"Whoomp! (There It Is)" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Tag Team | ||||
from the album Whoomp! (There It Is) | ||||
Released | May 7, 1993 | |||
Recorded | October 1992 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:45 | |||
Label | Life | |||
Songwriter(s) | Stephen Gibson and Cecil Glenn (Tag Team) | |||
Producer(s) | Tag Team | |||
Tag Team singles chronology | ||||
|
"Whoomp! (There It Is)" is the debut single by American hip-hop/pop-rap duo Tag Team, released in May 1993 by label Life as the first single from their debut album by same name (1993). The song was written by members Cecil "DC the Brain Supreme" Glenn and Steve "Rolln" Gibson,[ citation needed ] and reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot R&B chart, as well as No. 2 on both the Billboard Hot 100 [1] [2] [3] and the Cash Box Top 100. "Whoomp!" reached multi-platinum status and broke records for the number of consecutive weeks in the Billboard top 10. [4] Tag Team is considered a one-hit wonder, as their subsequent singles did not find the same success. "Whoomp!" has remained a pop culture staple with multiple placements in film, television, and advertisements. The song has also endured as a mainstay at sporting and arena events.[ citation needed ] In 2024, Billboard ranked "Whoomp! (There It Is)" number 14 in their "The 100 Greatest Jock Jams of All Time". [5]
Tag Team recorded "Whoomp! (There It Is)" in October 1992. At that time, Glenn was working as the main DJ at Magic City, an Atlanta gentlemen's club that would later become recognized as a hub for the emerging Atlanta hip-hop and rap music scene. [6] [7] The song sampled a synthesizer line from the 1980 Italo disco hit "I'm Ready" by Kano. Glenn played the track at Magic City on the same day it was mixed and received a positive reaction from the audience. In the following months, people requested the song so often that it became clear to Glenn that he had a potential hit.
Tag Team shopped the single to multiple labels hoping to get a record deal but were constantly rejected because many executives were unfamiliar with southern bass and felt it was too controversial and provocative for the single to have any chance at mainstream success. In a last-ditch effort, Glenn borrowed $2,500 from his parents to press eight hundred records. The singles quickly sold out in Atlanta on word of mouth alone. [6]
A representative from Mercury Records suggested that Tag Team should pitch their song to former Stax Records mogul Al Bell, the founder of struggling independent label Bellmark Records. Glenn reached out to Bell, who agreed to sign Tag Team without even hearing the song. Bell reportedly told Glenn, "I don’t need to hear the record. I hear it in your spirit." [8]
The song was praised by critics for its positive and uplifting tone at a time when rap music was associated with violence, crime, and political militancy. [9] Within months of its release, "Whoomp!" reached the top position on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart. [2] The record held the #2 spot on the Hot 100 [3] for seven consecutive weeks and reached platinum status. In February 1994, it received its fourth platinum certification. [10]
"Whoomp! (There It Is)" received an award in the category for "Best Rap 12-inch" at the 1994 WMC International Dance Music Awards in the US. [11] It was rated #97 in VH1's 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders. The song is listed at #58 on "Billboard's Greatest Songs of all time". [12] "Whoomp" has been called "da bomb party song" of the 1990s by Atlanta magazine and "among the country's most commercially successful singles of all time." [7] [13] [14] In February 2024, Billboard ranked it number 14 in their "The 100 Greatest Jock Jams of All Time". [5]
The hit song spent one week at #1 on the US Billboard R&B chart in 1993. On the Billboard Hot 100 dated July 10, "Whoomp! (There It Is)" reached a new peak at number two, sandwiched between Janet Jackson's "That's the Way Love Goes" above and UB40's "Can't Help Falling in Love" beneath - all three songs ended up next to each other at the Year-End edition of the chart, occupying exactly the same positions, albeit in slightly different orders. It eventually spent seven weeks at #2 in September through October 1993 [15] on the Billboard Hot 100, but was kept out of the top slot by "Can't Help Falling in Love" and Mariah Carey's "Dreamlover". The single is certified 4× Platinum in the US for shipments of over 4,000,000 copies and, despite never reaching number one on the pop chart, the song spent 24 non-consecutive weeks in the top ten becoming the longest running top ten song of all time until Toni Braxton’s “Un-Break My Heart” spent a week longer in 1997. It was ranked the second biggest song of 1993, behind Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You". It has sold over 3.5 million copies in the United States. [4]
