Anatomy of a Hit: How Bobby Shmurda's 'Hot Boy' Came to Life

In March, Bobby Shmurdas Hot Boy (explicit version: Hot Na) video hit YouTube. But it wasnt until June, when Vine user Vladimir Francois looped the rappers Shmoney Dance move in the clip, that the song blew up. Now, Shmurda, 20, is signed to Epic Records, and Hot Boy rises 12-10 on the Oct. 25 Billboard Hot 100. Heres how it happened.

I made the record two years ago for Lloyd Banks [Jackpot], but it didnt really pick up much steam and he never paid for it. Bobby brought it to life and turned it into a club anthem. He really took advantage of the track -- the way he flowed on it, the way he came in when the bass drops out, how he made the buildup go into the drop -- it was a work of art. People dont think too deep into it, but theres really a science to it.

Im a former gang member. Before the song went crazy, before I started booking shows, I was still in the streets. My music career was on the block. I was getting a lot of love on Instagram, but [the song] wasnt really that crazy on the streets. But after the video went viral, after people started tweeting it, people started pulling up on me on the block yelling. Im like, Damn, I cant even be on the block no more!

The Shmoney Dance was very infectious -- his crew are all stepping and dancing in unison. His hat flip was a dope segue to the Shmoney Dance, and I wanted to capture that particular sequence. My Vine was looped perfectly -- the hat that never came down stuck with people. The next weekend, I heard the song from a passing car. When I checked my Vine, I saw all the revines, comments and loops; they were at a million.

The last big group that made it out of New York was my crew, G-Unit. Ever since they split up, I was trying to find something in New York that made me that excited. In June, Steven Victor, Pusha Ts manager, sent me the video: Sha, watch this right now. I met with Shmurda and didnt let him leave. I wanted to be in business that day, not let him walk out and talk to some other label.

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Anatomy of a Hit: How Bobby Shmurda's 'Hot Boy' Came to Life