Roots of Dam-Funk
The artists and genres Dam-Funk came out of — one hop back on the influence tree.
MC EihtartistAaron Bernard Tyler, better known by his stage name MC Eiht, is an American rapper and actor. Many of his songs are based on his life in Compton, California. His stage name was partly inspired by the numeral in KRS-One's name. He chose Eiht for its links to "hood culture", including Olde English 800 and .38 caliber firearms. He is the de facto leader of West Coast hip-hop group Compton's Most Wanted, which also included fellow Compton-based rappers Boom Bam, The Unknown DJ, Tha Chill, DJ Slip, DJ Mike T, and Ant Capone. He is also known for his role as A-Wax in the teen crime drama film Menace II Society (1993), as well as voicing the character Ryder in the action-adventure game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004). He is also the co-host of the podcast Gangster Chronicles.
The Egyptian LoverartistGregory James Broussard, known professionally as Egyptian Lover, is an American musician, vocalist, producer, DJ, and graphic artist. He was an early figure in the Los Angeles electro and hip hop scenes of the 1980s and is widely recognized for his pioneering use of the Roland TR-808 drum machine in rap and dance music. His original pen-and-ink drawings on 12-inch LP sleeves have been offered by Sotheby's and covered by independent music press. He was the subject of the 2025 book Egyptian Lover: On the Nile, a limited-edition volume documenting his career and the early Los Angeles electro scene.