"Boom! Shake the Room" is a song by American hip hop duo
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince were an American hip hop duo from West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, consisting of rapper Will Smith (the Fresh Prince) and disc jockey Jeff Townes (DJ Jazzy Jeff). Active full time from 1986 to 1994 and occasion ...
. The track samples the 1973 song "
Funky Worm
"Funky Worm" is a song by American funk group the Ohio Players, from their album ''Pleasure''. It peaked at number one on the U.S. ''Billboard'' R&B chart in 1973 and also peaked at number fifteen on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. ''Billboard'' ran ...
" by the
Ohio Players
Ohio Players is an American funk band, most popular in the 1970s. They are best known for their songs "Fire (Ohio Players song), Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster", and for their erotic album covers that featured nude or nearly nude women. Many of t ...
. Released on July 16, 1993, as the second single from the duo's fifth studio album, '' Code Red'', "Boom! Shake the Room" peaked at number 13 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Outside of the United States, "Boom! Shake the Room" topped the charts in Australia, Ireland, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
Critical reception
Larry Flick
Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the music ...
from ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' described "Boom! Shake the Room" as a "butt-shaggin' pop/ hip-hop romp", adding that the "highly danceable jam has a shouted, air-punching chorus that should work well in a live environment." Troy J. Augusto from ''
Cash Box
''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...
'' stated that it "slams harder than any single this duo has so far produced", noting that the "groovin' track boasts sing-a-long chorus that'll make
Hammer
A hammer is a tool, most often a hand tool, consisting of a weighted "head" fixed to a long handle that is swung to deliver an impact to a small area of an object. This can be, for example, to drive nails into wood, to shape metal (as w ...
blush for sure". Dave Sholin from the ''
Gavin Report
The ''Gavin Report'' was a San Francisco-based radio industry trade publication. The publication was founded by radio performer Bill Gavin in 1958. Its Top 40 listings were used for many years by programmers to decide content of programs. The pu ...
'' wrote, "With the success
Will Smith
Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper. He began his Will Smith filmography, acting career starring as Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), a ...
's had as The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air, he and Jazzy Jeff will probably do more than just "shake the room" at some stations. School is out for summer and the duo's latest has potential to light up those request lines."
Australian music channel Max included it in their list of "1000 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2018. A reviewer from ''
Music & Media
''Music & Media'' was a pan-European magazine for radio, music and entertainment. It was published for the first time in 1984 as ''Eurotipsheet'', but in 1986 it changed name to ''Music & Media''. It was originally based in Amsterdam, but later ...
'' said that "it looks like they're having a party on the border between hip hoponia and the land of swingbeat. Shake it, don't fake it!" James Hamilton from ''
Music Week
''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future.
History
Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...
s ''RM'' Dance Update deemed it a "
Jump Around
"Jump Around" is a song by American hip hop group House of Pain, produced by DJ Muggs of the hip hop group Cypress Hill, who has also covered the song. It became a hit in 1992, reaching number 3 in the United States. A 1993 re-release of the ...
type ultra frenetic jaunty rap jiggler". Wendi Cermak from ''The Network Forty'' noted that "here we have a song that everyone who's anyone is talking about. Currently in heavy rotation in On The Tip, this jam has picked up over 300 plays in its first week!" Gavin Reeve from ''
Smash Hits
''Smash Hits'' was a British music magazine aimed at young adults, originally published by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006, and, after initially appearing monthly, was issued fortnightly during most of that time. The name survived as a brand fo ...
'' gave the song five out of five, describing it as "power
rap
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
". He added that it "will be exploding on turntables everywhere this summer."
Chart performance
"Boom! Shake the Room" proved to be successful on the charts on several continents. In Europe, the song topped the charts in the Republic of Ireland, Spain, and the UK. In the latter country, it peaked at the top of the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
on September 19, 1993 – for the week ending date September 25, 1993 – during its third week on the chart, becoming Smith's first and Townes' only chart-topping song in Britain. The song spent two weeks at the top.
It also peaked within the top ten of the charts in Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland, as well as on the
European Hot 100 Singles
The European Hot 100 Singles was compiled by '' Billboard'' and '' Music & Media'' magazine from March 1984 until December 2010. The chart was based on national singles sales charts in 17 European countries: Austria, Belgium (two charts separately ...
, where it peaked at number seven in October 1993. Additionally, it peaked within the top 20 of the charts in Austria, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
Outside of Europe, "Boom! Shake the Room" topped the charts in Australia, peaked within the top ten of the charts in New Zealand (number two), and number 13 on the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
in the duo's native United States. It earned a
gold record
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile meta ...
in Germany and the United States, a silver record in the United Kingdom, and a
platinum record
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
in Australia and New Zealand.
Music video
A
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
(directed by
Scott Kalvert
Scott Kalvert (August 15, 1964 – March 5, 2014) was an American film director, known mainly for his 1995 film ''The Basketball Diaries (film), The Basketball Diaries'', starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg, and 2002's ''Deuces Wild ...
) was made to accompany the song.
Track listings
* UK CD1
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (LP version) – 3:51
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (club radio mix) – 3:55
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (Street remix) – 4:30
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (Mr. Lee's club mix) – 5:02
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (Mr. Lee's extended club mix) – 5:55
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (LP instrumental) – 4:12
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (Street Remix Bonus Beats) – 4:17
* UK CD2
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (LP version) - 3:51
# " Summertime" (7-inch mix) – 3:57
# "
Parents Just Don't Understand
"Parents Just Don't Understand" is the second single from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's second studio album, '' He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper''. The song won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance at the 1989 Grammy Awards, one of the two so ...
" (single remix) – 2:59
# " Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble" (shorter single edit) – 3:58
* Cassette single
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (LP version) – 3:51
# "Summertime" (7-inch mix) – 3:57
* European single
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (LP version) – 3:51
# "From Da South" – 3:14
* UK 1995 re-issue
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (Hula's tadio temix) – 3:35
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (LP version) – 3:51
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (Street remix) – 4:30
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (Hula's dub) – 5:31
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (Club radio mix) – 3:55
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (Mr. Lee's club mix) – 5:02
# "Boom! Shake the Room" (Hula's extended remix) – 6:09
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
Cover versions
On July 2, 2010, Australian band Art vs. Science performed a version of Boom! Shake The Room live at the
Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass (commonly referred to as Splendour) is an annual Australian music festival held at the North Byron Parklands in Yelgun, New South Wales. Since its inauguration, the festival has also been held in various locations near ...
festival, which was recorded by
Triple J
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...
radio and released on the band's 2010 EP '' Magic Fountain''.
On August 30, 2010, British metal band Sa-da-kO released a free download of their cover of the song. The band also performed the song live at Bloodstock Open Air Festival 2012.
From around 2012, British singer songwriter Dave McPherson of the band InME started performing a cover at his live shows.
British guitarist and singer songwriter
MJ Hibbett
Mark John ("MJ") Hibbett (born 19 June 1970) is an English guitarist singer-songwriter, often compared to Billy BraggThe Blackout recorded a cover version as a bonus track on their fourth studio album ''Start the Party''.