A similar song, "Whoot, There It Is", was released by the Miami-based group 95 South a month prior to Tag Team's "Whoomp!" [16] Both groups' record companies maintained that the similarities were a coincidence, as the phrase, "Whoomp (or whoot), there it is", was a common expression used by dancers in Atlanta and Miami nightclubs that members from both groups frequented. [16] Arsenio Hall hosted both groups on his television show to perform their versions of the songs and let viewers vote on their favorite by calling a 900 number to donate money to the relief effort for the 1993 Midwest floods. [17] The phrase "Whoomp! There it is!" has come to mean something similar to "Look at that!". It is intended to encourage "positive partying". [18] [16] [7] Tag Team has explained that the phrase refers to "anything that one agrees with on a positive level." [16]
Decades later, 95 South has maintained that the similarity of songs was not a coincidence, and that "Whoot, There It Is" was stolen by Tag Team. [19]
The accompanying music video for the song features a large outdoor party. It was filmed at an Atlanta fairground and shows the duo riding a carousel. Extras were recruited by word-of-mouth and also by an announcement on a local radio station. More than a thousand extras showed up for the shoot. [20]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
End of decade charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [47] | 4× Platinum | 4,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Within a year of the release of "Whoomp! (There It Is)", Tag Team remixed the backing music with a version of the theme song from the original Addams Family television series to create the song "Addams Family (Whoomp!)" for the film Addams Family Values . Actors Christina Ricci and Jimmy Workman reprised their film roles as Wednesday Addams and Pugsley Addams (respectively) for the song's music video. This version appears as the closing track on the soundtrack album. "Addams Family (Whoomp!)" won the 1994 Razzie Award (Worst Original Song) for its writers (Ralph Sall, Stephen Gibson and Cecil Glenn). [48]
"Whoomp! (There It Is)" has been played or referenced in dozens of films, TV shows, and advertisements. Some of the song's most notable placements in film include Elf , D2: The Mighty Ducks , Rio , and Addams Family Values . [49] The song is also referenced in episode titles of Martin , The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , Regular Show , and The Secret Life of the American Teenager . [50] [51] It is also widely considered one of the top songs of all time for sporting events and has been included among MLB's top walk-up songs and the NBA's biggest arena anthems. [52] [53] [54]
More recently, a variant of the lyric was created by Vancouver Canucks fans to laud the popularity of the (at the time) recently-hired coach Bruce Boudreau, with a "Bruce, there it is!" chant during hockey games, beginning in December 2021. [55]
The Chicago Cubs play the song whenever they hit a home run.
"Whoomph! (There It Is)" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Clock | ||||
from the album It's Time... | ||||
Released | June 19, 1995 [56] | |||
Genre | Eurodance | |||
Length | 3:33 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Tag Team | |||
Producer(s) | Stu Allan | |||
Clock singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Whoomph! (There It Is)" on YouTube |
In June 1995, British pop/dance act Clock released a Eurodance cover of the song titled "Whoomph! (There It Is)". The single was released by MCA and ZYX Music as their fifth single from the debut album, It's Time... (1995). It was produced by Stu Allan and peaked at No. 5 in Ireland, No. 4 in the United Kingdom, No. 14 in Finland, No. 36 in Sweden, and No. 96 in Australia.
Chart (1995) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [57] | 96 |
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) [58] | 14 |
Ireland (IRMA) [59] | 5 |
Scotland (OCC) [60] | 3 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [61] | 36 |
UK Singles (OCC) [62] | 4 |
UK Dance (OCC) [63] | 3 |
UK on a Pop Tip Club Chart ( Music Week ) [64] | 2 |
In 2001, UK garage producer BM Dubs (Andrew Kirby) released a version credited as BM Dubs presents Mr. Rumble featuring Brasstooth and Kee. It is based on Mr. Rumble's "Whoops.... We'll Be in Trouble!" from 2000, in which this version directly samples the vocals from Tag Team's "Whoomp! (There It Is)", whereas BM Dubs' 2001 version is a cover with vocals by Kee. It samples the Timo Maas remix of "Dooms Night" by Azzido Da Bass and reached No. 32 on the UK Singles Chart [65] and No. 4 on the UK Dance Singles Chart [66] in March 2001.
