The term "hyphy" (pronounced "HY-fee") is a word from Oakland, California, that means "hyperactive." It is an adjective used to describe the hip-hop music and the culture connected to the Oakland area. The word was created by rapper Keak da Sneak.

History

The hyphy culture began in Oakland in the late 1990s and became more well-known across the Bay Area in the early 2000s. It is known for its loud, fast beats and has been compared to a music style called crunk. A music producer from San Jose named Traxamillion is often credited with creating the first hyphy-style songs. One of his songs, "Super Hyphy" by Keak Da Sneak, helped introduce the term "hyphy." When people "get hyphy," they dance in an exaggerated, fast, and silly way or act very loudly around others. This phrase is similar to the southern expression "to get crunk." People who identify with the hyphy movement try to act this way.

Although the hyphy movement briefly became popular in the United States, it has been a long-standing part of Bay Area culture since the early 1990s. In areas like East Oakland, events called "sideshows" are held regularly. At these events, people watch or perform dangerous car stunts, such as donuts, ghost-riding (a risky activity that has caused deaths), and street racing. Others dance or "go dumb" near these events. In 2006, rapper E-40 said the hyphy movement's return gave the Bay Area a chance to share its unique music with more people. Hyphy music was popular not only in the Bay Area but also in cities like Portland, Oregon, and Seattle.

For many people from the Bay Area, rapper Mac Dre is seen as the person who helped the public become interested in hyphy music after he died suddenly in 2004. His TV special, Treal TV, showed many aspects of the hyphy culture, including sideshow activities, street slang, and dances like "going dumb" and the "thizzle dance," which he created. Artists such as Drake and DJ Mustard have honored Mac Dre for his influence on their music. When Mac Dre started his record label, Thizz Entertainment, he helped support other local musicians, including E-40 and Andre Nickatina, who are well-known in the Bay Area rap scene.

Post-hyphy

Jerkin', also called Jerk, is a street dance and music style that came from hyphy. It started in the Inland Empire and Los Angeles and was popularized by groups like New Boyz and Audio Push. By 2009, jerkin' had fans along the West Coast and was becoming more popular on the East Coast.

In the early to mid-2010s, hyphy music returned to mainstream attention. It influenced a faster, club-friendly style of hip hop called "ratchet music," which became popular thanks to Los Angeles producers like DJ Mustard. DJ Mustard's music style, inspired by hyphy, helped bring West Coast hip hop back into national focus. He worked on songs for many famous artists, including Tyga's "Rack City," 2 Chainz's "I'm Different," Young Jeezy's "R.I.P.," B.o.B's "HeadBand," YG's "My Nigga" and "Who Do You Love?" (as well as most of his 2014 album My Krazy Life), Ty Dolla Sign's "Paranoid," Kid Ink's "Show Me," Trey Songz's "Na Na," Omarion's "Post to Be," and Big Sean's "I Don't Fuck With You," among others.

Some artists from outside the Bay Area gained success. Lil B, a member of the Berkeley group The Pack, became well-known online. The Richmond-based group HBK Gang, with members like Iamsu!, Kehlani, Sage the Gemini, and P-Lo, also became popular. Oakland-born rapper G-Eazy, who has two Billboard Top-10 hits with "Me, Myself & I" and "No Limit" (the latter featuring ASAP Rocky and Cardi B), is another example. The Vallejo-based group SOB x RBE gained attention after appearing on the track "Paramedic!" from the Black Panther soundtrack, which was curated by Kendrick Lamar.

In November 2011, Canadian rapper Drake released the song "The Motto," featuring Lil Wayne, as the fourth single from his album Take Care. The song's beat, made by T-Minus, was heavily influenced by hyphy music. It sold 3,113,000 copies in the U.S. by April 2013, helped by the popularity of the phrase "YOLO." The song reached the top of the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and U.S. Rap Songs charts and was ranked 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 Year-end Chart. It was also nominated for Best Rap Song at the 55th Grammy Awards. A music video, released on February 10, 2012, included appearances by Bay Area rappers E-40 and Mistah F.A.B., as well as an introduction from Wanda Salvatto, the mother of Mac Dre. Salvatto shared in a 2016 interview that Drake said Mac Dre influenced him when he was 15 years old.

In March 2022, a documentary called We Were Hyphy, made by Bay Area filmmaker Laurence Madrigal, was released. It featured artists from the hyphy movement, including Keak da Sneak, Mistah F.A.B., and Rick Rock. It also included musicians like G-Eazy, Kamaiyah, and P-Lo. Recently, the Oakland dance group "Turf Feinz" appeared in Kendrick Lamar's music video "Squabble Up" and performed at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans.

At the same time, DJ Mustard's popularity helped start a movement called R&Bass, created by producer J Maine. This movement blends hyphy music with modern R&B, making it popular online. Artists like Jonn Hart, Rayven Justice, and producers like Christopher Dotson use the R&Bass style. This movement has also led to collaborations between hyphy artists and R&B musicians, including E-40.

Influence on electronic and pop music

Because many of DJ Mustard's popular songs share similar sounds, some artists who use similar production styles have faced criticism for copying his work. Examples include the 2014 hit "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea and the 2015 song "Classic Man" by Jidenna, which samples "Fancy." Over time, Mustard's style influenced music outside hip hop. In 2012, electronic dance music (EDM) began to grow in popularity. This genre combined elements of southern trap music with sounds from other styles, such as hyphy and Jamaican Dancehall. This new style, called "EDM Trap," used sounds from techno, dub, and house music along with drum and vocal samples commonly found in trap music.

In December 2013, French producer DJ Snake and American rapper Lil Jon released the song "Turn Down for What." The track became a hit in many countries and was widely shared online in 2014. It borrowed sounds from crunk and hyphy music. Rolling Stone named it the second best song of 2014, describing it as "the year's most energetic party song" and a "perfect protest song" for a generation frustrated with many issues. The song combined EDM and Southern trap music with Lil Jon's energetic vocals.

The success of "Turn Down for What" helped shape Trap EDM and Pop music during the mid-2010s. This influenced other songs, including the collaboration between DJ Snake and Major Lazer on "Lean On," the Justin Bieber song "Sorry" produced by Skrillex, and the 2016 hit "Closer" by The Chainsmokers.