Connie Freestyle Diva Funky Little Beat. Best known for her 1985 club smash “Funky Little Beat,” recording artist Connie was among the first artists to come out of Latin freestyle — a style of dance-pop that incorporates Latin elements. The South Florida native’s smash hit “Funky Little Beat” is regarded as one of the most important Latin freestyle singles of its time. Connie set the stage for many up and coming artists to follow her footsteps in the freestyle music genre that originated in South Florida in the 80’s.
Connie is the daughter of Latin immigrants who moved to South Florida in the 1950’s. Connie was attending college in her early twenties when she was introduced to TK Records president Henry Stone. In 1985, she signed with Sunnyview Records and recorded “Funky Little Beat,” which was executive produced by Stone and co-written by his wife Inez Stone and producer Amos Larkins II. The song skyrocketed, just missing the Top 40 of both Billboard’s Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts, and it became a major club hit internationally, and has since appeared on numerous freestyle/electro compilations. In 1986, Connie recorded her second single, “Experience,” and provided her self-titled debut album for Sunnyview Records. Connie continued releasing singles throughout the decade, including a cover of KC & the Sunshine Band‘s “Get Down Tonight” in 1987.
Connie took some time off from the music business during the ’90s to wed and start a family, and she released a second album, No Tears, on Black Olive Records in 1995. Thump Records released The Best of Connie in 2002, including remixes/remakes of her previous singles as well as newly recorded songs and covers. Connie returned in 2006 with Let’s Party (Estilo Reggaeton), a bilingual album which ventured into Latin styles such as cumbia, merengue, and reggaeton. Following this release, Essential Media Group issued The Best of Connie: Funky Little Beat, which was essentially a reissue of her debut album plus “Get Down Tonight” and several remixes of “Funky Little Beat.” In 2015, Connie reunited with the song’s producer and recorded a new album, Amos Larkins Presents Party Time, Vol. 1, which appeared on Essential Media Mod.