In December 2020, the GEICO insurance company used a parody of "Whoomp! (There It Is)" and the members of Tag Team as the punchline to a joke in a commercial. It featured Glenn and Gibson replacing the lyrics of the song with lyrics about ice cream, turning the lyric to "Scoop! (There It Is)". While the song had been used in advertisements previously, this was the first time the members appeared in a spot. [67] [68]
Bellmark Records was a small American independent record label, based in Los Angeles, California. It was formed in 1989 by Al Bell, who was one of the driving forces behind Stax Records, having been its chairman and CEO, and who had also been president of Motown Records. The company's name was derived from the phrase "Al Bell Marketing". Initially, Bellmark's records were distributed by CEMA, but the company switched to independent distribution in 1991.
Tag Team is an American hip-hop/pop-rap duo residing in Atlanta, Georgia. They are known almost solely for their 1993 single "Whoomp! ", which appeared in numerous advertisements, films, and television series. The duo is made up of Cecil Glenn and Steve Gibson.
"Jump Around" is a song by American hip hop group House of Pain, produced by DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill, who has also covered the song, and was released in May 1992 by Tommy Boy and XL as the first single from their debut album, House of Pain (1992). The song became a hit, reaching number three in the United States. A 1993 re-release of the song in the United Kingdom, where the initial release had been a minor hit, peaked at number eight. Its music video was filmed in New York City, featuring footage from the 1992 Saint Patrick's Day parade.
"California Love" is a song by American rapper 2Pac featuring fellow American rapper and producer Dr. Dre. The song was released as 2Pac's comeback single after his release from prison in 1995 and was his first single as the newest artist of Death Row Records. The original version is featured on the UK version of his fourth album, All Eyez on Me (1996), and is one of 2Pac's most widely known and most successful singles. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks and also topped the charts of Italy, New Zealand, and Sweden. The song was posthumously nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1997.
"C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)" is a song by American Florida-based musical group Quad City DJ's, released in February 1996 as a single from their debut album, Get On Up and Dance (1996). It is based on a sample of Barry White's 1974 main theme from soundtrack to the film Together Brothers. The song peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top 40 in Australia and New Zealand. It was ranked the number-one song of 1996 by Village Voice magazine, and in 2010, Pitchfork Media included the song as one of their "Ten Actually Good 90s Jock Jams". In 2022, Rolling Stone ranked it number 86 in their list of "200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time". The song is also used in a wide variety of sports events.
"Drop It Like It's Hot" is a song by American rapper Snoop Dogg, featuring American singer, rapper and musician Pharrell Williams. It was released on September 27, 2004, as the lead single from Snoop Dogg's seventh studio album, R&G : The Masterpiece (2004). The song was produced by Williams alongside Chad Hugo as the Neptunes. It is regarded as an iconic song, with Snoop performing the chorus and the second and third verses while Pharrell performs the first verse.
"Family Affair" is a 1971 number-one hit single recorded by Sly and the Family Stone for the Epic Records label. Their first new material since the double A-sided single "Thank You "/ "Everybody Is a Star" nearly two years prior, "Family Affair" became the third and final number-one pop single for the band. In 2021, Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song 57th on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The cover version by John Legend, Joss Stone, and Van Hunt, won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at 49th Annual Grammy Awards.
"I'm Every Woman" is a song by American singer Chaka Khan, released in September 1978 by Warner Bros. as her debut solo single from her first album, Chaka (1978). It was Khan's first hit outside her recordings with the funk band Rufus. "I'm Every Woman" was produced by Arif Mardin and written by the successful songwriting team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. The single established Chaka's career outside the group Rufus, whom she would leave after their eighth studio album, Masterjam, was released in late 1979.
"Come Baby Come" is a song by American rapper K7 featuring vocals by Camille, released by Tommy Boy Records as the first single from the rapper's debut album, Swing Batta Swing (1993). The song peaked at numbers 18 and 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100 in December 1993, and number three on the UK Singles Chart in January 1994. It was produced by Joey Gardner and received positive reviews from music critics. The song was also certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on November 17, 1993. The accompanying music video was directed by Hype Williams and filmed in Jersey City, New Jersey.
