"Shake Your Thang" is a song by American R&B and

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

group

Salt-N-Pepa Salt-N-Pepa (sometimes stylized as Salt 'N' Pepa) is an American hip-hop, hip hop group formed in New York City in 1985, that comprised Salt (rapper), Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (rapper), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper). ...

, released by

Next Plateau Entertainment Next Plateau Entertainment (formerly Next Plateau Records) is an American record label that currently operates in association with Republic Records. Background 1980s New York City-based independent label Next Plateau Records began in the early ...

and

London Records London Recordings (or London Records and London Music Stream) is a British record label that marketed records in the United States, Canada, and Latin America for Decca Records from 1947 to 1980 before becoming semi-independent. The London nam ...

as the first single from their second studio album, ''

A Salt with a Deadly Pepa ''A Salt with a Deadly Pepa'' is the second studio album by American hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa, released on August 2, 1988, by London Records and Next Plateau Records. The album reached number 38 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number eight on the ...

'' (1988). The song features the Washington, D.C.–based go-go musical band, E.U. It samples "

It's Your Thing "It's Your Thing" is a funk single by The Isley Brothers. Released in 1969, the anthem was an artistic response to Motown chief Berry Gordy's demanding hold on his artists after the Isleys left the label in late 1968. The lyrics of the chorus, w ...

" by

The Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers ( ) are an American soul group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that began as a vocal trio consisting of the brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the 1950s. With a career spanning over seven decades, ...

and "

Funky President Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the mi ...

" by

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...

. The music video features Salt-N-Pepa being arrested for "dirty dancing". At the police station they are questioned by cops played by Hurby Luv Bug and

Kid 'n Play Kid 'n Play is an American hip-hop duo from New York City who were most popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It is composed of Christopher Reid ("Kid") and Christopher Martin ("Play") working alongside their DJ, Mark "DJ Wiz" Eastmond. B ...

. There are scenes of them dancing in an all white room with a crowd and back up dancers, additionally they dance outside on stairs and on the streets. At the end of the video they are released from the police station, this leads into the music video for their next single, "Get Up Everybody (Get Up)". In an interview,

Salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...

explained she considers herself a feminist "in a way", emphasizing the need for women to avoid complete emotional and financial dependence on men. Songs like "Tramp" and "Shake Your Thang" express these feminist themes of female autonomy.

Critical reception

Ben Thompson from ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

'' wrote, "As usual bits of this were purloined from various sources ( Isley Bros etc) but who cares when it's such a belting tune. That all-but-forgotten go-go swing, courtesy of EV, some crappy '70s

disco Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...

trumpets, an argumentative piano and a fine plucky bass add up to a night of fun for all concerned. The package comes complete with a stern reminder to would-be disco casanovas, "''We just met, we can't do that yet.''" You can't help wanting to enjoy yourself when you hear this, however hard you try, because it is irresistably wholesome. Shake Your Thang indeed."

Track listing

* 7" single # "Shake Your Thang" – 3:59 # "Spinderella's Not a Fella (But a Girl D.J.)" – 4:27 * 12" vinyl / CD single :A1. "Shake Your Thang" (club mix) – 5:16
:A2. "Shake Your Thang" (radio version) – 3:59
:A3. "Shake Your Thang" (instrumental) – 4:02
:A4. "Shake Your Thang" (acappella) – 0:28
:B1. "Spinderella's Not a Fella (But a Girl DJ)" (Vocal) – 4:24
:B2. "Spinderella's Not a Fella (But a Girl DJ)" (Instrumental) – 4:17
:B3. "Spinderella's Not a Fella (But a Girl DJ)" (Acappella) – 0:36

Charts

References

1988 singles 1988 songs Salt-N-Pepa songs Experience Unlimited songs Go-go songs Songs written by Ronald Isley Songs written by O'Kelly Isley Jr. Songs written by Rudolph Isley London Records singles {{1980s-single-stub