S. Samuel
After officially getting acknowledged by rap star Kanye West this week on Twitter, New York City pedestrian Terrane Hicks has come forward to speak out on becoming a viral sensation after performing "N*ggas In Paris" on a subway train.
In an exclusive 1-on-1 interview with hip-hop personality Miss Info, Hicks explained his obsession with Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne hit single.
“Well, everyone I know keeps calling me and hysterically laughing. I love it. Love the excitement and I’m actually going to try to take this somewhere! … I was born and raised in Harlem, recently moved to Brooklyn. I’m a martial artist and I own a personal training company called Skye Fitness (skyefitness.com). [Was I drunk?] No, actually I was totally sober. I am like this all the time. I’m just a hype person. … No, I don’t normally rap out loud but that’s one of those songs that gets you hype! I really didn’t care what the other riders thought. That’s that song!!! And yes, I was definitely trying to entertain my fellow commuters.” (Miss Info)
Earlier this week, Yeezy posted Hicks’ YouTube link to his Twitter page.
“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMIw82pX4mA&sns=em,” Kanye West tweeted December 21st. The YouTube link brings readers to a clip titled “Guy Singing ‘N*ggas In Paris’ on NYC Subway. The video is nearly three minutes long and already has over one million views. (Kanye West’s Twitter)
The viral video has become an online hit and spun various jokes.
In addition to trying to break records, this ‘Ye and Jay-loving (and purple-loving!) citizen also creates the best fitness routine since Bon Iver‘s “Lift/Rest.” The N*ggas in Paris” Workout is a pretty simple way to burn calories: First, nervously shake your right leg back and forth, as if you have no control over your own appendages. Then, with the iPod in your left hand, pump your right fist in the air. After one verse, switch the iPod to your right hand and raise your left arm. Most importantly, scream out the lyrics as loudly as you can for as long as you can without inhaling. Finally, for the cool down, wobble around with hands on hips, glance toward the people with their cell phones out, and ask “What, they recording?” If all goes well, you’ll be sweating more than if you actually performed “Paris” 11 consecutive times onstage. (SPIN)
Along with Hicks, “N*ggas In Paris” has been performed by other artists including Maybach Music Group’s Meek Mill and R&B singer Robin Thicke.
Hey guys, you heard this awesome new song called “N*ggas in Paris”? It’s got Kanye and Jay-Z and Blades of Glory samples and some word that nobody’s ever used before and the beat has the ability to make normally sane people to absolutely weird and unconscionable things. Well, if you have heard it, apparently you’re not alone–everyone from R&B singer Robin Thicke to hip-hop superproducer Timbaland to Philly rapper Meek Mill to some random over-enthusiastic dude on the subway has been performing it recently. Plaintively singing the song’s outro lyrics, unnecessarily inserting beatboxing between bars of it, or just shouting it as loud as humanly possible–the song is good enough to sound awesome in just about any capacity. (Pop Dust)
Check out Terrane Hicks’ “N*ggas In Paris” subway performance below:
