Rump Shaker (song)

This article is about the song by Wreckx-n-Effect. For the Beastie Boys song, see Paul's Boutique.

"Rump Shaker"
Single by Wreckx-n-Effect
from the album Hard or Smooth
Released	August 25, 1992
Recorded	April–May 1992
Genre	Hip hop new jack swing
Length	5:13
Label	MCA
Songwriter(s)	Aqil Davidson Teddy Riley Pharrell Williams David Wynn Anton Hollins Darren Callis
Producer(s)	David Wynn Teddy Riley Ty Fyffe Aqil Davidson Markell Riley
Wreckx-n-Effect singles chronology
"New Jack Swing" (1989) "Rump Shaker" (1992) "Knock-N-Boots" (1993)
Music video
"Rump Shaker" on YouTube

"Rump Shaker" is a song by American hip-hop group Wreckx-N-Effect. It was released in August 1992 by MCA Records as the lead single from their second album, Hard or Smooth (1992). It features production and guest vocals from Teddy Riley, brother of former Wreckx member Markell Riley. Due to the massive success of Whitney Houston's version of "I Will Always Love You," the song did not advance further than No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks charts. Nevertheless, it peaked at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Singles, and No. 9 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play charts.

The chorus of the 2008 single, "Paper Planes" by British musician M.I.A. was widely speculated to be based on the chorus,^[1][2][3] although the song's writers are not credited.

In 2024, the song appeared on co-songwriter Pharrell Williams' soundtrack album Piece by Piece (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).

Composition

"Rump Shaker" is built on a saxophone sample from the 1972 song "Darkest Light" by Lafayette Afro Rock Band and a drum sample from "Midnight Theme" by Manzel. Other samples include "Scratchin'" by the Magic Disco Machine and "Blues and Pants" by James Brown (the vocal "come on!"). Riley's "Rump Shaker (Teddy 2)" remix adds a bass and piano sample from "Blind Alley" by The Emotions as well as a vocal sample from "Stop, Look, Listen" by MC Lyte. Additionally, Teddy Riley's verse includes an allusion to the 1982 song "I Like It" by DeBarge, with the lines, "I like the way you comb your hair, I like the stylish clothes you wear, it's just the little things you do...".

The song opens with Teddy Riley chanting the chorus "All I wanna do is zooma-zoom-zoom-zoom and a boom-boom." Subsequent verses are rapped by Aqil Davidson, Teddy Riley, and Markell Riley. Teddy Riley's verse is notable for being written by his young protégé Pharrell Williams, later to achieve fame as a member of The Neptunes, N.E.R.D. and a solo artist. It was rumored that Pharrell, along with fellow future-Neptune Chad Hugo, contributed additional production work, but producer Ty Fyffe stated in a 2011 interview that he and Teddy Riley alone produced the song and that Pharrell's only contribution was lyrical.^[4]

Critical reception

Iestyn George from NME wrote, "Would have been a definite Single of the Week contender if it weren't for the crass lyric. 'Rump Shaker' is a magnificently sleazy hip-hop groove co-written by Teddy Riley, the man to blame for inventing swingbeat. One for low-slung groovers everywhere."^[5]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Rump Shaker", depicting Wreckx-N-Effect and Riley hosting a party at Virginia Beach, received criticism for its alleged exploitation of women in bikinis. The video was banned from MTV.^[6]

Track listing

A-side

1. "Rump Shaker" (Radio Remix) – 4:34
2. "Rump Shaker" (Bonus Beat) – 5:55
3. "Rump Shaker" (Percapella) – 3:19

B-side

1. "Rump Shaker" (Radio Mix) – 3:56
2. "Rump Shaker" (Teddy 2) – 6:00
3. "Rump Shaker" (Dub) – 6:00

Charts

Weekly charts Charts (1992–1993) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[7] 10 Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[8] 1 Europe (European Dance Radio)[9] 5 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[10] 8 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] 70 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12] 11 UK Singles (OCC)[13] 24 UK Dance (OCC)[14] 25 UK Dance (Music Week)[15] 25 UK Club Chart (Music Week)[16] 23 US Billboard Hot 100[17] 2 US Hot Dance Music/Club Play Singles (Billboard)[17] 9 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard)[17] 2 US Hot Rap Singles (Billboard)[17] 1 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[17] 2

Year-end charts Chart (1993) Position Australia (ARIA)[18] 51 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[19] 44 US Billboard Hot 100[20] 9 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[21] 10 Decade-end charts Chart (1990–99) Position US Billboard Hot 100[22] 92

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[18]	Gold	35,000^^
United States (RIAA)[23]	2× Platinum	2,000,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Grandy, Eric (2007-11-14). "M.I.A.'s radical rump shaking". The Stranger. Index Newspapers. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
2. Kellman, Andy. "Kala review". AllMusic.
3. Keefe, Jonathan (August 20, 2007). "Kala review". Slant Magazine.
4. 1
5. George, Iestyn (1992-11-28). "Singles". NME. p. 16. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
6. TEDDY RILEY and WRECKX-N-EFFECT : Shakin' Their Moneymakers LA Times
7. "Wreckx-N-Effect – Rump Shttps://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/1996-11-16/haker". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
8. Canadian dance peak
9. "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 7. 1993-02-13. p. 8. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
10. "Wreckx-N-Effect — Rump Shaker" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
11. "Wreckx-N-Effect – Rump Shaker" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
12. "Wreckx-N-Effect – Rump Shaker". Top 40 Singles.
13. "Wreckx-N-Effect: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
14. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
15. "Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 1994-08-13. p. 26. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
16. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 1994-07-09. p. 4. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
17. "Wreckx-N-Effect". AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
18. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 306.
19. "End of Year Charts 1993". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
20. "Billboard Top 100 - 1993". Retrieved August 27, 2010.
21. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1993". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
22. Mayfield, Geoff (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade - The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
23. "American single certifications – Wreckx 'N' Effect – Rump Shaker". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 1, 2023.

External links

• On the Continuing Resonance of "Rump Shaker" (Blog from "The Village Voice")