where drivers do things such as donuts, ghostride and streetrace while others dance and "go dumb" around them. These events can be very dangerous.

^[3] From the USA Today article: "Every record label was getting at us at that time, but we fumbled the ball," says E-40, whose My Ghetto Report Card entered the Billboard album chart at No. 3 in March. "I hung on like a hubcap in the fast lane along with a few other rappers, and now it's time again. We had a 10-year drought and they went to other regions and were bypassing us like the sand out here. But we're trendsetters, and the rap game without the Bay Area is like old folks without bingo."^[4]

The phrase "to get hyphy" refers to when an individual acts or dances in an overstated, fast paced, and ridiculous manner. This is similar to the southern phrase "to get crunk" but without the drug and alcohol references. Those who consider themselves part of the hyphy movement would describe this behavior as what they strive their movement to be.^[5] "Hyphy" is taken as a form of pride. Hyphy as an adjective, "the hyphy movement" is a cultural term: regional slang that refers to the dance itself as well as party atmosphere, lifestyle,^[2] and independent Bay Area music referred to as hyphy music.^[1][5]

Hyphy artists[link]

• Dubee
• Cousin Fik
• E-40
• Mac Dre
• Keak da Sneak
• Too Short
• Luniz
• Mistah F.A.B.
• The Pack
• The Federation
• The Team
• Spice 1
• The Pack
• Husalah
• Turf Talk
• Roach Gigz

Notes and references[link]

.

Charles Toby Bowens (born May 9, 1977), commonly known by his stage name Keak da Sneak, is a rapper from Oakland, California . At the age of 16 he was known as Z-Kush^[1] but became known as "Keak da Sneak" at 17, best known for his scratchy, gruff rapping voice and coining the term "hyphy" in 1994.

Career[link]

Keak da Sneak was born in Alabama where most of his family is from. He found popularity while attending Allendale Elementary School, which he parlayed into later friendships and talent show performances at Oakland's Bret Harte Junior High. Through theater he met his collaborator Agerman.^[2] Together, they formed Dual Committee, which, at the age of 15, was first heard on the songs "Murder Man" & "Stompin in My Steel Toes" on C-BO's 1994 EP The Autopsy. Citing the personal growth of all three artists, he later signed as a solo artist with Sacramento-based Moe Doe records as a solo artist.^[3] At this point, he began to receive more radio airplay, especially on San Francisco hip-hop station KMEL. He has collaborated with major artists such as E-40. Keak had video play on MTV, MTV2 & BET. Keak was even featured on MTV's My Super Sweet 16.^[4]

3X Krazy[link]

By the end of their junior year in high school, they had added rapper B.A. to form the group 3X Krazy. Their first EP, Sick-O, was released independently on August 5, 1995. In 1996 they signed to Virgin Records, releasing the album Stackin' Chips on March 8, 1997 (with help from the single Keep It on the Real; the album received national attention), and the second album Immortalized, and then the release of Real Talk 2000 on January 18, 2000.^[5] The last 3X Krazy album, a collection of previously unreleased material and remixed songs from Sick-O, was flowamatic-9, which was released in 2004.

Discography[link]

Solo albums[link]

• 1999: Sneakacydal
• 2001: Hi-Tek
• 2002: Retaliation
• 2002: The Farm Boyz
• 2003: Copium
• 2003: Counting Other Peoples Money
• 2004: Keak da Sneak
• 2005: Town Business
• 2005: That's My Word
• 2005: On One
• 2006: Contact Sport
• 2006: Kunta Kinte
• 2006: Thizz Iz Allndadoe
• 2008: Deified
• 2010: Mobb Boss
• 2011: Keak Hendrix

Collaborative albums[link]

• 1995: Sick-O (with 3X Krazy)
• 1997: Stackin' Chips (with 3X Krazy)
• 1999: Immortalized (with 3X Krazy)
• 2000: Real Talk 2000 (with 3X Krazy)
• 2000: Dual Committee (with 3X Krazy)
• 2000: The Best of 3X Krazy - 3 x 4 Life (with 3X Krazy)
• 2002: Best of 3X Krazy, Vol. 2 (with 3X Krazy)
• 2003: Flowamatic-9 (with 3X Krazy)
• 2004: Dope Game (with B.A., The Jacka, Husalah & Verstyle)
• 2005: Dope Game 2 (with Frank Stickemz, Verstyle & B.A.)
• 2007: Da Bidness (with Messy Marv & P.S.D. Tha Drivah)
• 2008: Welcome to Scokland (with San Quinn)
• 2008: Word Pimpin 2: We Don't Need You (with Baby S and Q-Z)
• 2011: Da Bidness 2 (with Messy Marv & P.S.D. Tha Drivah)

Compilation albums[link]

• 2006: King of tha Supa Dupa Hyphy
• 2007: Greatest Hits !
• 2011: The Best Of Thizz Iz All N Da Doe

Guest appearances[link]

• 1996: "Ring It" (E-40 featuring Spice 1, Keak da Sneak & Harm)
• 1998: "Can I Kick It" (Celly Cel featuring Keak da Sneak & Young Mugzi)
• 1999: "Cross Me Up" (T.W.D.Y. featuring Keak da Sneak)
• 2001: "Mac & Friends" (Mac Dre featuring B.A., Keak da Sneak & PSD)
• 2002: "Playin for Kidz" (Mac Dre featuring Keak da Sneak)
• 2003: "Reppin' the O'" (Steady Mobb'n featuring Keak da Sneak)
• 2004: "Pop Off" (San Quinn featuring Keak da Sneak & Juvenile)
• 2006: "Tell Me When to Go" (E-40 featuring Keak da Sneak)
• 2006: "Muscle Cars" (E-40 featuring Keak da Sneak & Turf Talk)
• 2006: "Dangerous" (Messy Marv featuring Keak da Sneak)
• 2006: "In A Scaper Makin' Paper" (MesCallen featuring Keak da Sneak)
• 2006: "On Citas" (Traxamillion featuring Keak da Sneak)
• 2006: "3 Freaks" (DJ Shadow featuring Keak da Sneak & Turf Talk)
• 2008: "Dip Drop Stop Dip" (Daz Dillinger featuring Keak da Sneak)
• 2010: "Power Up" (E-40 featuring Keak da Sneak & San Quinn)
• 2010: "Ballervard" (The Jacka featuring Keak Da Sneak, Agerman & Extreme)
• 2012: "The Chicken Hill Project"(Album Produced by Hallway Productionz) ^{[6] [7]}

[edit] Music videos

• 2008: "That Go" (Keak da Sneak featuring Prodigy & The Alchemist)^[8]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Keak Da Sneak at Streetball
• Official website
• Keak da Sneak on Myspace
• Keak Da Sneak interview at Synthesis.net
• Keak da Sneak at Allmusic
• 3X Krazy at Allmusic
• Keak Da Sneak on Twitter