S. Samuel
Dipset's Jim Jones recently talked about the buzz behind the new "Harlem Shake" anthem and claimed he actually had it stashed away for about a year.
According to Jimmy, the record was initially slated to appear on an upcoming album for G-Unit’s DJ Pauly D.
“Well actually, that was record mine’s for like a year,” Jones revealed in an interview. “I had that record a year ago and I never, it was supposed to be for Pauly D’s album and we never did nothing with it so when I started to hear this ‘Harlem Shake’ and I heard the beat, I was like, ‘D*mn. I had that beat already for a year.’ So I just put the [remix] record out. Yeah. … I been had that record before anybody even thought about that record. It was a record for Pauly D’s album for ‘Jersey Shore.'” (“Jenny Boom Boom”)
Rap mogul Diddy recently co-signed the infectious “Harlem Shake” movement.
“It’s fun; it’s a fun version. Any time people are dancing, especially in this day and age when everybody’s trying to be so cool, and people are letting loose, letting off some steam, I agree with it.” The way Diddy sees it, the new dance is all about having fun, and he’s ready to support anything that promotes Harlem in a positive light. “I do want people to get educated on the real Harlem Shake, it’s something that’s an art form, but anything that’s branding Harlem, my hometown, I’m all for it.” (MTV)
The catchy record even motivated Terror Squad leader Fat Joe to support it last month.
“Harlem Shake” mania continues to sweep the nation. From entire sports teams to puppies, Baauer’s hit song has spawned thousands of viral videos on YouTube. Now Fat Joe is getting in on the craze. The Bronx rapper busts out the robot while dancing with his Terror Squad and Epidemic family in the studio. (Rap-Up)
Despite its growing appeal, the dance has received backlash for its lack of originality.
The real Harlem Shake, a much more raw, technical, fluid, frenetic dance, was born in New York City about 14 years ago. But while some in Harlem have taken offense at the rebranding, and posted videos of their own in response, the four-man dance crew many credit as having pioneered and popularized the dance see another shot at stardom, the kind that burns brighter and longer than a 30-second parody. “I’m not a hater,” said Maurice “Motion ” Strayhorne, one of the original Harlem Shakers as part of the Crazy Boyz dance crew. “But it’s bitter in the sense of, it’s like they’re disrespecting the whole style of dancing.” (New York Times)
Check out Jim Jones’ interview:
