"Dance Now" is a song by American rappers

JID Destin Choice Route (born October 31, 1990), better known by his stage name JID (also stylized J.I.D), is an American rapper, singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Atlanta, he signed with J. Cole's Dreamville Records, an imprint of Interscop ...

and

Kenny Mason Edwin Kenneth Green Jr. (born December 17, 1994), better known by his stage name Kenny Mason, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer known for his distinctive sound which consists of a fusion between grunge, hip hop, and e ...

, released on August 9, 2022 as the second single from the former's third studio album ''

The Forever Story ''The Forever Story'' is the third studio album by American rapper JID. It was released on August 26, 2022, through Dreamville Records, Dreamville and Interscope Records. Recorded over a two-year period, the album features introspective lyricism ...

'' (2022). Produced by Christo and Aviad, it contains additional vocals from American singer-songwriter

Fousheé Britanny Fousheé (born August 1, 1990), known simply as Fousheé, is an American singer-songwriter. She came to wide notice when the vocals for her song "Deep End" were used on a hit song by rapper Sleepy Hallow in 2020. She released her RCA Reco ...

and a sample of "Yoel's Niggun" by

Zusha The Zusha () is a river in Tula and Oryol Oblast in Russia, a right tributary of the Oka. The length of the river is 234 km. The area of its basin is 6,950 km².

Background

The song was first mentioned by JID's manager Barry Hefner via

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on June 7, 2022. On August 8, JID announced that the song would be released the following day.

Composition

"Dance Now" features a looped melody, over which JID raps in a quick but controlled manner accompanied with wordplay. Lyrically, he discusses the expectations placed on him, as well as the "allures and pitfalls of dancing with the devil". JID also makes a reference to

Memphis Grizzlies The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the ...

player

Ja Morant Temetrius Jamel "Ja" Morant ( ; born August 10, 1999) is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Murray State Racers, where he was ...

. The chorus is performed by Kenny Mason, with backing vocals from Fousheé.

Critical reception

Tom Breihan of ''

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'' wrote the song is "a nice indicator of what JID can do. JID recorded the track with longtime collaborator Christo, and it’s got a big, clomping beat with a weirdly catchy looped melody. JID raps all over it, his flow reaching unstable speed-levels but never tripping over his own complicated patterns. He sounds playful and energized." Erika Marie of ''

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'' stated "You'll find JID beasting through bars over a beat that will make listeners bounce, and it's poised for any mood as you kick back and listen to the rapper showcase the art of Hip Hop storytelling."

Music video

The music video was released alongside the single. Directed by Trey Leons, it finds JID rapping as he appears in a suburban area where violence occurs in some corners, with scenes of "riot police, disgruntled citizens, and twerking exotic dancers." The cover art of ''The Forever Story'' is captured by Naskademini from a late scene in the video.

Charts

References

{{JID 2022 singles 2022 songs JID songs Songs written by JID Dreamville Records singles Interscope Records singles