Hip Hop Dances and the Songs That Popularized Them

Where did the dab come from, anyway?

From the Streets to the Mainstream - Rap dance crazes have transcended from the streets to the clubs to red carpets to live NFL prime-time streams. You might be able to tell who is doing what dance, but are you able to connect it to the song that brought it to the mainstream? While the Harlem Shake and the Humpty Dance are traditional hip hop dances, the last 10 years have given fans new and viral moves that even your favorite rappers and athletes have learned to master. Check out a few of them. —Janice Llamoca(Photo: TDE, Interscope Records)

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From the Streets to the Mainstream - Rap dance crazes have transcended from the streets to the clubs to red carpets to live NFL prime-time streams. You might be able to tell who is doing what dance, but are you able to connect it to the song that brought it to the mainstream? While the Harlem Shake and the Humpty Dance are traditional hip hop dances, the last 10 years have given fans new and viral moves that even your favorite rappers and athletes have learned to master. Check out a few of them. —Janice Llamoca(Photo: TDE, Interscope Records)

Dabbin’ – 'How Fast Can You Count It,' by Skippa da Flippa  - This head-into-bended arm move might be the most popular move in 2015, and it all started in a little city called Atlanta.(Photo: Quality Control Music)

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Dabbin’ – 'How Fast Can You Count It,' by Skippa da Flippa  - This head-into-bended arm move might be the most popular move in 2015, and it all started in a little city called Atlanta.(Photo: Quality Control Music)

Silentó's Gift to the World - Sorority parties, Zumba classes, and YouTube were all forever changed when we all saw that little girl in pig-tails whip and nae nae for her life. Now we patiently wait for the next dance we'll be forced to teach our drunk aunt at Thanksgiving dinner.(Photo: Capitol Records)

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Whip and Nae Nae – 'Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),' by Silentó - The Whip and the Nae Nae are separate dances that were fused together as a move in Silentó’s song and video and basically in everyone’s Vine videos. (Photo: Capitol Records)

Cat Daddy – 'Cat Daddy,' by the REj3ctz - The California group had everyone going through the motion of buckling a seatbelt and rolling in a wheelchair. No signs of cats or daddies.(Photo: The Aurelius Group)

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Cat Daddy – 'Cat Daddy,' by the REj3ctz - The California group had everyone going through the motion of buckling a seatbelt and rolling in a wheelchair. No signs of cats or daddies.(Photo: The Aurelius Group)

The Bernie – 'Moving Like Bernie,' by ISA - Inspired by the 1993 film Weekend at Bernie’s II, the Bernie imitates a dead man walking with a sharp lean back and wobbly arms. If you get confused, ISA’s lyrics will guide you.(Photo: Platnium Records,LLC)

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The Bernie – 'Moving Like Bernie,' by ISA - Inspired by the 1993 film Weekend at Bernie’s II, the Bernie imitates a dead man walking with a sharp lean back and wobbly arms. If you get confused, ISA’s lyrics will guide you.(Photo: Platnium Records,LLC)

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Cooking Dance – 'Cooking Dance,' by Lil B featuring Soulja Boy - Lil B has given every music-loving foodie the perfect dance to cook to.(Photos from Left: Jason Merritt/Getty Images, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella)

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Cooking Dance – 'Cooking Dance,' by Lil B featuring Soulja Boy - Lil B has given every music-loving foodie the perfect dance to cook to.(Photos from Left: Jason Merritt/Getty Images, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella)

Jerk – 'You’re a Jerk,' by New Boyz - Jerking is a dance that started in Los Angeles and quickly sprouted to bi-coastal mainstream success after the New Boyz released their song.(Photo: Warner Bros.)

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Jerk – 'You’re a Jerk,' by New Boyz - Jerking is a dance that started in Los Angeles and quickly sprouted to bi-coastal mainstream success after the New Boyz released their song.(Photo: Warner Bros.)

