I Like to Move It

"I Like to Move It" is a song by American solo project Reel 2 Real (Erick Morillo), featuring ragga vocals by Trinidad and Tobago rapper The Mad Stuntman (Mark Quashie). Released by Strictly Rhythm in 1993 as the second single from the project's debut album, Move It! (1994), it appeared on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1994, peaking at number 89, and reached number five on the UK Singles Chart the same year. It was a number-one hit in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Zimbabwe. On the Billboard Dance Club Play chart, it peaked at number eight. At the second International Dance Awards in 1995, it won the award for Best Tune of the Year.[4] Its music video was directed by Craig K. McCall.

"I Like to Move It"
Single by Reel 2 Real featuring The Mad Stuntman
from the album Move It!
B-side"Toety"
Released1993[1]
Genre
Length3:52
LabelStrictly Rhythm
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Erick Morillo
  • Ralphie Muniz
Reel 2 Real singles chronology
"Go on Move"
(1993)		 "I Like to Move It"
(1993)		 "Go on Move (reissue)"
(1994)
Music video
"I Like to Move It" on YouTube

The song was adapted in a Spanish version by Dominican merengue-house duo Sandy & Papo, as "Mueve, mueve", in 1995. In 2021, it was reworked in a remix version by Tunisian DJ-producer duo, Outrage and Spanish DJ and vocalist Alejandro under the title, "Move It".[5]

Chart performance

"I Like to Move It" was very successful on the charts across several continents. It remains the project's biggest and best-known hit, peaking at number-one on the singles chart in Belgium, France, Greece and the Netherlands. The single entered the top 10 also in Austria (2), Finland (10), Germany (3), Iceland (6), Ireland (5), Lithuania, Spain (7), Switzerland (4) and the United Kingdom, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it reached number two. In the UK, it peaked at number five in its eight-week on the UK Singles Chart, on March 27.[6] But it topped the UK Dance Singles Chart on February 26. Outside Europe, "I Like to Move It" peaked at number-one also on the RPM Dance/Urban chart in Canada and in Zimbabwe. It went into the top 10 in Australia and on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart in the US. On the Billboard Hot 100, the single reached number 89. In New Zealand, it was a top 20 hit, peaking at number 14.

"I Like to Move It" was awarded with a gold record in Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Critical reception

In 2020, an editor from AllMusic stated that Reel 2 Real's "I Like to Move It" "still sounds as hot today as it did when it first came out in 1993. The pulsing synths and sirens of the song made for an instant wall shaker."[7] Larry Flick from Billboard noted that here, "Reggae beat sensibilities are woven around loose house and rave keyboards. The Mad Stuntman toasts with predictable speed, cutting through the fairly thick groove with a raspy edge. His energy transforms what could have been a laid-back record into a rousing peak-hour anthem."[2] Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian complimented its "growly catchiness".[8] In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton wrote, "Straight from nowhere come Reel 2 Real to become the first dance act for several months to charge straight into the Top 10 without a previous hit to their name."[9] Melody Maker viewed it as "a sonic equivalent of the tango advert — equal parts irritant/wonderful pop song."[10] The magazine's David Bennun commented, "The result is ridiculously, naggingly, excruciatingly simple, as you will have no doubt come to realise by the time it turns up on the radio for the 19th time that day and you put your boot through the dial."[11]

Maria Jimenez from Music & Media remarked that the "boomin'"[12] and "grinding scorcher is gaining much audience and radio support on this side of the ocean."[13] Andy Beevers from Music Week rated the song four out of five, adding, "Originally released by Strictly Rhythm, this inspired combination of NY house rhythms and The Mad Stuntman's ragga rhymes has been generating plenty of interest on import."[3] Another editor, Alan Jones, complimented it as a "fierce ragga house anthem".[14] James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update declared it a "madly happy gruff ragga rapped bogle/soca-style leaper".[15]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "I Like to Move It" was directed by Craig K. McCall.[16] It was shot in New York City, with notable filming locations including Times Square and Flatbush. Dele Fadele from NME noted that it featured "the mock-crazy ragga chatter dancing in the streets of New York with one trouser-leg rolled up."[17] The video received heavy rotation on MTV Europe[18] and was A-listed on Germany's VIVA.[19]

Usage in media

The song appeared in the films The Master of Disguise[20] and Saving Silverman. The song appeared in the American Dad! episode "The Dentist's Wife".

A reworked parody version, titled "I Like to Shake It, Shake It", was used in an April 2018 commercial for the dishwasher brand Fairy.[21] It was posted on their official British YouTube channel, but it was since deleted.

The song has also been used in numerous other advertisements and was used in the video games SingStar Dance, the first Just Dance and Just Dance Kids 2014. Basshunter sampled "I Like to Move It" on his 2010 song "Saturday".[22]

In the second season of Norwegian reality singing competition Maskorama, based on the South Korean television series King of Mask Singer, the song was performed in episode three in November 2021. It was performed by the contestant masked as a Nisse, which later was revealed to be Abid Raja.[23]

A new Fortnite dance emote based on the song was introduced on January 28, 2022.

In February 2023, the song was featured in a television commercial for the United States Postal Service.[24]

It was used in the New York Undercover episode "If this world were mine" on Season 2, Episode 26 in the entry montage.

Madagascar franchise

Many versions of the song have frequently been used throughout the Madagascar franchise, with many of them with lyrics changed or altered to match with each film's plot and the film's subject matter (usually replacing "sexy" with "sassy"). The first film used a version recorded by Sacha Baron Cohen, the second film used a version by will.i.am, and the third film used a mix-up with the original tune "Afro Circus" in the number "Afro Circus/I Like to Move It". The "I like to move it" part was sung by Baron Cohen in the film while Danny Jacobs, who voices King Julien in the spinoff TV series and games, sang it on the soundtrack, in both versions alongside Chris Rock. The original version appeared in the first and last episode of the Madagascar Netflix series All Hail King Julien and the "Afro Circus/I Like to Move It" tune was played near the start of the Madagascar spin-off film Penguins of Madagascar. Jacobs, as Julien, also sang a Christmas song called "Santa Claus Is Coming to Madagascar", a modified cover of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" which uses the same beat as "I Like to Move It" in Merry Madagascar.

The song was also included in the stage adaptation of the film, sung again by King Julien.

Accolades
Year Publisher Country Accolade Rank
1995 International Dance Awards United Kingdom "Tune of the Year"[25] 1
2011 MTV Dance United Kingdom "The 100 Biggest 90's Dance Anthems of All Time"[26] 53
2013 Vibe United States "Before EDM: 30 Dance Tracks From The '90s That Changed The Game"[27] 23
2018 ThoughtCo United States "The Top 100 Best Party Songs of All Time"[28] 73

Track listings

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[69] Gold 35,000^
France (SNEP)[70] Gold 250,000*
Germany (BVMI)[71] Gold 250,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[72] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[73] Gold 400,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[74]
will.i.am version 		Silver 200,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Europe 1993 CD
[1]
United Kingdom January 31, 1994
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
 [75]
February 7, 1994
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • cassette
 [76]

References
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