{{Short description|Music genre}} {{For2|the 1960s dance|The Jerk (dance)|the Amyl and the Sniffers song|Cartoon Darkness}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2025}} {{pp-semi-protected|small=yes}}

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--> {{Infobox music genre | name = Jerkin' | image = Kids jerkin.jpg | caption = An image of a jerk dance performance, also referred to as jerkin'. | stylistic_origins = {{hlist|West Coast hip hop|hyphy}} | cultural_origins = Late 2000s; Los Angeles, California | instruments = {{hlist|Sampler|synthesizer|drums|keyboard|vocals}} | derivatives = Jerk | other_topics = {{hlist|Hip hop music|history of hip hop music|timeline of hip hop}} }}

'''Jerkin'''' or '''Jerk''' is a street dance culture and hip hop subgenre originating in urban California in the late 2000s. It gained mainstream popularity outside of California by Inland Empire-based groups New Boyz and Audio Push,<ref name="vibejerkindance">{{cite web |title=Fashion Flavor: Audio Push Discusses What Killed The Jerking Culture And Their Fashion Influence On The Mainstream |url=https://www.vibe.com/2011/05/fashion-flavor-audio-push-discusses-what-killed-jerking-culture-and-their-fashion-influence/ |website=Vibe |date=2 May 2011 |access-date=18 July 2018 |ref=vibejerkindance}}</ref> and has origins in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.<ref>{{cite web|last=Reid |first=Shaheem |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1615680/20090710/story.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090716141528/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1615680/20090710/story.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 16, 2009 |title=New Boyz Say They're More Than Just Jerkin' Rappers – News Story &#124; Music, Celebrity, Artist News &#124; MTV News |publisher=MTV |date=2009-07-13 |access-date=2010-06-06}}</ref> Since breaking into the mainstream in 2009, jerkin' gained fans along the West Coast, East Coast, and in Europe, notably France and Germany, although it was heavily derided in the Southern United States.<ref>{{cite web |first=Jeff |last=Weiss |url=http://www.laweekly.com/2009-08-06/music/we-8217-re-jerkin-8217/ |title=We're Jerkin (Starring the New Boyz, J-Hawk and Pink Dollaz) – Page 1 – Music – Los Angeles |work=LA Weekly |date=2009-08-06 |access-date=2010-06-06 |archive-date=August 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110820073004/http://www.laweekly.com/2009-08-06/music/we-8217-re-jerkin-8217/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

During the early 2020s, the original jerk rap scene inspired a microgenre simply known as "jerk", which was spearheaded by New York rapper Xaviersobased alongside his collective 1c34, and Californian producer kashpaint. They reimagined the sound of jerk rap with contemporaneous influences.

== Background == According to Oktane of Audio Push, jerkin' culture came from gang members dancing at parties, stating: "Jerking actually came from gang-banging. Like, it was a dance that gang members did. Like, the anti-dance. If you were in the party and everyone was dancing, [the gang members] would be doing the jerk."<ref name="vibejerkindance" /> The dance itself consists of moving your legs in and out called the "jerk", and doing other moves such as the "reject", "dip", and "pindrop".<ref name="tubef" />

==Jerk rap== The rap group New Boyz pioneered jerk rap through their hit in Los Angeles entitled "You're a Jerk",<ref>{{cite web|last=Roberts |first=Steven |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1617232/20090729/new_boyz.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090801124129/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1617232/20090729/new_boyz.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 1, 2009 |title=New Boyz Challenge Chris Brown To A Jerkin' Competition – News Story &#124; Music, Celebrity, Artist News &#124; MTV News |publisher=MTV |date=2009-07-29 |access-date=2010-06-06}}</ref> followed by Audio Push's "Teach Me How to Jerk". As the jerk subculture continued to flourish, several new groups specializing in jerk rap were courted and signed by major labels. Arista Records had signed the group the Rej3ctz, whilst jerk groups Cold Flamez and Pink Dollaz also gained recognition.<ref name="jerky_boys">{{cite news |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/06/jerky-boys-and-girls.html |title=Jerky boys and girls: New Boyz, Rej3ctz and more lead a new youth movement |newspaper=L.A. Times Music Blog |date=June 12, 2009 |access-date=December 18, 2009 |archive-date=March 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315061841/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/06/jerky-boys-and-girls.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=McDonnell |first=John |date=2009-08-24 |title=Scene and heard: Jerk |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2009/aug/24/scene-and-heard-jerk |access-date=2025-07-21 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Once Jerkin' went mainstream, new dance crews and artists began competing and performing at events in Southern California as well as in other parts of the world as its popularity spread. The Ranger$ crew not only competes in dance contests, winning numerous awards, but have recorded several songs and have been signed to a major label.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/ThemPRangers/profile/?song-1|title=The Ranger$|work=HotNewHipHop|access-date=February 10, 2014|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924031520/http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/ThemPRangers/profile/?song-1|url-status=dead}}</ref> Other notable crews in the Southern California area include Action Figure$, U.C.L.A. Jerk Kings, and the LOL Kid$z.<ref name="jerky_boys" />

