Harlem Shake redux redux redux redux, with video
…so popular?
Even though I was born 3 blocks from the southern boundary of Harlem, even though I attended college in Harlem, even though I’m a radio dj who plays blues, jazz, roots music, much of which emanates from artists with Harlem connections, I was the LAST person in the western hemisphere to learn about the Harlem Shake viral craze.
So, I’m here to make it right.
It all started for me with a link from a Canadian. Can you imagine the mortification: an almost-Harlem native informed about the Harlem Shake by a Canadian! Hank was letting me know that our colleagues at Vermont Public Radio had produced a VPR version of the Harlem Shake. I worried that this might be a bit, hmm, insensitive racially considering the overwhelmingly white audience and population in Vermont. Oh boy. Was I out of it or what?
Well, I’m going to take all of you through the history of the Harlem Shake, thanks to a great article in today’s NY Times. Here’s a very short video clip of the earliest days of the Harlem Shake, back in the ’80s:
http://youtu.be/ftA5FbNRSRY
Right up to a recent Two Way blog entry on npr.org from Mark Memmott, complete with a video of the Shake being done on a commercial flight (FAA may be reprimanding flight crew).
Finally, here’s an instructional video, in case you think your Harlem Shake chops need a little upgrade:
So, was I the only one out of the Harlem Shake loop? Is there some other “everyone knows about this” thing that you found yourself left out of? Want to share?
As one who, ahem, with the most guarded temperance, of course, visits HuffPo on a daily basis, I’ll acknowledge knowing about Harlem Shake. I’m also exposed regularly to the cutting edge in matters emanating from the side-boob subculture, the popular actions of our dumbest criminals, and adoption pleas for the country’s cutest orphaned pit bulls. I’m on top of all that stuff.
That came off as an implied criticism of everything presented on HuffPo. Not what I meant. There are stories with cultural significance on that site.
Look out, Bob, I’m going to hire you as a pop culture consultant.
…which would soon become known as one of the century’s monumental public radio mismatches!