To 1985 – L.A. Electro Funk, Post-Disco & Hip Hop in the 80s
by Daniel Finn
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Every month we take a deep dive into a specific genre, sound, or style. Through the lens of a playlist we compile some of the iconic and best artists to help understand and feel the roots and value of this music. This month we go deep into “To 1985” – L.A. Electro Funk, Post-Disco & Hip Hop in the 80s.
A dance party scene that took influence from new school funk, disco, and East Coast electro helped bring electro and a new sound of hip hop to the West Coast. One promotional and DJ group in particular was on top of this scene and managed to influence West Coast hip hop and g-funk as well as instil a progressive and modern style to hip hop. It would inevitably create a new subgenre and permanently shape how music was made in this region. They were called Uncle Jamm’s Army, and they changed the game forever.
In 1978 Arthur and Tony Martin teamed with DJ Rodger Clayton to begin creating dance parties in the South L.A. area. With a strong roster of local DJs, they quickly became the dominant crew introducing East Coast electro to the L.A. scene. By 1985 they were booking arenas, filling them with up to 10,000 dancers, all immersed in the sound. Their early sets featured funky disco, but as record labels began releasing rap, East Coast electro, and modern disco tracks, Uncle Jamm’s Army adapted. Their direction shifted into the future, with one key moment being when DJ Gregory Broussard—known as Egyptian Lover—got his hands on the Roland TR-808.
Egyptian Lover started incorporating the 808 live in his sets, lifting it into the air and singing “yes, yes, yes!” as the lights on the machine blinked along with the rhythm. The crowds responded wildly. This was a turning point. The music evolved from instrumental disco to a rawer, more futuristic electro sound driven by drum machines, synthesizers, and vocoders. At the same time, East Coast hip hop and rap were being blended into the mix, and it worked. The dance floor was shifting, and so was the sonic identity of Los Angeles.
As Egyptian Lover and Dr. Dre’s World Class Wreckin’ Cru began leaving the party circuit to make their own records, the energy of the live events waned—but a new wave of music was rising fast. The beginning of G-funk and West Coast hip hop was underway. These artists didn’t sample old records like their East Coast peers. Instead, they recreated and reimagined the music themselves using modern production equipment. It was a foundational change and it shaped the DNA of West Coast sound.
The influence of Uncle Jamm’s Army runs deeper than any single event or artist. Their transition from DJs to producers helped generate some of the most iconic hip hop records of the golden era. The same experimental and electronic mindset they introduced continues to live on in Los Angeles artists today. In 2017, the Los Angeles City Council recognised their legacy by officially declaring October 28th as Uncle Jamm’s Army Day.