==Fashion== People who jerk usually wear skinny jeans (varying from the unusual to the usual colors and washes), considered a rejection of the baggy pants style. Many elements of scene and the raver are used in the jerkin' movement, such as bright colored clothing, tight pants, or novelty graphic tees. Additionally, people who engage in jerk dances generally wear hightop or retro shoes, including Chuck Taylor and Nike hightop shoes. Shoes may or may not be multi-colored.<ref name="tubef">{{cite web |url=http://news.tubefilter.tv/2009/07/31/skinny-jeans-movement-bringing-jerkin-online/ |title='Skinny Jeans Movement' Bringing Jerkin' Online |work=tubefilter.tv |access-date=2010-06-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100510202054/http://news.tubefilter.tv/2009/07/31/skinny-jeans-movement-bringing-jerkin-online/ |archive-date=2010-05-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== 2020s revival == [[File:Xaviersobased (2-2-23).jpg|thumb|265x265px|Xaviersobased performing at Baby's All Right in Brooklyn, NY on February 2nd, 2023.]]{{Main|Jerk (music genre)}}

In the early 2020s, a new generation of underground rappers and producers began drawing influence from the original jerk rap sound into a new genre simply known as "jerk". Although, the revival did not reproduce the original style verbatim, instead reimagining it with faster tempos, more melodic synth layers, and abstract, often humorous or off-kilter lyricism.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-04-16 |title=The State of Nu-Jerk |url=https://www.passionweiss.com/2025/04/15/nu-jerk-2025-nettspend-yhapojj-xaviersobased/ |access-date=2025-06-29 |website=Passion of the Weiss |language=en-US |archive-date=May 21, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250521084849/https://www.passionweiss.com/2025/04/15/nu-jerk-2025-nettspend-yhapojj-xaviersobased/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The sound was initially penned by New York rapper Xaviersobased, alongside his collective ''1c34'', who are credited with spearheading and popularizing the movement which was then further developed by Californian producer kashpaint and later evolved by incorporating influences from Milwaukee lowend, plugg music and digicore.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2024-04-30 |title=The Face's guide to the American rap underground |url=https://theface.com/music/underground-internet-rap-rage-carti-yeat-ambient-plugg-iokera-terror-jerk-krushclub-lumi-athena |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=The Face |language=en-gb |archive-date=July 6, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250706014354/https://theface.com/music/underground-internet-rap-rage-carti-yeat-ambient-plugg-iokera-terror-jerk-krushclub-lumi-athena |url-status=live }}</ref> Xavier's 2022 track "Patchmade", produced by kashpaint is widely regarded as a foundational moment.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":0" />

Notable acts include Phreshboyswag, Subiibabii, Nettspend and Yhapojj. Notable underground rappers like Duwap Kaine, later took influence from the style, releasing the album ''DuwapSoBased'' in 2023.<ref name=":4" /> While rooted in the United States, the movement gained further momentum in the UK with artists like YT,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Selenou |first=Serge |title=YT: OI! |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/yt-oi/ |access-date=2025-06-29 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US |archive-date=July 7, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250707172049/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/yt-oi/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Len, Fimiguerrero,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Press-Reynolds |first=Kieran |title=Fimiguerrero / Len / Lancey Foux: Conglomerate |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/fimiguerrero-len-lancey-foux-conglomerate/ |access-date=2025-06-29 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US |archive-date=July 26, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250726180355/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/fimiguerrero-len-lancey-foux-conglomerate/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and Fakemink<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Madden |first=Emma |title=fakemink: "Givenchy" |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/fakemink-givenchy/ |access-date=2025-06-29 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US |archive-date=November 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127052323/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/fakemink-givenchy/ |url-status=live }}</ref> being credited with spearheading a "new UK rap revolution".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dazed |date=2025-02-28 |title=9 underground artists leading the UK’s rap revolution |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/66191/1/dazed-uk-rappers-cover-spring-2025-victory-lap-yt-niko-b-bxks-jim-legxacy-kwes-e |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=Dazed |language=en |archive-date=July 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250724195724/https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/66191/1/dazed-uk-rappers-cover-spring-2025-victory-lap-yt-niko-b-bxks-jim-legxacy-kwes-e |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pierre |first=Alphonse |date=2025-03-21 |title=Y2K Nostalgia Is Everywhere, and UK Rappers Can't Get Enough of It |url=https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/y2k-nostalgia-is-everywhere-and-uk-rappers-cant-get-enough-of-it/ |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US |archive-date=July 1, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250701133550/https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/y2k-nostalgia-is-everywhere-and-uk-rappers-cant-get-enough-of-it/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dazed |date=2025-03-07 |title=5 highlights from Plaqueboymax's UK underground livestream |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/66317/1/5-highlights-from-plaqueboymaxs-uk-underground-livestream-yt-jim-legxacy-kwes-e |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=Dazed |language=en |archive-date=April 9, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250409152224/https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/66317/1/5-highlights-from-plaqueboymaxs-uk-underground-livestream-yt-jim-legxacy-kwes-e |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=25 UK Rappers To Watch In 2025 |url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/joseph-jp-patterson/25-uk-rappers-to-watch-in-2025 |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=Complex |language=en |archive-date=August 19, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819175047/https://www.complex.com/music/a/joseph-jp-patterson/25-uk-rappers-to-watch-in-2025 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== See also ==

* Internet rap * Microgenre

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Street dance}}{{Hip-hop}} Category:Hip-hop genres Category:African-American dance Category:American dances Category:Culture of Los Angeles Category:Hip-hop dance Category:Street dance Category:West Coast hip-hop Category:21st-century dance Category:21st-century music genres Category:Microgenres Category:2010s in music Category:2020s in music