My Boo (Ghost Town DJ's song)

"My Boo"
Single by Ghost Town DJ's
from the album So So Def Bass All-Stars
Released May 26, 1996 (1996-05-26)
Format
Recorded 1995
Genre
Length
  • 5:46 (album version)
  • 4:09 (radio edit)
Label
Writer(s)
Producer(s)
Music video
"My Boo" on YouTube

"My Boo" is the only single released by the Atlanta-based hip hop group Ghost Town DJ's. It was released on Jermaine Dupri's So So Def label and Columbia Records, on the compilation album So So Def Bass All-Stars. The song, an invite by a female to a male, blends R&B-style vocals over a hip hop beat. It was written by Carlton Mahone, Rodney Terry and Lil Jon, with lead vocals sung by Virgo Williams. The song peaked at #31 on the Billboard Hot 100 on its initial release in 1996. In 2016, the song re-popularized by the "Running Man Challenge" and re-entered the Hot 100 giving it a new peak of #27 twenty years after its original release.

Background

Virgo Williams was working on becoming a solo artist, and she was originally intended to provide background vocals for My Boo for another artist named Akema, but she was not able to work with the song, and it was decided that Williams' version of the song was better and Williams' vocals became the lead vocals. Lil Jon was an A&R Director for So So Def at the time, and oversaw the production of the song. He was also the executive producer of the song, but could not take credit for the production because of his job position. Terry also produced it, and it was the second version of the beat currently used in the song.[1]

Music video

The music video features a pool party. The group does not appear in the video.[2]

Commercial performance

"My Boo" entered the Billboard charts on the issue dated June 15, 1996 with its number 71 debut on the Hot R&B Airplay chart, with early airplay concentrated at Southern R&B radio stations.[3] Three weeks later, following its commercial release as a vinyl 12-inch single, it entered the Hot R&B Singles and Hot 100 charts at numbers 41 and 65, respectively.[4][5] On the latter chart, where it was the highest-ranking debut of the week, nearly 85% of the single's chart points were derived from airplay, with its vinyl-only release precluding a larger contribution from sales.[5] Though it was ultimately never released domestically in the more popular cassette and CD configurations,[6][7] the single managed to peak at numbers 18 and 31 on Hot R&B Singles and the Hot 100, respectively.[8] The song was especially popular at rhythmic radio stations, peaking at number 2 on the Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover chart.[9]

Nearly twenty years after the song's original chart run, a resurgence in its popularity driven by the Running Man Challenge viral meme prompted its re-entry on the charts dated May 21, 2016.[10][11] On the strength of 35,000 digital download sales and 12.3 million domestic streams, "My Boo" re-entered the R&B chart, which had long since been renamed Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, at number 14, and the Hot 100 at number 29, surpassing the single's initial peaks on both charts.[8] It subsequently peaked at numbers 10 and 27, respectively.[12][13]

Remixes

In the 2004 song "I Wanna Be Your Lady" from Cam'ron & The Diplomats' second album together on Diplomatic Immunity 2, the song was interpolated. In 2007, the song was interpolated on Pitbull and Lloyd's "Secret Admirer". In 2009, the song was sampled in the So So Def Mix of "H.A.T.E.U." by Mariah Carey. A slowed down witch house remix was released by Balam Acab[14] in 2011. Interpolations of the song are featured in Ciara's 2013 single "Body Party".

Cover versions

Brooklyn-based band Friends released a cover of "My Boo" as the B-side to their single "I'm His Girl", released on October 31, 2011.[15]

Running Man Challenge

Twenty years after its initial release, "My Boo" gained notoriety through the Running Man Challenge, a viral meme in which participants filmed and shared short clips of themselves performing a dance resembling running to the song. The original videos were posted on Vine by Kevin Vincent and Jeremiah Hall, high school students in Hillside, New Jersey.[16] Inspired by Vincent and Hall's video, two players from the University of Maryland Terrapins college basketball program, Jared Nickens and Jaylen Brantley,[17] filmed their own versions of the Running Man Challenge, spreading the meme.[18]

The challenge went viral on Vine, and Vincent, Hall, Nickens and Brantley were invited to perform it on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.[19] Many other athletes from various sports, a number of celebrities and the general public have embraced the trend and produced their own takes of the dance.[20][21]

Track listing

Maxi CD single (US [promo only] & Europe)
  1. "My Boo" (LP Radio Edit) – 4:09
  2. "My Boo" (Quiet Storm Radio Edit) – 4:04
    • Remix by Carlton "Carl Mo" Mahone, Jr.*, Jonathan "Lil Jon" Smith
  3. "My Boo" (Hitman's Club Mix) – 7:07
    • Remix by Mike "Hitman" Wilson
12" vinyl (US)
  1. "My Boo" (LP Version) – 5:47
  2. "My Boo" (Just Da Beat Club Mix) – 6:25
  3. "My Boo" (Quiet Storm Mix) – 4:04
    • Remix by Carlton "Carl Mo" Mahone, Jr.*, Jonathan "Lil Jon" Smith
  4. "My Boo" (Hitman's Club Mix) – 7:07
    • Remix by Mike "Hitman" Wilson
  5. "My Boo" (Armand Representing Da East Mix) – 7:23
  6. "My Boo" (Acapella) – 4:27
12" vinyl (Europe)
  1. "My Boo" (LP Radio Edit) – 4:09
  2. "My Boo" (Quiet Storm Radio Edit) – 4:04
    • Remix by Carlton "Carl Mo" Mahone, Jr.*, Jonathan "Lil Jon" Smith
  3. "My Boo" (Hitman's Club Mix) – 7:07
    • Remix by Mike "Hitman" Wilson
  4. "My Boo" (LP Radio Edit) – 4:09
  5. "My Boo" (Quiet Storm Radio Edit) – 4:04
    • Remix by Carlton "Carl Mo" Mahone, Jr.*, Jonathan "Lil Jon" Smith
  6. "My Boo" (Hitman's Club Mix) – 7:07
    • Remix by Mike "Hitman" Wilson

