As far as I can see, back in 1984, people used it to refer to black communities that people believed had a strong unpleasant body odor, which they called a funk or referred to as funky. in Ki-Kongo, the term lu-fuki was used to praise a person for their art, which may have been adopted and modified in America, praising black artists for their hard work and artistic skills. This is still a term used in the Kongo. It is thought that the music that black people were making, that had a strong, earthy, and distinct quality, was described using this word and the meaning was transformed.

James Brown really revolutionized Funk music with his work in the 80’s. His Funk Beat was a highly syncopated and aggressive rhythm that was kind of a blue print for many funk artists who came after.