This Philly TikTok Collective of Young Black Creators Are Behind the “TikTok Hips”

In a TikTok posted earlier this year, creator 2rare relishes in a moment surrounded by fans and bright cell phone flashlights as he does the popular #CupidRemixChallenge to his very own viral song, “Cupid Remix.” The bright lights and crowd were the perfect foreshadowing for what was to come for 2rare and his closest friends. In a TikTok landscape crowded with challenges and vlogs and trending dances, a group of young creators from Philadelphia is standing out and influencing what moves the platform in a major way.

Music has served as an integral part of the app, with most short-form visuals being accompanied by songs old, new, unreleased and unknown. For artists like Coi Leray and Olivia Rodrigo, TikTok virality has played an undeniable role in propelling them into the spotlight. Not only has the app become a launchpad for artists and music discovery, it is directly impacting the type of songs artists make. 

With the success of songs like Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage” and Coi's “No More Parties,” more artists are churning out catchy upbeat tracks that can easily translate to dance challenges, hoping they will find success and land on the charts.

At any moment one can scroll their For You page and see everyone from Jayda "Wayda" Cheaves to Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin sharply moving their hips. In some instances, TikTok-born dance crazes that have swept the broader Internet have been wrongfully credited to white creators with huge followings, garnering them more visibility and partnerships, while Black creators stand by in the shadows. But this time there’s no mistaking the ones who have the world shaking their hips: 2rare, Zahsosaa, Lay Bankz, Jabril, and the Philly Goats D. Sturdy, Sou, and Spence.

Residing in Philadelphia, the collective is a tight knit group of friends who quickly made waves on TikTok, in their words “by just having fun.” However, their playful interactions have opened up a new world for them and their city, online and beyond. 

By fusing the rich history of Philly Club Music — classic tracks like DJ D Wizz’s “Get Em” and “Gimme A Wally,” DJ Sega’s “Woo Hah,” and Feese’s “4 Wings” — with the melodic inflections of Lil Uzi and the late PNB Rock, the collective has evolved the sound that upholds the essence of dollar parties, teen dance cyphers, and tangin’ to no end in a way that Gen-Z craves and TikTok can’t go without.

In 2021, childhood friends D. Sturdy and Zahsosaa would come together to record "Shake Dhat,” a certified hit in Philly and on TikTok. The song incorporates elements of Philly Club, with a sped up beat, heavy bass, sirens, and of course, a dance. The track is produced by DJ Crazy who prides himself on making “shake dhat music” with various local Philly artists including Reco Havoc of the popular Dollar Boyz and Just Frenchie.

Zahsosaa, who was fairly new to TikTok, said Philly Goat Spence actually uploaded the sound on the app the day they were scheduled to shoot the video, although fellow Philly Goat D. Sturdy told him not to. Thankfully, Spence’s better judgment would lead to rapid popularity for him and his friends. Zahsosaa attributes his increasing success to the song, though he dropped his first project in 2018. “I was still making music and dropping it, but the wave wasn’t as big as it is now,” the 21-year-old rapper from North Philly tells Teen Vogue.

Following the song's takeoff, Zahsosaa said there was a point where videos of people dancing to it would overpower his FYP, which was just the push he needed. With a new audience with wide eyes for the next challenge, Zahsosaa’s song “Stripper Anthem,” which samples Giveon’s “Garden Kisses,” would soon find its way to virality as well. Having dropped it on Soundcloud long before he recorded “Shake Dhat,” he uploaded “Stripper Anthem” to TikTok encouraging his friend Wiz to dance to it. (Wiz can also be seen at the end of the “Shake Dhat” video dancing up the street as the crowd yells for him to keep going.)

“It start whammin’,” says Zahsosaa. TikTok users began uploading videos mirroring the detailed actions in the song's chorus. “Stripper Anthem” would eventually be removed from Digital Service Providers for streaming due to it not being cleared, but for Zahsosaa it was all a learning experience to get him to his next big hit. “That sh*t gave me some knowledge,” says Zahsosaa. “You never stop pushing your song.”

On the other hand, the Philly Goats, D. Sturdy and brothers Sou and Spence, had already created a buzz dancing on TikTok. They first joined the app in 2019. “We’ve always been dancers. Before the party music everybody in the group was dancing. So we just made a party song and danced on it,” says 18-year-old D. Sturdy.

Prior to “Shake Dhat”' and the additional attention it brought, the trio had already begun their segue into music, releasing a song titled “Broke Sh*t” that showcases their individual flows similar to the videos they post playfully freestyling. For the Philly Goats, the wave they’re on is far from over. Most recently the group released “The Shakeover,” a simple yet powerful statement of their trajectory and influence.

And influence is something the collective has in abundance. 2rare has all eyes on him, including rappers Drake and Lil Durk. In 2021, the 22-year-old released “Cupid (Remix),” an interpolation of 112’s “Cupid,” taking on a vibrant uptempo beat laced with lusty lyrics. 