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (1996–97) Peak
position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[22] 3
US Billboard Hot 100[7] 31
US Hot 100 Airplay (Billboard)[23] 13
US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard)[6] 18
US Hot R&B Airplay (Billboard)[24] 8
US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)[25] 16
US Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover (Billboard)[9] 2
US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)[26] 7
Chart (2016) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[27] 26
France (SNEP)[28] 157
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[29] 25
US Billboard Hot 100[13] 27
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[12] 10

Year-end charts

Chart (1996) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[30] 88
US Hot 100 Airplay (Billboard)[31] 44
US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard)[32] 60
US Hot R&B Airplay (Billboard)[33] 28
US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)[34] 22

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[35] Gold 0*

References

  1. 1 2 "Heard and Unseen: The Oral History of Ghost Town DJ's 'My Boo' - SPIN". 26 May 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  2. ↑ Weiner, Natalie (May 16, 2016). "Ballin' Out Podcast: The Ghost Town DJs (and the College Hoopsters Who Brought Them Back to the Hot 100) Talk 'My Boo', 20 Years Later". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  3. ↑ Sandiford-Waller, Theda (June 15, 1996). "Theda Sandiford-Waller's Rhythm Section". Billboard. BPI Communications. 108 (24): 28. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Hot R&B Singles". Billboard. BPI Communications. 108 (27): 22. July 6, 1996. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  5. 1 2 McKenna, Jerry (July 6, 1996). "Hot 100 Singles Spotlight". Billboard. BPI Communications. 108 (27): 103. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Hot R&B Singles". Billboard. BPI Communications. 108 (52): 32. December 28, 1996. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  7. 1 2 "Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. BPI Communications. 109 (5): 78. February 1, 1997. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  8. 1 2 Mendizabal, Amaya (May 11, 2016). "Ghost Town DJ's' 1996 Hit 'My Boo' Reaches New Hot 100 High Thanks to Viral Dance Video". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
  9. 1 2 "Ghost Town DJ's – Chart history" Billboard Rhythmic Songs for Ghost Town DJ's. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  10. ↑ "The Hot 100: The Week of May 21, 2016". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: The Week of May 21, 2016". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  12. 1 2 "Ghost Town DJ's – Chart history" Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Ghost Town DJ's. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  13. 1 2 "Ghost Town DJ's – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Ghost Town DJ's. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  14. ↑ ""My Boo (Balam Acab Remix)" - Forkcast Archive - Pitchfork". Pitchfork.
  15. ↑ "Friends – "My Boo" (Ghost Town DJ's Cover)". 2011-09-21. Retrieved 2016-07-20.
  16. ↑ Laird, Sam. "The originators of 'The Running Man Challenge' are two awesome high school kids". Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  17. ↑ "Maryland's Jaylen Brantley, Jared Nickens bring Running Man Challenge to 'Ellen DeGeneres Show'". Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  18. ↑ "How a forgotten '90s dance hit made these Terps Internet famous". Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  19. ↑ Swalec, Andrea (4 May 2016). "Terps Do 'Running Man Challenge' on 'Ellen' Show". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  20. ↑ Steinberg, Dan. "How a forgotten '90s dance hit made these Terps Internet famous". Washington Post. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  21. ↑ Ducey, Kenny. "The Running Man Challenge died too soon". www.si.com. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  22. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Ghost Town DJ's – My Boo". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Ghost Town DJ's – Chart history" Billboard Radio Songs for Ghost Town DJ's. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Ghost Town DJ's – Chart history" Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay for Ghost Town DJ's. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Ghost Town DJ's – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Ghost Town DJ's. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Ghost Town DJ's – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  27. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Ghost Town DJ's – My Boo". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  28. ↑ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés - SNEP (Week 20, 2016)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  29. ↑ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. May 16, 2016. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
  30. ↑ "The Year in Music: Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. BPI Communications. 108 (52): YE-32. December 28, 1996. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  31. ↑ "The Year in Music: Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. BPI Communications. 108 (52): YE-36. December 28, 1996. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  32. ↑ "The Year in Music: R&B". Billboard. BPI Communications. 108 (52): YE-40. December 28, 1996. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  33. ↑ "The Year in Music: R&B". Billboard. BPI Communications. 108 (52): YE-42. December 28, 1996. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  34. ↑ "The Year in Music: Dance". Billboard. BPI Communications. 108 (52): YE-45. December 28, 1996. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  35. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Ghost Town DJ's – My Boo". Recorded Music NZ.
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