Overview
The Milly Rock—2 Milly’s signature Brooklyn dance combining shoulder sways and running-in-place moves—became a New York hip-hop staple before Fortnite appropriated it without compensation, sparking landmark lawsuits about dance move ownership in the digital age.
The Dance
Core moves:
- Shoulders swaying side to side
- Arms swinging loosely
- Slight bounce/running-in-place footwork
- Head nod keeping rhythm
The move emphasized Brooklyn swagger—relaxed but rhythmic, cool without trying too hard.
Origins
Created by: 2 Milly (Terrence Ferguson), Brooklyn rapper
Song: “Milly Rock” (2014)
Context: Brooklyn drill/hip-hop scene, block party culture
The dance originated in Brooklyn’s streets and clubs before spreading via Instagram and YouTube. It became a Brooklyn identity marker—locals could Milly Rock, outsiders looked awkward attempting it.
Viral Spread (2014-2017)
- Instagram: Brooklyn dancers posting videos
- Hip-hop videos: Artists incorporating the move
- Sports: NBA players (notably New York Knicks) celebrating with it
- High schools: East Coast youth adopting it as signature move
Unlike national viral crazes (Whip/Nae Nae, Juju), the Milly Rock remained regionally associated with New York—a mark of authenticity.
Fortnite Controversy
Epic Games added the “Swipe It” emote to Fortnite (2018)—clearly the Milly Rock with no credit or compensation. 2 Milly filed a lawsuit (December 2018) alongside other creators (Backpack Kid’s Floss, Alfonso Ribeiro’s Carlton Dance).
Legal arguments:
- 2 Milly: Dance moves are copyrightable choreography deserving royalties
- Epic Games: Individual moves are too short for copyright protection
Outcome: Case dismissed (2020)—U.S. Copyright Office ruled short dance sequences not copyrightable. The decision allowed game companies to freely use viral dances without payment.
Cultural Impact
The lawsuit sparked broader conversations:
- Digital labor: Who owns moves created in communities, popularized online?
- Black cultural production: Pattern of Black creators’ work monetized by corporations without compensation
- Platform economics: Social media companies/games profiting from user-generated culture
- Copyright law inadequacy: Legal frameworks failing to protect choreographers
Brooklyn Hip-Hop Identity
The Milly Rock represented Brooklyn’s distinct dance culture:
- Drill scene: Associated with Brooklyn drill music’s rise
- Regional pride: A New York move in Atlanta-dominated hip-hop landscape
- Street authenticity: Resisted mainstream dilution better than crossover dances
When suburbanites Milly Rocked, it felt like cultural tourism—unlike accessible dances (Floss, Nae Nae), the Milly Rock carried geographic specificity.
2 Milly’s Career
Despite the dance’s success, 2 Milly never achieved mainstream breakthrough:
- “Milly Rock” got local/regional play but not national chart success
- Remained underground Brooklyn artist
- Fortnite lawsuit raised profile but not commercial fortunes
His trajectory exemplified the disconnect between viral cultural impact and financial success.
Legacy
The Milly Rock lawsuit established precedent limiting choreographers’ intellectual property rights, enabling:
- Game companies using dances without payment (Fortnite, NBA 2K, etc.)
- TikTok monetizing user choreography without creator compensation
- Social media platforms profiting from dance culture without sharing revenue
The case became symbolic of creator exploitation in platform capitalism—artists generating value, corporations extracting it.
The dance itself endures (2014-present) as Brooklyn hip-hop vocabulary, outlasting flashier viral moments through regional authenticity.
Sources
- The New York Times “2 Milly Sues Epic Games Over Fortnite Dance” (December 2018)
- U.S. Copyright Office dance move ruling documentation (February 2020)
- Billboard “The Milly Rock and Dance Copyright Law” (2020)