Overview

The Renegade dance became TikTok’s most recognizable choreography of 2019-2020, a 15-second hip-hop routine performed to K CAMP’s “Lottery (Renegade)” that defined early TikTok dance culture—and sparked ongoing debates about credit, attribution, and Black creators’ labor.

Origin & Choreography

Created by 14-year-old Atlanta dancer Jalaiah Harmon in September 2019, the Renegade featured signature moves: the woah, a hip roll, arm waves, and the “hit dem folks” gesture. Harmon posted the original to Instagram, then Funimate and YouTube, but it exploded on TikTok without her name attached.

The choreography’s accessibility—challenging enough to showcase skill, simple enough for mass participation—made it the perfect viral vehicle. By January 2020, celebrities like Lizzo, Kourtney Kardashian, and Charli D’Amelio were performing it to millions of viewers.

The Credit Crisis

Charli D’Amelio’s Renegade videos (50+ million views) became synonymous with the dance, leading many to believe she created it. The erasure of Jalaiah Harmon—a Black teenage choreographer—became a flashpoint for conversations about TikTok’s racial dynamics and creator compensation.

The New York Times investigated in February 2020, finally crediting Harmon. She performed the dance at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, met celebrities who’d unknowingly appropriated her work, and became an advocate for choreographer rights.

Cultural Impact

The Renegade controversy established patterns that would repeat throughout TikTok’s evolution: viral dances created by Black users, popularized by white creators with larger followings, credit battles fought retroactively. It accelerated TikTok’s creator fund development and pushed the platform toward better attribution tools.

Jalaiah Harmon’s experience—viral fame without compensation or credit—became a case study in digital labor exploitation and the specific challenges facing young Black creators on platforms optimized for viral spread over attribution.

Sources

• The New York Times “The Teen Who Created ‘The Renegade’” (February 2020)
• NBC News “Jalaiah Harmon finally gets credit for creating the Renegade dance” (February 2020)
• Teen Vogue Jalaiah Harmon profile (March 2020)