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Within the span of 15 years twerking went from an average hip-hop dance to the internet’s worst kept secret. Twerking was reportedly introduced to United States in the early 90s by DJ Jubilee, who created the first recorded song using the word “twerk.” Since then it’s been popularized by the likes of New Orleans’ “Queen of Bounce,” Ms. Freedia. In the early 2000s artists like the Ying Yang Twins, Beyonce, and Ciara referenced it in their music and performances. But twerking remained a mere dance on the list of many within hip-hop culture. Things started to shift after Youtube became a playpen for camera thirsty Twerk enthusiasts.
Whether you warmed up to the provocative dance or not, there’s no question that it sparked a phenomenon in culture and fashion. Who could scroll through their Instagram feed without seeing someone wearing a T-Shirt referencing their support for twerking? Almost everyone was a twerk team captain.
Then Miley Cyrus started twerking—first on random Youtube clips, then during her infamous performance with Robin Thicke during the MTV Video Music Awards. The next morning every news outlet was talking about it. For those like Ms. Freedia, Miley killed a bit of the Twerk spirit. She made it uncool. She exposed it to the world, and without even getting the moves right, according to Freedia.
So I would guess that the Salvation Army and Goodwill are overstocked with twerk t-shirts since the craze has fizzled a bit. Surely people have donated or discarded them. Or if you have one, it’s likely become one of the old rags you wear around the house. Maybe your significant other still gets turned on when he sees you sporting it with with a cute pair of boy shorts. But you wouldn’t dare wear it out in public right? Sure Jennifer Lopez just released a brand new video showing her skills, but isn’t she a couple of years late?
At least that’s what I thought until I stumbled upon this while doing some online shopping. Really? Major retailers still have twerk merchandise on sale? Should we start a petition to stop this madness? (Kidding—Kinda). Or maybe the women in Russia who recently caught on need these products to declare their twerk fetish?
It’s obvious that any display of the word “twerk” on merchandise has become big business. (Sadly, the likes of DJ Jubile and Ms. Freedia who’ve cultivated it for years aren’t able to reap the financial reward since neither holds the trademark). This kind of cultural appropriation is typical. Purveyors of urban and alternative brands are often overlooked, criticized, or dismissed for creating something people deem provocative, offensive, or out of the norm. Once that very thing becomes cool to the masses, corporations catch on and see monetary potential. It’s what happened to hip-hop and R&B.
Big business or not, twerk apparel has become passé. Fashion is supposed to introduce new trends, not beat old ones into the ground. It’s time we all allow the real twerk team captains to reclaim what’s theirs.
