| Jump Around | |
| Cover: | KSI - Jump Around.jpeg |
| Alt: | The title "Jump Around" appears in large white font in the centre of a purple and blue gradient background, with the artists' names in light purple font below. |
| Border: | yes |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | KSI featuring Waka Flocka Flame |
| Ep: | Jump Around |
| Released: | 16 September 2016 |
| Genre: | Hip hop |
| Length: | 3:06 |
| Label: | |
| Producer: |
|
| Chronology: | KSI |
| Prev Title: | Friends with Benefits |
| Prev Year: | 2016 |
| Next Title: | Creature |
| Next Year: | 2017 |
"Jump Around" is a song by British YouTuber and recording artist KSI featuring American rapper Waka Flocka Flame. It was released on 16 September 2016 by Island Records as the third and final single from KSI's second extended play (EP) of the same name (2016). The song is a remake of "Jump Around" (1992) by House of Pain.
"Jump Around" was met with mixed reviews from music critics, although some praised the song's high-octane energy. The song debuted at number 73 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart. The song's music video was released on 3 October 2016 and stars KSI and Waka Flocka Flame among a crowd of people, taking to the streets to cause carnage and jumping around and dancing.
In early 2016, KSI recorded a remake of the song "Jump Around" (1992) by American hip hop group House of Pain.[1] [2] It was not intended to be released as a single or have a featured artist. KSI explained, "I didn’t want to release it as a single. I wanted to just quietly release it on [the] EP."[3]
During a recording studio session in England with Sway and DJ Turkish, the producer's of "Jump Around", American rapper Waka Flocka Flame was played some of KSI's unreleased songs including "Jump Around". Waka Flocka Flame liked the song and asked if he could feature on it, recording his verse on the same day.[4] The addition of Waka Flocka Flame to "Jump Around" resulted in the decision to released it as a single.[5]
Speaking about his remake of "Jump Around", KSI affirmed, "I feel like I’ve done well with my take on it." He continued, "The song just makes you wanna go crazy, especially the chorus.”
"Jump Around" was first teased on 5 August 2016 when a 15 seconds-long teaser of the song and its music video appeared at the end of the music video for KSI's previous single "Friends with Benefits" (2016).[6] The cover art and release date for "Jump Around" were also shared on the same day, with the song was made available to pre-order on digital download services and pre-save on streaming services. "Jump Around" was eventually released for digital download and streaming on 16 September 2016 by Island Records, a division of Universal Music Group.[7] [8]
KSI's remake of "Jump Around" was met with mixed reviews from music critics. Andrew Trendell of NME called it a "feel-good anthem" and "a high octane take on the House Of Pain classic". Liam Luangrathrajasombat of Playback Society praised KSI and Waka Flocka Flame for "[bringing] a fresh 2016 flow to an aged classic" and acclaimed that the song has "a banging beat that would light up the club."[9] In his review for Lost In The Manor, Tim Hakki wrote that although KSI's "flippant take on hip hop isn’t really for everyone", "Jump Around" is "definitely the most immediate highlight of his [music] career so far". Hakki continued, "KSI’s flow sets a great vibe, before Waka [Flocka Flame] arrives and completely slays with his beastly delivery." Hakki remarked that the song is "jump-hop of the highest calibre" and the listener will be "pinging off the walls by the end of it".[10]
On the other hand, in their review of "Jump Around", the staff of String Buzz claimed, "There is no innovation, variation or imagination with this track. It is a beat-for-beat remake with some shoddy lyrics." They said that "the delivery [and] vocal performance [are] a saving grace" because the lyrics are "belted out with enthusiasm", but they found that "the tone of [KSI's] voice [does] become grating by the final chorus". Nonetheless, they concluded that "decent production keeps this song from being a car crash". They said, "The beat sounds thick and wholesome, the instrumentation sounds well mixed and the vocals fit in to the overall sound very well."[11]
The music video for "Jump Around" was filmed in the United States in the summer of 2016. A trailer was released on 19 September 2016.[12] The music video was eventually released to KSI's Vevo channel on YouTube on 3 October 2016 and has received 15 million views.[13] In the music video, KSI wreaks havoc in a convenience store, before taking to the streets to cause carnage. KSI then heads down to Waka Flocka Flame's court, where they are accompanied by a large crowd of people, including police officers, jumping around and dancing. When asked about his favourite element of the music video shoot, KSI responded, "Just the energy. Literally, it was mad. I was out of breath after every shot.
KSI's remake of "Jump Around" was used in the trailer for the animated film (2019).[14] "Jump Around" was also used in the trailer for the animated film DC League of Super-Pets (2022), which stars actors Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart.[15]
Credits adapted from Tidal.[16]
| Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 16 September 2016 |