Phonk began as an underground style rooted in 1990s Memphis rap, revived online in the early 2010s by producers sampling vintage vocals and drum breaks. Drift phonk, its faster and more aggressive offshoot, spread through YouTube car edits in the late 2010s before exploding on TikTok and short form video. Compilations that pack multiple melodies into one short file became popular because editors could preview hooks quickly and pick a section. This three melody format keeps that sampler tradition alive for modern edits.