Gettin' Jiggy Wit It
Encyclopedia
"Gettin' Jiggy wit It" is a single
by Will Smith
from his album Big Willie Style
. Released in early 1998 and co-written by Nas
, it was Smith's first hit produced by Poke & Tone, who replaced his long-time partner Jazzy Jeff
, though the record-scratching techniques of Jazzy Jeff can be heard in the song. The record spent three weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100
chart from March 14, 1998. This song also won a Grammy Award
in 1999 for the Best Rap Solo Performance
.
It was ranked the 68th greatest song of the 1990s by VH1
. "Gettin' Jiggy wit It" Hit Number 1 on March 11, 1998. However, it was ranked at #19 on the list of AOL Radio
's 100 Worst Songs Ever in 2010
song "He's the Greatest Dancer
" and The Bar-Kays song "Sang and Dance". The line "since I moved up like George and Weezie" is a reference to the TV show The Jeffersons
as well as the show's theme song, "Movin' On Up" by Ja'net Dubois. The "mama-uh, mama-uh, mama come closer" line is a reference to the song Soul Makossa
by Manu Dibango
(specifically the version adapted by Michael Jackson
in Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
's final bridge).
The connotations associated with the expression getting jiggy were heavily influenced by this single. The term went from being used to acclaim one's fashion or style towards being synonymous with dancing, and eventually back to the original association with sexual connotations. Will Smith has attested in an interview that his inspiration to alter the meaning for the purpose of the song came from his association of the term "jiggy" with "jigaboo", a derogatory term for African-Americans, which made the literal meaning of the title "getting African-American with it" and which was meant to reference the popular folk-myth of an innate sense of rhythm
in black folks. The co-opting of a once offensive word also was racially empowering.
Two remixes produced by Jermaine Dupri surfaced. The first version uses the same lyrics from the album and features a female chorus (available on a CD Single). The second version contains brand new lyrics by Will Smith with guest raps by Big Pun
, R.O.C. & Cam'ron
, with additional vocals by Jermaine Dupri
. Version 2 is now available only at the iTunes Music Store.
DJ Screw
created a "Chopped and Screwed
" version of the song. Jam band Phish
covered the song on their 1999 album Hampton Comes Alive
. The song was also included in ESPN
's compilation album Jock Jams, Volume 4.
and was filmed at various hotels on the Las Vegas Strip
, including the New York-New York Hotel & Casino
, The Mirage
, and the foyer of the Luxor Hotel
.
Gettin' Jiggy wit It won the 1998 MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video. The song was also nominated for four additional awards, including Best Choreography, Viewer's Choice
, Best Dance Video, and Video of the Year
, but these further nominations to were lost to Madonna
for her song Ray of Light
'.
The video for the 2006 internet sensation "Chacarron Macarron" by El Chombo
contains similar elements to the "Jiggy" video, including Smith's shiny-blue sweatsuit, floral-print suitjacket and the actual "Jiggy" dance itself.
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
by Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
from his album Big Willie Style
Big Willie Style
Big Willie Style is the first solo studio album recorded by Will Smith, after spending most of his career as the latter half of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince...
. Released in early 1998 and co-written by Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
, it was Smith's first hit produced by Poke & Tone, who replaced his long-time partner Jazzy Jeff
DJ Jazzy Jeff
Jeffrey Allen Townes , also known as DJ Jazzy Jeff or simply Jazz, is an American hip hop, R&B record producer, turntablist and actor. He is best known for his early career with Will Smith as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince...
, though the record-scratching techniques of Jazzy Jeff can be heard in the song. The record spent three weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart from March 14, 1998. This song also won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
in 1999 for the Best Rap Solo Performance
Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance was awarded from 1991 to 2011, alongside the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance....
.
It was ranked the 68th greatest song of the 1990s by VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
. "Gettin' Jiggy wit It" Hit Number 1 on March 11, 1998. However, it was ranked at #19 on the list of AOL Radio
AOL Radio
AOL Radio powered by Slacker, , is an online radio service available only in the United States.- Roots :...
's 100 Worst Songs Ever in 2010
Composition
The song samples the Sister SledgeSister Sledge
Sister Sledge is an American musical group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed in 1972 and consisting of four sisters: Kim Sledge Debbie Sledge , Joni Sledge , and Kathy Sledge . They are granddaughters of the former opera singer Viola Williams. The sisters used to perform under the name of "Mrs...
song "He's the Greatest Dancer
He's the Greatest Dancer
"He's the Greatest Dancer" is a disco song written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers and recorded by Sister Sledge for their 1979 breakout album We Are Family ....
" and The Bar-Kays song "Sang and Dance". The line "since I moved up like George and Weezie" is a reference to the TV show The Jeffersons
The Jeffersons
The Jeffersons is an American sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, through June 25, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. The show was produced by the T.A.T. Communications Company from 1975–1982 and by Embassy Television from 1982-1985...
as well as the show's theme song, "Movin' On Up" by Ja'net Dubois. The "mama-uh, mama-uh, mama come closer" line is a reference to the song Soul Makossa
Soul Makossa
"Soul Makossa" is a 1972 single by Cameroonian makossa saxophonist Manu Dibango. It is often cited as one of the first disco records. In 1972 David Mancuso found a copy in a Brooklyn West Indian record store and often played it at his Loft parties. The response was so positive that the few copies...
by Manu Dibango
Manu Dibango
-External links:*...
