Not to be confused with 95 South's "Whoot! (There It Is)" which was released two months earlier (and is probably the better version) Tag Team's "Whoomp! (There It Is)" ranks high on the one-hit wonder list, regardless of genre.

The track is in many ways, a hip-hop staple, even if it's not necessarily in the traditional sense. The 1993 bass hit isn't known for its lyrics— at one point rapper Steve proudly proclaims he's, "Takin it back to the old school/cause I'm an old fool, who's so cool"— or even its production, a simple, yet catchy bass track.

But the track's immense mainstream popularity can't be denied. Everyone knows that song. Even now, 25 years later, you can hear it at random sports games (the Chicago Cubs play it every time a player hits a home run). And it dominated pop culture in the '90s, even if it wasn't ever necessarily a hip-hop favorite.

However, the song's reign didn't come without a good deal of controversy, namely from 95 South. The Miami bass group recorded and released "Whoot (There It Is)" in March 1993, two months before Tag Team, who also hails from Miami, dropped their version in May 1993. 95 South accused Tag Team of stealing the track, though Tag Team member, DC, denied it, claiming he heard the phrase mentioned by Florida strippers while working as a DJ in Atlanta strip clubs. The claim didn't seem to hold much weight, considering 95 South's song was a popular regional hit at the time and it seemed far-fetched that as a DJ working in clubs, he wouldn't have heard it. Nevertheless, Tag Team released their version in May 1993, and it instantly took off.

Although both songs charted on the Billboard Hot 100— "Whoomp" hit No. 2 while "Whoot" landed at No. 11, "Whoomp" proved to have more staying power over the years. Not only has it been used by countless sports teams, but it has widely featured throughout television and film. In was the second top song of 1993, behind Whitney Houston's juggernaut, "I Will Always Love You."

The video was shot at an Atlanta fairground, and is basically one huge party, with DC and Steve giving off "uncle at a barbecue" vibes.

In 2010, the video resurfaced when more controversy arose, though this time it was lighthearted. Gawker posted that it looked as if Barack Obama made a cameo in the video, and it became a thing people wondered about for a short while (it wasn't him).

At any rate, "Whoomp (There It Is)" remains one of the biggest, most memorable songs of the 90s.

 

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