Quan Would Be Proud - iHeart Memphis was inspired by Rich Homie Quan's dancing skills in "Flex" that he decided to recreate the dance all over. (Photo: Paras Griffin/BET/Getty Images for BET Networks)

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Hit the Quan – 'Hit the Quan,' by iLoveMemphis - Rest assured Rich Homie Quan and his pelvic thrusts will live forever through this dance, which started in ILoveMemphis’s music video.(Photo: Paras Griffin/BET/Getty Images for BET Networks)

Crank That dance – 'Crank That (Soulja Boy),' by Soulja Boy - If a dance could mic drop, it would boast being named the “biggest dance fad since the Macarena” by the Wall Street Journal, then glide its way out.(Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images)

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Crank That dance – 'Crank That (Soulja Boy),' by Soulja Boy - If a dance could mic drop, it would boast being named the “biggest dance fad since the Macarena” by the Wall Street Journal, then glide its way out.(Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images)

The Shmoney Dance – 'Hot N***a,' by Bobby Shmurda - In the era of Vine, all it takes is six seconds of Bobby Shmurda dancing to be immortalized. (Photo: Bennett Raglin/BET/Getty Images for BET)

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The Shmoney Dance – 'Hot N***a,' by Bobby Shmurda - In the era of Vine, all it takes is six seconds of Bobby Shmurda dancing to be immortalized. (Photo: Bennett Raglin/BET/Getty Images for BET)

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Dougie – 'Teach Me How to Dougie,' by Cali Swag District - So how does a dance that originated in Texas get immortalized by a group from California? When one of its members learned the dance at a Texas college and went back home to teach all of his friends. They eventually taught the world how to Dougie.(Photo: Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Ball Up)

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Dougie – 'Teach Me How to Dougie,' by Cali Swag District - So how does a dance that originated in Texas get immortalized by a group from California? When one of its members learned the dance at a Texas college and went back home to teach all of his friends. They eventually taught the world how to Dougie.(Photo: Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Ball Up)

Walk It Out – 'Walk It Out,' by DJ Unk - This fancier form of walking is originally called the Pool Palace, but since it’s well known on a larger scale from DJ Unk’s song, it is now referred to as “walk it out.”(Photo: Big Oomp Records/Koch Records)

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Walk It Out – 'Walk It Out,' by DJ Unk - This fancier form of walking is originally called the Pool Palace, but since it’s well known on a larger scale from DJ Unk’s song, it is now referred to as “walk it out.”(Photo: Big Oomp Records/Koch Records)

Chicken Noodle Soup - This extension of the Harlem Shake emerged in 2006 with DJ Webstar and Young B's smash hit of the same name. Using a series of steps like "let it rain," "clear it out" and "let's get it," the dance helped to enhance Harlem's basketball culture, providing entertainment in between games at Rucker and "baby" Rucker parks.(Photo: Universal Records)

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Chicken Noodle Soup – 'Chicken Noodle Soup,' by DJ Webstar featuring AG, aka the Voice of Harlem and Young B - The exaggerated dance, which originated in Harlem, N.Y., went viral back in 2006, but occasionally gets stuck in our heads because of its repetitive lyrics.(Photo: UMG Records)

Stanky Legg – 'Stanky Legg,' by GS Boyz - Aesthetically, it’s the worst move on this list, but one of the easiest to imitate. (Photo: Zomba Recording, LLC)

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Stanky Legg – 'Stanky Legg,' by GS Boyz - Aesthetically, it’s the worst move on this list, but one of the easiest to imitate. (Photo: Zomba Recording, LLC)

Snap Dance – 'Laffy Taffy,' by D4L - D4L and Dem Franchize Boys have argued about who brought Atlanta’s snap music to the forefront. But since D4L’s song reached #1, guess we know who the winner is. (Photo: Asylum Records)

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Snap Dance – 'Laffy Taffy,' by D4L - D4L and Dem Franchize Boys have argued about who brought Atlanta’s snap music to the forefront. But since D4L’s song reached #1, guess we know who the winner is. (Photo: Asylum Records)

Pop, Lock & Drop It – 'Pop, Lock and Drop It,' by Huey  - If you like doing squats at a fast tempo with rapped-out instructions, you might like this dance move from 2006.(Photo: Zomba Recording, LLC)

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Pop, Lock & Drop It – 'Pop, Lock and Drop It,' by Huey  - If you like doing squats at a fast tempo with rapped-out instructions, you might like this dance move from 2006.(Photo: Zomba Recording, LLC)