Dancehall Reggae’s New Viral Video Vixens
Dutty Dancing is back this Saturday, and yes, we are doing the dutty dance off one more time.
The stakes are high with a piece of dancehall reggae history up for grabs as we are give away one of Shabba Rank’s iconic gold ropes* in our competition. In 1994, when in Kingston, Jamaica, Nick Toth won this piece of jewelry from Shabba after settling a dispute in a deadly thumb wrestling match. It could be yours, if your booty reigns supreme in our dance off. To give you a little inspiration for your routine, we have compiled a couple more videos to keep you from doing something a little more productive.
There has been a long standing relationship between hip hop and dancehall reggae. Hip Hop started with DJ Kool Herc, who took the trend of DJs chanting over records in Jamaica and brought it to New York.
Over the last year or so, this influence has been more prominent as American artist have been using Caribbean music as the inspiration for the biggest club bangers. Kanye’s Mercy samples Super Beagle, and almost everything on the Yeezus album has a classic vocal from Capelton, Sizzla or Beenie Man. French Montana’s Freaks, A$AP Ferg’s Shabba Ranks, and of course Busta Rhymes and Nicki Minaj return to their Caribbean roots to create Twerk It – check out the cameo from DJ Khaled, who’s recent proposal to Nicki was returned with a restraining order.
BUSTA RHYMES TWERK IT (REMIX) FT. NICKI MINAJ
As much as I love Busta’s caricature of dancehall culture – there is a lot more to dancehall dance than simple twerking like Miley Cyrus. In our last article for Goodgod, I put you up on the age old dancehall standards that have been inspiration for most of the dancing you see in hip hop video clips. This time around I am going to introduce you to a couple of more recent trends.
MR VEGAS – BRUK IT DOWN
Like the explosion of Youtube covers, and ‘sweded’ movie trailers, reggae has it’s own viral video trend as young women with wastes of rubber and booties like yo-yos record their own versions of the biggest dances – some of which are generating more hits than the official film clip.
From New York, Miss Likkle Bit’s astounding interpretation of Mr Vega’s latest hit is almost at 2 million views. Looking like it was recorded on a laptop camera in her basement, the crazy skills she displays in this video led to Miss Likkle Bits touring with the likes of Major Lazer.
RDX – KOTCH
Like a lot of the Sweded Trailers you see, the production value for the viral videos are ever improving. Here Jamaica’s, Russian Roulette dancers saved RDX a little money as their version of KOTCH removed the need for RDX to shoot an official video for one of the biggest dances of the year.
Over to the UK, here the Unique Silver dancers takeover the playground as on lookers with their children are made to feel a little uncomfortable.
FUSE ODG – ANTENNA
Rewwiinnddddd! I posted this in my last article, but it deserves a reload. The music of Nigeria and Ghana have been increasingly getting played at bashment parties in the UK. Way bigger than the official video, this couple do their interpretation of FUSE ODG’s crossover Azonto hit. Different to traditional dancehall, the dance moves are influences by those popular in Ghana.
MAJOR LAZER – WATCH OUT FOR THIS
One more for inspiration. Inspired by the style and dancing of the low budget early 90s videos by Shabba Ranks, Beenie Man and Chaka Demus & Pliers, Major Lazer take us back with this clip. Like the Snow of modern dancehall reggae, Diplo really dresses the part. Too funny!
See at Goodgod Danceteria this Saturday bruking it down in our competition. Get to practicing now!
*said Shabba Ranks Gold Rope may not be the genuine article. It is most likely a bad fake bought online.
Download: RDX – Kotch
Download: O – Money Pull Up
Download: frhryscs9ftxlefag92u.mp3
