You’ve seen it. That weird, gravity-defying slide where someone looks like they're literally hovering an inch off the pavement. It’s smooth. It’s slightly frustrating to watch because your brain can't quite figure out how their feet are moving. People call it the A Pimp Named Slickback dance, and honestly, it’s one of those rare viral moments that actually required some genuine physical skill to pull off.
It wasn’t just another low-effort TikTok sway.
The dance took over FYPs globally because it looked like a glitch in the Matrix. But behind the viral clips of teenagers sliding across gymnasium floors is a weirdly specific mix of 2000s adult animation, a niche Jersey Club remix, and a backtrack to a specific character from The Boondocks.
Where Did the A Pimp Named Slickback Dance Actually Come From?
To understand the dance, you have to understand the character. A Pimp Named Slickback—voiced by the legendary Katt Williams—is a recurring character in Aaron McGruder’s The Boondocks. His whole bit is that you have to say the full name. Every time. "Yes, the whole thing! It's like 'A Tribe Called Quest,' you say the whole thing!"
The show premiered on Adult Swim back in 2005. For years, the character was just a cult favorite for his over-the-top outfits and pimp-slap philosophy. Then, the internet did what it does best: it took a snippet of audio and turned it into a rhythmic foundation for something entirely different.
The song fueling the A Pimp Named Slickback dance isn't actually from the show's soundtrack. It’s a remix. Specifically, it uses a track called "Pimp Named Slickback" by LAKIM. This track samples the character’s voice over a heavy, syncopated Jersey Club beat.
Jersey Club is a genre defined by that "triple pulse" kick drum—boom-ba-boom-boom-boom. It’s high energy. It’s fast. Usually around 135 to 140 BPM. That specific tempo is exactly what makes the "Jubilee" or "Slickback" move look so hypnotic.
The Korean Influence and the "Jubilee"
While the audio is American, the viral "floating" version of the dance actually gained massive traction through a Korean creator named Jubi (@the_jubi). He didn't invent the concept of the "Slickback," but he perfected the technique that made it look like he was skating on air.
He called it the "Jubilee."
When Western audiences saw him doing it to the LAKIM remix, the two concepts fused together. Suddenly, the A Pimp Named Slickback dance was the gold standard for "steeze" on social media.
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The Physics of the Slide: Why It Looks Like You’re Flying
Most people fail when they try this. They just hop. They look like they're doing a clumsy version of the "Running Man."
The trick—the real secret to the A Pimp Named Slickback dance—is the illusion of the weightless foot. Basically, while one foot is jumping, the other foot is performing a lateral "wipe" across the ground.
- The Lead Foot: This foot is actually in the air. It kicks out to the side.
- The Drag Foot: This is the foot that supports your weight, but you’re hopping on it so quickly that it looks like it’s sliding.
- The Sync: You have to time the hop of the back foot exactly with the mid-air hover of the front foot.
If you do it right, your body stays at a consistent height while your feet move underneath you. No bobbing up and down. That’s the key. If your head is bouncing, you’ve lost the magic. You want to look like you're on a conveyor belt that only you can see.
Why This Viral Trend Actually Lasted
Most TikTok dances die in two weeks. They're too easy. Anyone can do the "Renegade" or whatever the current 15-second hand-wave trend is.
But the A Pimp Named Slickback dance had staying power because it’s hard. It’s an "attainable skill." It’s like learning to whistle or flip a butterfly knife. You see someone do it, you try it, you fall over, and then you're determined to figure it out.
It also tapped into a deep well of nostalgia. The Boondocks is a pillar of Black culture and early 2000s counter-culture. By bringing Katt Williams’ voice back into the zeitgeist, the trend bridged a gap between Gen X/Millennial fans of the show and Gen Z creators who just liked the beat.
There’s also the "Slickback" aesthetic. The character wears purple suits, pimp hats, and carries a cane. While most people doing the dance are in sweatpants or school uniforms, the best videos often lean into that flamboyant confidence. You can't do the Slickback if you're shy. You have to move like you own the sidewalk.
Real Talk: Is It Just the "Jubilee"?
There has been some light internet drama about the name. Some purists argue that calling it the A Pimp Named Slickback dance ignores the "Jubilee" roots from the Korean dance scene.
Technically? They’re right. The "Jubilee" is the specific footwork style. But culture doesn't always care about technicalities. Once that specific audio clip became the default background for the move, the names became interchangeable. It's a classic case of cultural remixing.
Common Mistakes People Make (And How to Fix Them)
If you're trying to learn this in your living room right now, you're probably making three specific mistakes.
First, you're looking at your feet. Don't do that. It ruins your posture. A Pimp Named Slickback wouldn't be looking at his shoes; he’d be looking at the person he’s talking to. Keep your chin up.
Second, you're probably trying to move too fast. Even though the beat is quick, the actual "wipe" of your foot should feel controlled. It's a glide, not a frantic kick.
Third, you're putting too much weight on the "gliding" foot. That foot should barely touch the floor—if it touches it at all. Some of the best versions of the A Pimp Named Slickback dance involve the front foot actually staying a few millimeters off the ground the entire time. It's essentially a one-footed hop disguised as a two-footed slide.
The Cultural Impact of The Boondocks in 2026
It’s wild to think that a show which stopped airing original episodes years ago still dictates what we see on our screens today. The A Pimp Named Slickback dance is proof that good character design and iconic voice acting have a shelf life that lasts decades.
Katt Williams’ performance as Slickback was always about rhythm. His speech patterns were musical. It makes total sense that his voice eventually found a home in a dance trend.
The trend also highlights how global internet culture has become. You have a character created by a Black American cartoonist, voiced by a legendary comedian, remixed by an electronic producer, and turned into a global dance craze by a creator in South Korea.
That’s the modern internet. It’s messy, it’s collaborative, and it’s fast.
How to Master the Slickback Right Now
If you want to actually nail the A Pimp Named Slickback dance, stop watching the 10-second clips and start looking at slow-motion breakdowns.
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- Master the "Scissors" step. Practice jumping on one foot while swinging the other out. Do this until your calf muscles hate you.
- Focus on the height. Use a mirror. If your head is moving up and down more than an inch, you need to flatten out your hop.
- The "Drag" Foot. Practice hopping backwards on your right foot while your left foot stays locked in a forward position.
- Add the lean. Most people stand too straight. Lean slightly away from the direction you are moving. It creates a better center of gravity for the slide.
Once you have the mechanics, find the LAKIM remix. Don't start with the fast version. Find a "slowed + reverb" version if you have to. Match the rhythm.
The A Pimp Named Slickback dance isn't going anywhere because it looks cool. It’s that simple. In an era of filters and AI-generated everything, seeing a human being move in a way that looks like they’re breaking the laws of physics is always going to be satisfying.
Stop overthinking it. Get on a smooth surface—hardwood floors are your friend, carpet is your enemy—and start sliding. Just remember to say the whole name. Every time.
Next Steps for Mastery:
- Record yourself in profile. You can't see your own "glitch" from a front-facing camera easily. Side-on views reveal if your feet are actually hitting the ground too hard.
- Check the surface friction. If you're struggling, try wearing socks on a kitchen floor first to get the "glide" sensation before moving to sneakers on pavement.
- Listen to the "triple-kick." The Jersey Club beat is your metronome. Your "hop" should land on the primary kick, while your "wipe" happens on the secondary pulses.