#PassinhoDoJamal is the hashtag for a bouncy brega-funk choreography out of Recife, Pernambuco — created around 2020 by childhood friends Pedro Henrique (“Eo Chapa”) and Romero Júnior (“Jamal”), and turned into a 2025–26 global TikTok trend by the song “Toma Botada” and a steady drip of celebrity replicators. By May–June 2026 the step had crossed into K-pop after BTS’s J-Hope was filmed performing it, and the dance has also been added as an in-game emote in Free Fire.
Quick Facts
- Origin: Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
- Created by: Pedro Henrique (“Eo Chapa”) and Romero Júnior (“Jamal”)
- Created: c. 2020
- Music: brega-funk (notably “Toma Botada” by Eo Chapa with MC Rogê, 2025)
- Status: active
Origin
“Passinho do Jamal” — literally “Jamal’s little step” — was created around 2020 in the peripheral neighborhood of Santo Amaro in central Recife by childhood friends Pedro Henrique and Romero Júnior, better known as Eo Chapa and Jamal respectively. Eo Chapa took the MC role, releasing brega-funk tracks designed for the choreography; Jamal’s nickname stuck to the step itself.
How It Works
The dance is characterized by synchronized arm movements, lateral steps and a precise hip sway, typically performed to brega-funk (the Recife-born, faster offshoot of Brazilian funk). It is forgiving to copy — most of the visual identity comes from the arm-and-shoulder roll and a confident lean — which is part of why it spread so widely.
Timeline
2020
- Eo Chapa and Jamal create the step in Santo Amaro, Recife.
2025
- “Toma Botada” by Eo Chapa with MC Rogê goes viral on Spotify Brazil, reaching the top of the Viral 50 Brasil playlist.
- Brazilian artists João Gomes, Ivete Sangalo and Chico César and TV host Adriane Galisteu replicate the step.
- Eo Chapa and Jamal leave their previous jobs (construction worker and water-delivery, respectively) and become full-time brega-funk artists.
- The step is added as an emote in the battle-royale game Free Fire.
2026
- May–June: BTS’s J-Hope is filmed doing the Passinho on social media, fueling a fresh viral wave alongside the parallel #SixSeven meme.
Cultural Impact
The Passinho do Jamal is a clear case study of regional Brazilian funk exporting itself: a bedroom-and-block-party choreography from a peripheral Recife neighborhood ended up as a Spotify Viral 50 driver, a Free Fire emote and a K-pop crossover within roughly a year. It has also become a regular reference point in coverage of brega-funk’s national rise alongside more established forms like #BaileFunk and #FunkCarioca.
Variations & Related Tags
Related tags include #BaileFunk, #FunkCarioca and the parallel meme #SixSeven.
Sources
- https://www.letras.mus.br/blog/passinho-do-jamal/
- https://nordesteonline.com.br/passinho-do-jamal-conquista-famosos-e-viraliza-entre-fas-de-brega-funk/
- https://midias.diariodepernambuco.com.br/viver/2025/10/11697270-como-o-passinho-do-jamal-levou-o-brega-funk-toma-botada-ao-top-3-virais-do-spotify.html
- https://pernambucoconectado.com.br/passinho-do-jamal-a-danca-recifense-que-domina-as-redes/
- https://portaldeprefeitura.com.br/cotidiano/passinho-do-jamal-danca-pernambucano-adicionada-free-fire/609641/
- https://www.riosdenoticias.com.br/danca-brasileira-passinho-do-jamal-ultrapassa-fronteiras-e-vira-trend-global/