How a New York Rap Group Helped Create the Sound of New Orleans Bounce Music

#NOLAZINE - Did you know that one of the most influential sounds in New Orleans bounce music actually originated in Queens, New York?

In 1986, a rap duo known as The Showboys, consisting of Orville Hall (Can Can) and Phillip Price (Phil D), released a record called “Drag Rap,” which would later become widely known as “Triggerman.”

Although the song never became a major hit in New York, it eventually made its way down South, where DJs and producers began experimenting with its distinctive drum patterns and samples.

In Memphis, DJs such as DJ Spanish Fly helped introduce the sound to underground rap audiences. Meanwhile, in New Orleans, local artists transformed the beat into something entirely different.

By the early 1990s, records like “Where Dey At?” by MC T. Tucker and DJ Irv helped establish what would become known as New Orleans bounce music.

The “Triggerman” sound eventually became a foundation of the city's bounce culture, influencing artists such as DJ Jubilee, Partners-N-Crime, Big Freedia, and countless others.

Decades later, elements of New Orleans bounce have reached mainstream music, including Drake's 2018 hit “Nice for What.”

What makes this story remarkable is that two young rappers from Queens created a record that would help shape generations of Southern hip-hop without ever becoming household names themselves.

What do y'all think? Did you know the famous “Triggerman” beat originated in New York, and does The Showboys get enough recognition for its influence on New Orleans bounce music?