Southern rappers use dance to sell music

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Some people dance for entertainment. Some dance for self-expression. Some do it for money and fame.\nIn the rap industry, dancing is done for all of the above.\nWith the recent national attention to Southern states' rap dance moves, made popular by songs like "Lean wit it, Rock wit it" from the Atlanta-based Dem Franchize Boyz, the Baton Rouge, La., rap-dance scene might be next getting its chance to shine.\nBJ Rome, music producer for the rap label Trill Entertainment, said for an artist to be successful it is important to have some marketable dance moves.\n"The dance really complements the song," Rome said. "As long as you got a beat, it helps [record sales] a lot."\nRome said that successful artists have used songs as a marketing tool to help create a name for themselves and establish their staying power as a artists.\nRome said high-selling rap CDs feature at least one dance song.\n"I will tell any artist, 'You gotta have your serious song, you gotta have your club song and you gotta have your woman song - and most important you gotta have your dance song,'" Rome said. "It will really help the artist promote themselves."\nRome said Baton Rouge was responsible for creating dances like Lil' Boosie's "The Ratchet" and Samiam's "All We Do is Jigg" -- two dance moves that have gained a strong following and attention throughout local bars, clubs, and among students. The dance movement is still in its infancy, but is slowly gaining attention in bigger cities like Houston.\nHe said despite gaining play on the radio and local recognition, the dances had harsh beginnings -- much like the artists who came up with them.\n"The streets make up the dance moves," he said. "And once it pops [from the streets] it pops off from there."\nLaTangela Sherman, local radio DJ, said most dance moves are all about the way the artists present and trademark themselves.\nShe said most dance moves are reincarnations from the past with new popular-music edits added.\n"No matter how old the dance is, if you just give it a new name and new flare people will be into it," she said. "It's all about recycling and how you present it."\nSherman said for artists to get recognition from a mass audience, they must motivate people to dance in the clubs first.\n"If you keep them dancing in the club, it'll keep them calling in and requesting your song," she said.\nShe said the most impressive thing about Southern music and dance is its ability to cross all demographic boundaries.\nSherman said that much like Louisiana's food and culture, its music is unique and rooted in the way of life.\n"It's important for people to realize the music makes the world go around," she said. "Everyone brings something different to the table -- every city, every state will give its own swagger. We put Southern soul behind it," she said.