(specifically the version adapted by Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
in Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" is a song by American songwriter and recording artist Michael Jackson. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" was released on May 8, 1983, by Epic Records as the fourth single from Jackson's sixth studio album Thriller in 1982. It is the first song on Thriller...
's final bridge).
The connotations associated with the expression getting jiggy were heavily influenced by this single. The term went from being used to acclaim one's fashion or style towards being synonymous with dancing, and eventually back to the original association with sexual connotations. Will Smith has attested in an interview that his inspiration to alter the meaning for the purpose of the song came from his association of the term "jiggy" with "jigaboo", a derogatory term for African-Americans, which made the literal meaning of the title "getting African-American with it" and which was meant to reference the popular folk-myth of an innate sense of rhythm
Rhythm
Rhythm may be generally defined as a "movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions." This general meaning of regular recurrence or pattern in time may be applied to a wide variety of cyclical natural phenomena having a periodicity or...
in black folks. The co-opting of a once offensive word also was racially empowering.
Versions of the song
- Album Version - 3:48
- Album Instrumental - 3:47
- Acappella - 3:01
- DJ Scratch Remix - 3:20
- DJ Scratch Remix Instrumental - 3:19
- So So Def Remix (Version 1) - 3:36
- So So Def Remix (Version 2) featuring Jermaine DupriJermaine DupriJermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
, Big PunBig PunChristopher Lee Rios , better known by his stage name Big Pun , was an American rapper who emerged from the underground rap scene in The Bronx in the late 1990s...
, R.O.C. & Cam'ronCam'ronCameron Giles , better known by his stage name Cam'ron or "Killa Cam", is a Grammy-nominated American actor. He is the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats , and also of The U.N. group....
- 4:17 - Jay Scratch Mix - 3:41
Two remixes produced by Jermaine Dupri surfaced. The first version uses the same lyrics from the album and features a female chorus (available on a CD Single). The second version contains brand new lyrics by Will Smith with guest raps by Big Pun
Big Pun
Christopher Lee Rios , better known by his stage name Big Pun , was an American rapper who emerged from the underground rap scene in The Bronx in the late 1990s...
, R.O.C. & Cam'ron
Cam'ron
Cameron Giles , better known by his stage name Cam'ron or "Killa Cam", is a Grammy-nominated American actor. He is the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats , and also of The U.N. group....
, with additional vocals by Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
. Version 2 is now available only at the iTunes Music Store.
DJ Screw
DJ Screw
Robert Earl "DJ Screw" Davis, Jr. was a Houston, Texas-based DJ. He was known as a central figure in the Houston hip-hop community and was the creator of the now-famous Chopped and Screwed DJ technique...
created a "Chopped and Screwed
Chopped and screwed
Chopped and screwed refers to a technique of remixing hip hop music which developed in the Houston hip hop scene in the 1990s...
" version of the song. Jam band Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
covered the song on their 1999 album Hampton Comes Alive
Hampton Comes Alive
Hampton Comes Alive is a six-disc live album by the American rock band Phish, released on November 23, 1999, by Elektra Records. It is the band's third live album and the first time complete live Phish concerts were released in their entirety...
. The song was also included in ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's compilation album Jock Jams, Volume 4.
Music video
The 1997 music video was directed by Hype WilliamsHype Williams
Harold "Hype" Williams , previously known as HYPE, is an American music video and film director of African-American and Honduran descent. His nickname "Hype" comes from his hyperactive nature as a child....
and was filmed at various hotels on the Las Vegas Strip
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
, including the New York-New York Hotel & Casino
New York-New York Hotel & Casino
New York-New York Hotel & Casino is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip at 3790 Las Vegas Boulevard South, in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International.-Description:...
, The Mirage
The Mirage
The Mirage is a 3,044 room hotel and casino resort located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States.The Mirage is connected by a free tram to Treasure Island. The marquee in front of the Mirage is the largest free standing marquee in the world.-History:The Mirage was built by...
, and the foyer of the Luxor Hotel
Luxor Hotel
Luxor Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The 30-story hotel, which is operated by MGM Resorts International, features a casino floor that includes over 2,000 slot machines and 87 table games....
.
Gettin' Jiggy wit It won the 1998 MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video. The song was also nominated for four additional awards, including Best Choreography, Viewer's Choice
MTV Video Music Award - Viewer's Choice
The MTV Video Music Award for Viewer's Choice was first awarded at the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984. The Viewer's Choice award nominees were the originally the same as the Video of the Year nominees, something which continued until 1994...
, Best Dance Video, and Video of the Year
MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year
The MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year is the main award handed out at the yearly MTV Video Music Awards. It was first awarded in , when The Cars won it, and has been given out since. Eminem has been the most nominated solo artist, male solo artist, and act in this category, having been...
, but these further nominations to were lost to Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
for her song Ray of Light
Ray of Light (song)
A high-speed electronic dance song, "Ray of Light" has received stylistic comparisons to rave, psychedelic and acid music. The track contains strong techno elements, as well as disco, trance and Eurodance influences, and it sees Madonna deepen her dance roots and go for a more electronic sound...
'.
The video for the 2006 internet sensation "Chacarron Macarron" by El Chombo
El Chombo
El Chombo, real name Rodney 'Dirty Sanchez' Clark is an American-born Panamanian producer and artist, known for his song "Chacarron Macarron"...
contains similar elements to the "Jiggy" video, including Smith's shiny-blue sweatsuit, floral-print suitjacket and the actual "Jiggy" dance itself.
Charts
| Charts | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |