Phonk music often portrays the grim reality of urban living, including violence, drug culture, street life, and community challenges, using its lyrics and themes.
Phonk artists blend horrorcore, jazz, funk, lo-fi, hip-hop, trap, and more into their music, creating a unique fusion that adds depth and individuality to the phonk style.
Phonk music has a slower tempo, around 60–75 BPM, diverging from mainstream hip hop. Its repetitive rhythm creates a hypnotic, groove-centered vibe, fitting the chilled-out aesthetic of phonk.
Phonk heavily relies on samples influenced by Memphis soul and 1990s rap. Producers chop, alter, and loop these samples, adding vintage drum beats, melodies, and vocal snippets to create a distinct sound.