"Lose Control" is a song by American rapper Missy Elliott featuring American singer Ciara and American hip hop artist Fatman Scoop. It was released as the lead single from Elliott's sixth studio album, The Cookbook, on May 23, 2005. It contains samples from Hot Streak's "Body Work" and Cybotron's "Clear". The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, number two in New Zealand, and in the top thirty in various countries.
"Here Comes the Hotstepper" is a song co-written and recorded by Jamaican dancehall artist Ini Kamoze. It was released in 1994 by Columbia Records as the lead single from his 1995 album of the same name as well as the soundtrack to the film Prêt-à-Porter. It is known for its "naaaa na na na naaaa..." chorus inspired by the Cannibal and the Headhunters version of "Land of 1000 Dances".
"Who Am I? " is the debut solo single by American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg, released on November 11, 1993, as the debut single from his first album, Doggystyle (1993), with the record labels Death Row and Interscope Records. The song, produced by Dr. Dre, features samples and interpolations from George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" in its chorus and throughout, the bass line from Funkadelic's "(Not Just) Knee Deep," and an interpolation from Parliament's "Give Up the Funk " in its bridge. The song contains additional vocals by Jewell and Edward Tony Green, and its intro contains a sample from the Counts' "Pack of Lies." A vocal sample from Parliament's "P. Funk " can be heard throughout. The accompanying music video was directed by Fab Five Freddy.
"Informer" is a song by Canadian reggae musician Snow, released in August 1992 by East West Records as the first single from his debut album, 12 Inches of Snow (1993). The song is well known for the line "a licky boom boom down" and for Snow's fast toasting and often unintelligible lyrics.
"Hip Hop Hooray" is a song by American hip hop group, Naughty by Nature, released in December 1992 by Tommy Boy Records as the first single from their third album, 19 Naughty III (1993). The song spent one week at number one on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. It contains samples from "Funky President" by James Brown, "Don't Change Your Love" by Five Stairsteps, "Make Me Say it Again, Girl" by Isley Brothers, "You Can't Turn Me Away" by Sylvia Striplin and "Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel. Pete Rock made a remix that samples Cannonball Adderley's "74 Miles Away". It was certified Platinum by the RIAA and has sold over 1,100,000 copies in the United States. The music video for "Hip Hop Hooray" was directed by Spike Lee and filmed in Brooklyn, New York City.
Whoomp! is the debut studio album by American rap duo Tag Team. It was released on July 8, 1993, via Bellmark/Life Records. The recording sessions took place at McMix Production Services, in Atlanta. The album was produced by members Steve Roll'n and DC the Brain Supreme.
"Mr. Wendal" is a song by American rap group Arrested Development from their debut album, 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of... (1992). In Europe and Australia, it was issued as a double A-side with their following single, "Revolution" and released in December 1992 by EMI and Chrysalis. In the United States, the song peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100, selling 500,000 copies and earning a gold certification. Worldwide, it reached the top 10 in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The song's music video was directed by Keith Ward and received a nomination at the 1994 Soul Train Music Awards.
"Whoot, There It Is" is the lead single released from 95 South's debut album, Quad City Knock. It was produced and written by C.C. Lemonhead and Jay Ski, the production duo who were responsible for several other popular Miami bass acts including the 69 Boyz, Quad City DJs and Dis-n-Dat. The Bass Mechanics also produced, "Whoot, Here It Is", released by Dis-n-Dat.
"I'll Be Missing You" is a song by American rapper Puff Daddy and American singer Faith Evans, featuring R&B group 112, in memory of fellow Bad Boy Records artist Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace, who was murdered on March 9, 1997. Released as the second single from Puff Daddy and the Family's debut album, No Way Out (1997), "I'll Be Missing You" samples The Police's 1983 hit song "Every Breath You Take" with an interpolated chorus sung by Evans and interpolated rhythm. The song also interpolates the 1929 Albert E. Brumley hymn "I'll Fly Away" and features a spoken intro over a choral version of Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings".
"Whole Lotta Choppas" is a song by American rapper Sada Baby. It was released on August 14, 2020, through Asylum Records, as the lead single from his upcoming debut album. The song quickly garnered popularity on the video-sharing app TikTok and became Sada Baby's first charting song. It samples Tag Team's 1993 single, "Whoomp! ". A remix featuring Nicki Minaj was released on October 16, 2020, with critical praise aimed at her appearance. The remix propelled the song to a new peak of number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100.