Hit Dem Folks

Two dancers "hitting dem folks"

Hit Dem Folks is a hip-hop dance trend popularized in 2015.[1] The move involves crossing the arms twice, raising them in a 'U' shape, and bending them inwards. The move has been done by athletes, celebrities, and other well-known figures.[2][3] "Hit dem folks" gained recognition through online video-sharing platforms like YouTube and Instagram, and it remains a frequently-used gesture among social media dancers. "Hit dem folks" is one of many dance trends to originate from Southern rap culture.[4] Some dancers known for doing the move are Ayo and Teo.[5]

Origins

The dance is thought to have originated in Columbus, Georgia, in the early 2010s.[6] Gaining popularity among local dancers, and the Atlanta club dance scene, "hit dem folks" became a viral sensation in 2015.[5] Rapper, Bankroll Fresh, is one of the first artists to popularize, and benefit commercially from it, with his song "Walked In" becoming a well-known song to "hit dem folks" to.[7]

Many global dance trends have emerged from Southern hip hop's trap scene. Online video-sharing platforms have allowed these trends to spread rapidly, and reach an international audience.[8] Artists would also market their songs by having a unique dance to go along with it, a notable example being Soulja Boy's song, Crank That. Its music video would feature one of the first "viral" dance trends to emerge from the internet, and one of many to showcase the unique cultural elements of America's Black South during the 2000s.[9] Black dance trends have had a significant impact on American pop culture, with "Hit dem folks" specifically being an well-recognized dance move among young people, and one the few to inspire an entire sub-genre of dance.

The dance itself is short sequence of movements, rather than a choreographed routine. A person "hits dem folks" by doing a series of arm crosses followed by the "hit," in which they raise their arms, bend them towards the center of the body, and raise one leg.[1] The dance is typically done to rap music, with the "hit" landing on a certain beat of a hip-hop track. It is often likened to a "flexing" pose.

Other Black dance trends include:

References

  1. ^ a b "How To Do The Hit Dem Folks | Dance Tutorial | STEEZY Blog". www.steezy.co. Retrieved 2022-04-20.
  2. ^ "Andre Drummond Hits Off-Balance Shot, Does 'Hit Dem Folks' to Fan's Delight". Bleacher Report.
  3. ^ "Russell Westbrook demonstrates how to properly 'Hit Dem Folks' before Nuggets game". For The Win. 2015-12-28. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  4. ^ "As 'Crank That' turns 9, here are 6 of the most popular dances of the 2000s". Washington Post. 2021-12-03. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
  5. ^ a b "Meet Meechie And Toosi, The Dancers Bringing The Joy Of Atlanta To The Entire World". The FADER. Retrieved 2021-12-18.
  6. ^ The Creator of "Hit'em Up" (JacRabbit) #ColumbusGa, retrieved 2023-11-17
  7. ^ "Hip-Hop Dance Forms". Beginning Hip-Hop Dance: 71. 2019. doi:10.5040/9781718203471.ch-007.
  8. ^ Dexter, Rachael (2021-08-28). "Dance, dance revolution: How TikTok got the world tripping the light fantastic". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
  9. ^ "Dirty Decade: Rap Music and the US South, 1997–2007". Southern Spaces. Retrieved 2023-11-17.


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