Rapper Juvenile encourages people to ‘Vax That Thang Up’ in new pro-vaccine anthem
Rapper Juvenile is putting a pro-vaccine spin on his smash hit “Back That Thang Up,” urging fans to “Vax That Thang Up” as the U.S. tries to push past the COVID-19 pandemic.
The New Orleans native reworked his 1999 classic into an equally twerk-worthy anthem encouraging people to get the coronavirus shot.
“Girl you looks good, won’t you vax that that thang up,” he raps in the remixed version. “You’s a handsome young brother, won’t you vax that thang up / Dating in real life, you need to vax that thang up / Feelin’ freaky all night, you need to vax that thang up.”
You can watch the video here, although as a warning, the lyrics contain explicit content.
Juvie teamed with fellow Cash Money Records artist Mannie Fresh and Mia X of No Limit Records for the new tune, which was part of a promotional ad campaign by dating app BLK, according to Rolling Stone. It was soon a viral hit after the video was released Monday and has racked up more than 1.3 million views on YouTube.
“TO EACH HIS OWN!” Juvenile captioned a clip of the video posted on his Instagram page. “Do what’s best for YOU and YOUR LIFE, no matter what’s being said or done.”
Nearly 59% of adults in the U.S. have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and over 67% are partially inoculated, according to July 8 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data shows that number is much lower among Black Americans, however.
As of July 7, less than 10% of people in the U.S. who identify as Black or African-American were fully vaccinated. Only about 9% have gotten at least one dose, data shows.
The founders of BLK, which helps connect Black singles, said they hope “Vax That Thang Up” will help combat vaccine hesitancy. The app is one of several dating platforms, including Tinder and Hinge, that includes features to help vaccinated singles connect with one another, NPR reported.
“Distrust of doctors and government, less access to vaccination centers, and online misinformation each play a role,” BLK told NBC News in a statement. “We hope this video is both entertaining and actionable.”
The bombastic pro-vaccine anthem has drawn mixed reactions among fans who took to social media to share their thoughts.
“I dare a DJ to play this in the club,” one fan commented on YouTube.
Actor and singer John Legend gave his stamp of approval, calling it the “song of the summer.”
This story was originally published July 8, 2021 at 3:54 PM with the headline "Rapper Juvenile encourages people to ‘Vax That Thang Up’ in new pro-vaccine anthem."