Teach Me How to Dougie
"Teach Me How to Dougie" is the debut single by American hip hop group Cali Swag District. The song was written by Chanti Glee, Charon Childs, and Corey Fowler, and was released digitally on April 12, 2010 through Capitol Records. It was produced by Runway Star for the group's debut studio album, The Kickback (2011). The title refers to the Dougie dance, which originated in Dallas, Texas by rapper Lil' Wil from his song "My Dougie".
"Teach Me How to Dougie" was a commercial success, peaking at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 9 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and at number 6 on the Hot Rap Songs chart. It was certified platinum in the United States.
The song's accompanying music video was directed by Yolande Geralds, and features Cali Swag and others partying, dancing and skateboarding.
Composition[edit]
The song features a metronomic and "cowbell-bolstered" beat.[4] Cali Swag District trades their verses "tag-team" style, bragging about the "Dougie" dance and the "special treatment it earns them from women."[4] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times states that JayAre "stakes out dissenter ground", and quotes the lyric: "Back of the party, I don't really like to boogie / I'm just trying to get bent and meet a thick redbone."[5]
Critical reception[edit]
Melanie Bertoldi of Billboard said the track seeks to pick up where "You're a Jerk" and "Crank That" left off, and commented while the dance might leave something to be desired, that the track's "catchy, refreshingly simple hook makes it a no-brainer for repeat play."[4] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times praised the song, especially JayAre's verse, calling him "kinetic", and said he flows "hard on all angles."[5]
Live performances[edit]
After releasing "Teach Me How to Dougie" in the spring of 2010, Cali Swag District was invited to perform the single on a number of television programs and at various concert settings. They first performed the single at the 2010 102 JAMZ SuperJam at Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina on May 21, 2010.[8] The group performed the single at the 2010 BET Awards pre-show by 106 and Park which aired live on the network June 27, 2010.[9] On June 30, 2010, they performed at Skeetox, hosted by DJ Skee, at The Roxy in West Hollywood, California.[10] They performed on Fuel TV network's The Daily Habit on July 2, 2010.[9] On July 21, 2010, Cali Swag District performed the hit song at the Entertainer's Basketball Classic at Rucker Park in Harlem, New York City, New York. During the event, the group members also served as judges during a "Teach Me How to Dougie" competition.[11] Cali Swag District performed "Teach Me How to Dougie" live at the Foxy Summer Jam at Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, North Carolina on July 24, 2010.[12] Again, Cali Swag District performed at the University of California, Irvine, for their annual Shocktoberfest on October 15, 2010. Finally, they helped kick off the 2011 NBA All-Star Weekend on February 18, performing at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, which was aired live on TNT.[13]