Lately, the phonk genre has been exploding in popularity. More and more Gen Z producers and beatmakers are hopping on the wave. Experimenting with its gritty textures and nostalgic energy.
Alongside the main sound, several sub-genres have started to emerge. Brazilian Phonk, Heavy Phonk, Drift Phonk, and more. Each with its own twist while staying true to the raw aesthetic.
To really capture the vibe, it’s important to understand where phonk came from.
The genre has its roots in the late ’90s Memphis rap scene, built around chopped samples, distorted 808s, and lo-fi processing.
Knowing this history gives you a better ear for the sounds that define it and helps you choose the right VST plugins that recreate that underground character.
What Sounds Were Used In Original Phonk Music?
Phonk didn’t just appear out of nowhere. It was built on the sound palette of the late ’80s and ’90s underground hip-hop scene, especially Memphis rap.
Producers at the time didn’t have today’s modern plugins, so they relied on the raw character of drum machines, samplers, and dusty vinyl records to craft their beats.
Drum Machines & Samplers
One of the backbones of early phonk was the Roland TR-808. Its booming kick and crisp hi-hats became the heartbeat of countless tracks, often pushed through tape decks or cheap samplers for extra grit.
Alongside it, producers leaned on classic samplers like the Akai MPC series or the SP-1200, chopping up soul, funk, and jazz records into eerie loops. That combination of crunchy drums and chopped samples gave phonk its hypnotic, lo-fi swing.
Synths & Keyboards
While sample-based production was king, synths and keyboards were often layered in for atmosphere. Instruments like the Korg M1, Roland JV-1080, and even older Yamaha keyboards provided dark pads, brass hits, or electric piano tones that sat perfectly under chopped vocals.
These sounds, combined with heavy reverb and chorus effects, gave phonk its signature moody vibe.
Other Textures
On top of that, producers often added vinyl crackle, tape hiss, and distorted vocal samples from old Memphis tapes.
Best VST Plugins For Phonk
01. Layers Instrument
As we established above, phonk is known for its gritty nostalgic sound. The Layers VST plugin contains over 300 instruments sampled from the 90s and early 2000s era. As a result, it makes this VST the absolute best for Phonk music.
It has eerie synths, gritty sounds, and nostalgic textures. It’s also extremely advanced. It allows you to layer and blend 3 instruments at a time. With this feature you’re able to turn old school sounds into something more sinister and complex.
Also, you can drag and drop in your own one shot samples into this VST plugin. Making it so much more then just a phonk inspired VST.
Unique Features:
- 30 built in Effect plugins
- Drag and drop in your own samples
- AI powered randomization
- Vinyl, and tape hiss texture engine
02. Citrus Crusher FX VST Plugin
When it comes to Phonk music there is no denying that vocals play a huge part in it. Especially old chopped vocals.
To give you vocals a girtty nostalgic sound like the sound found in most phonk vocals this plugin does just that in just a few clicks.
It’s modeled off of low-bit mp3 sounds for the early 2000s. Think ringtones, CD burns, late night commercials. It combines bit crushing, compressing, and filtering all in 2 knobs. A simple twist of the knob can seriously downgrade you vocals to sound like they were ripped from old vinyl records.
03. Serum VST
When it comes to sub-genres of Phonk like Brazilian phonk, or heavy phonk Serum VST comes in handy.
Serum is known for its advanced features. It allows you to sound design your own sounds. With this plugin you can easily design modern phonk sounds for your beats. You can also download Phonk styled presets specifically for Serum.
04. RC-20 FX VST
Although not a instrument plugin, RC-20 is great for phonk. With this plugin you can make your sound, sound nostalgic.
It’s designed to make you audio sound like it was recorded on vintage gear. It’s great for dialing in that nostalgic lo-fi phonk sound.
Conclusion
In conclusion, you don’t need a whole lot of tools to make phonk beats. Most old school phonk is extremely simple. However, what makes it unique is it’s texture and characteristics. The VST plugins shown above all contain that vintage phonk texture and characteristics. With these tools you can make anything from old school phonk to more modern phonk.
