ChickenNoodleSoup

Overview

“Chicken Noodle Soup”—DJ Webbie and Young B’s 2006 Harlem anthem—became a New York street dance staple before BTS’s J-Hope revived it 13 years later (2019) with Becky G, introducing the Harlem classic to global K-pop audiences and reigniting debates about cultural appreciation vs. appropriation.

Original 2006 Version

Created by: DJ Webbie (Bianca Dupree, age 14) and Young B (age 13), Harlem, New York
Release: September 2006
Context: Harlem hip-hop scene, youth-created viral phenomenon

The dance:

• Exaggerated arm movements (chicken wings)
• Bouncy footwork
• Head bobbing and body rolls
• Call-and-response with the song (“Let it rain, let it pour!”)

The song/dance was hyperlocal—a Harlem identity marker, spreading through New York’s Black youth culture.

2006 Viral Success

• YouTube: Millions of views (pre-viral video era standards)
• New York dominance: Every Harlem kid knew the dance
• Regional pride: Harlem claiming space in Southern-dominated mid-2000s hip-hop
• Teen creators: 14-year-old DJ Webbie became local celebrity

The success was grassroots—no major label initially, just street distribution and YouTube.

Cultural Significance (2006)

“Chicken Noodle Soup” represented:

• Harlem resilience: Post-gentrification cultural assertion
• Youth agency: Teenagers creating without industry gatekeepers
• New York pride: Regional identity in Atlanta-dominated era
• DIY virality: Pre-platform algorithm success

J-Hope’s 2019 Revival

BTS’s J-Hope ft. Becky G released “Chicken Noodle Soup” remix (September 2019):

• Korean-English bilingual: Becky G’s Spanish/English, J-Hope’s Korean/English
• Original sample: Licensed DJ Webbie’s song, paid royalties
• Dance tribute: J-Hope learned/performed the original choreography
• Homage intention: J-Hope stated it was his childhood favorite, honoring Harlem culture

Results:

• 100M+ YouTube views within weeks
• Billboard charts: Hot 100 entry, global charts
• TikTok challenge: New generation learning the 2006 dance
• DJ Webbie recognition: Original creator finally getting mainstream attention/compensation

Cultural Appreciation Debate

J-Hope’s version sparked discussion:

Appreciation arguments:

• Credited original creators
• Paid royalties and licensing fees
• Learned the dance respectfully
• Platform gave DJ Webbie long-overdue recognition
• Explicitly honored Harlem culture in promotion

Appropriation concerns:

• Korean artist profiting from Black culture
• Global platform J-Hope enjoyed vs. Webbie’s initial limited reach
• K-pop’s pattern of borrowing Black musical forms
• Power dynamics: BTS’s massive platform vs. Harlem teenagers

The debate was more nuanced than typical appropriation controversies—J-Hope’s clear credit and compensation complicated simple theft narratives.

DJ Webbie’s Response

Bianca Dupree (now adult, formerly DJ Webbie) expressed:

• Gratitude: Appreciation for J-Hope honoring her teenage work
• Validation: Finally receiving recognition 13 years later
• Bittersweet: Wishing original 2006 version had achieved similar scale
• Positive overall: Preferred credited homage to uncredited theft

Dance’s Second Life

The 2019 revival introduced the Chicken Noodle Soup dance to:

• Gen Z globally: TikTok users who hadn’t heard the 2006 original
• K-pop fandoms: BTS fans learning Harlem dance culture
• Cross-cultural exchange: Korean, Latin (Becky G), and Black American collaboration

Harlem Dance Legacy

“Chicken Noodle Soup” continued Harlem’s dance export tradition:

• Harlem Shake (original 1980s version, not the meme)
• Chicken Noodle Soup (2006)
• Harlem-originated moves influencing global hip-hop

Harlem’s cultural production—often marginalized by Southern hip-hop dominance—found occasional mainstream moments.

Legacy

The song’s two eras (2006, 2019) demonstrated:

• Viral longevity: Regional classics can be revived years later
• Credit matters: J-Hope’s approach set positive precedent for cultural homage
• Platform power: BTS’s global reach amplifying Harlem culture
• Generational cycles: New audiences discovering old culture via modern artists

“Chicken Noodle Soup” exists in cultural conversation as a case study for respectful cultural exchange—imperfect, complicated, but more thoughtful than typical appropriation.

Sources

• Billboard “J-Hope’s ‘Chicken Noodle Soup’ and Cultural Appreciation” (September 2019)
• The New York Times “How BTS Brought a Harlem Classic to Global Audiences” (2019)
• Complex “DJ Webbie on J-Hope’s Remake” (October 2019)