The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a heavy, insistent beat" was.
De Begrëff wier ursprénglech vun Rekord-Firmen benotzt ginn fir Opzeechnunge virgestallt zu urbanen Afro-Amerikaner ze verkafen, an enger Zäit wou "urban, rocking, jazz based music with a heavy, insistent beat" war méi populär.