The song quickly overtook TikTok with a dance created by popular user Sinatra, who has since helped other artists’ songs touch virality via his short choreographed counts. Though, similar to Zahsosaa’s experience, the song would be removed from DSPs because the sample didn’t clear.

However, that didn’t stop the song or the dance’s traction. Chicago rapper Lil Durk would soon reach out to have 2rare be a part of his album 7720 (Deluxe). Though the feature didn’t pan out, the two would eventually meet by chance at Hot97’s Summer Jam festival. A Facetime call a few days later would solidify their official collaboration, a project Lil Durk did for free. 

“He did that sh*t in the next hour and ain’t charge me or nothing,” says 2rare. “He even posted it. He’s one of the most thorough ones I've ever met in this. Everything is just happening the way it’s supposed to be I feel like.”

Lay Bankz is another member of the collective carving a lane for herself in music and shaping her own sound. Sometimes the sole girl amongst the boys, Lay Bankz lends melodic raps and sultry melodies to hip rocking beats. She’s largely influenced by Michael Jackson and PNB Rock, who she worked with on a song last year. Before TikTok, Lay Bankz tasted virality on video-based apps like Vine and Musical.ly. But for the recent high school grad, balancing the newfound, unprecedented fame from TikTok has been difficult.

“I went through a lot of different phases in my life when it came to music and school. I feel like growing up and entering adulthood while making music, I was super overwhelmed,” she says. However, the 18-year-old from Southwest Philly’s affinity for dancing and singing kept her afloat. 

Releasing her first singles in 2020, Lay Bankz had her breakout moment this year with a feature on 5star’s "Cmonnn,” which also went viral on TikTok. She has since released back-to-back songs 
“Anxious” and “Left Cheek (Doo Doo Blick),” proving that her vocal range and fluid hips are a perfect storm for stardom.

Not all members of the collective readily accepted the title of “artist,” though. Even still, Jabril is a major component in the virality of their songs, frequently posting videos dancing with very precise hip motions dubbed “stiff hips” and “mobile hips.” 

With a fresh haircut and chalk line, Under Armour fit and his Louis Vuitton messenger bag in tow, Jabril has established himself as a trendsetter on and off of the app, and now as an artist. In recent months, the 18-year-old from North has used TikTok as his test audience, teasing songs like “Pop Sh*t” and “Get Humpy” with 2rare and his close friend JMoney.

“It’s not like I be playing, but I do be playing. I just be having fun with it,” says Jabril of his entry into music. “All of my music is just playful to me and I just want to be able to dance to it.” 2rare is supportive of Jabril, insisting that it only makes sense for him to make his own music since he’s always making everyone else’s music pop.

As evident in 2rare’s encouraging comment, the friend group’s support and respect for each other is easily felt. Their bond is further amplified in their collaborative work. “We’re all like one lowkey,” says Zahsosaa. “I can call Rare and ‘nem to my shows and they sliding. They can call me to their shows and I’m sliding, even if one of us not getting a bag.”

This summer, Drake dropped his house music-inspired album Honestly Nevermind, which features “Sticky,” a standout track that sounds similar to the sound being pushed by the collective of young friends. After making contact with 2rare and his team, Drake flew them out to Miami to be featured in the video. 

“He FaceTimed me like ‘I’m trying to fly like 4-6 of the bros out with you. Everybody who represents you, just bring them along with you,’” recalls 2rare. “We all had our own tellys and our own drivers.”

The group was definitely in their element, taking center floor as if the music video was just another Philly dance cypher or one of their TikTok videos. All joy and dancing under blue lights, even giving Drake a lesson in hips. It’s proof that the group shines brightest when they’re together: appearing in 2rare’s video for “Q-Pid” featuring Durk, hyping Zahsosaa up on stage during his debut at Made In America 2022.

But even with their rising popularity, the realities of living in Philly keep them grounded. “Dangerous” and “hard” are the words echoed by each of them when asked about their experiences growing up there. “If you grew up in Philly, you just know how it is,” says Sou. However, in the face of increasing violence in the city, the collective is committed to blaring support for Philly and its youth.

“It feels good to do something positive for them and keep them off the streets,” says Spence. “On TikTok there’s a lot of kids [who support us], but outside of it there’s a lot of different people in the city that support us like Tierra Whack, Core, Ant Brown, Gillie, and Wallo,” Sou and Spence ping pong, naming an extensive list of Philly natives who have rallied behind them. “Uzi and Meek,” the brothers say in perfect sync.

While some TikTok users have shared their disgruntled feelings about constantly seeing hip shaking on their feed, the collective is adamant that they have no plans of slowing down. “We’re just kids,” says D. Sturdy. “We’re just having fun.” What could be more fun than rising to the top with your closest friends?