Technotronic

Belgium, 1988–now

Belgian dance project masterminded by producer Jo Bogaert. Their 1989 'Pump Up the Jam', fronted by Congolese-Belgian rapper Ya Kid K, was one of the first hip-house records to cross over worldwide, welding Chicago-house rhythms to hip-hop rapping and opening the door for the European dance-pop wave.

MusicRoots documents 2 artists who influenced Technotronic and 2 artists Technotronic influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Technotronic?

• Frankie Knuckles — Technotronic's 'Pump Up the Jam' was built on Chicago house — producer Jo Bogaert leaned on the genre's rhythms and a Marshall Jefferson sample.
• Afrika Bambaataa — As hip house, Technotronic fused house with hip-hop rapping (Ya Kid K) — the electro-rap lineage Afrika Bambaataa helped launch.

Which artists did Technotronic influence?

• Snap! — Snap! rose in the wake of the hip-house breakthrough Technotronic's 'Pump Up the Jam' had just made in Europe, refining it into the Eurodance formula they are credited with inventing.
• 2 Unlimited — 2 Unlimited carried forward the Belgian-produced hip-house/Eurodance sound Technotronic had opened, pairing Ray Slijngaard's raps with pumping synth-house.