Electric Boogaloo: Understanding The Energetic Dance Style

what is meaning of electric boogaloo

Electric Boogaloo is a phrase that became popular in the 2000s, often used to mock a sequel in film, TV, or other media. The phrase originates from the 1984 film *Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo*, a dance movie that was negatively received due to its poor quality and disregard for the history and culture of the actual electric boogaloo dance style. Electric boogaloo itself is a type of break dancing that emerged from funk and hip-hop styles in the 1970s and was popularized by groups like the Harlem Pop Lockers and the dance group Electric Boogaloo. The modern usage of the phrase Electric Boogaloo has evolved to denote any unwanted or ridiculous sequel, whether it's a movie, book, game, or even real-life events, indicating a sense of fatigue or criticism towards excessive sequel culture.

Characteristics Values
Origin "Electric Boogaloo" is a reference to a funk-oriented dance style of the same name.
Popular Culture Lexicon It entered the popular culture lexicon in the 2000s as a snowclone used to denote an archetypal sequel.
Connotation The term is usually used to refer to a ridiculous sequel title or a title of a follow-up to an obscure or eclectic film or other work.
Use in Media The term has been used in media such as music, film, and television, and has also become an internet meme.
Political Usage Right-wing activists in the United States have used "boogaloo" as a dog whistle to describe a rebellion against the government.
Film The film "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo" popularized the term and inspired its humorous use as a subtitle for an unwanted movie sequel.

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Electric Boogaloo: A type of breakdancing

Electric Boogaloo is a type of breakdancing that evolved from the boogaloo dance style. Boogaloo was a popular dance and music style in the 1950s and 1960s with roots in Latin American and Southern music culture. R&B legend James Brown notably performed the boogaloo. Electric boogaloo, a style of break dancing, was popularized in the 1970s by groups like the Harlem Pop Lockers and a dance group called Electric Boogaloo.

The term "Electric Boogaloo" is also used in popular culture, often as a humorous subtitle for an unwanted or unnecessary sequel to a movie, book, game, or other work. This usage of the phrase originated from the 1984 film "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo", which was released just nine months after the first "Breakin'" film and was criticized for disregarding the history and culture of the actual electric boogaloo dance. The film received mostly negative reviews and was considered a bizarre production and a cash grab.

The phrase "Electric Boogaloo" has been used in various titles, including albums by the rock band Five Iron Frenzy and the mathgrind band The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, and as a joke or meme to refer to unwanted metaphorical "sequels" in real life, such as a second tropical storm, the revival of a disliked political candidate, or a rematch between rival sports teams.

The term "boogaloo" has also been used by right-wing activists in the United States as a dog whistle to refer to a rebellion against the government, implying a desire for a sequel to the American Revolution.

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Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo: The 1984 film that inspired the phrase

The 1984 film Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo is a musical comedy-drama and the sequel to the 1983 film Breakin'. The subtitle "Electric Boogaloo" refers to a funk-oriented dance style of the same name. The film stars Lucinda Dickey as Kelly (aka Special K), Adolfo Quinones as Ozone, and Michael "Boogaloo Shrimp" Chambers as Turbo, a trio of breakdancers who try to save a youth centre named Miracles from being bulldozed to make way for a new shopping centre.

The film received mostly negative reviews from critics, with a 29% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, New York Press film critic Armond White considered it "superb", and Roger Ebert gave it a three-star rating, calling it "inexhaustible, entertaining, and [...] influential". The film grossed $2,921,030 in its first five days, playing at 717 theatres in the United States and Canada, and eventually made a total of $15.1 million—more than three times its budget.

The title track "Electric Boogaloo" reached #45 on the Billboard R&B chart. The film inspired the humorous use of the phrase "Electric Boogaloo" as a subtitle for an unwanted movie sequel or any unwanted metaphorical "sequel" in real life. In the 2000s, it became an internet meme, with people using "Electric Boogaloo" to sarcastically refer to sequels, especially those of diminishing quality.

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The phrase "Electric Boogaloo" is a reference to the 1984 dance film "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo", which was a poorly received sequel to the film "Breakin'". The term refers to a type of dance move that arose out of funk and hip-hop styles in the 1970s and was popularized by the street dance team The Electric Boogaloos. The film "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo" was considered a bizarre production and a cash grab, disregarding the history and culture of the actual electric boogaloo dance.

In the 2000s, it became an internet meme to use "Electric Boogaloo" as a subtitle for an unwanted or poor-quality movie sequel or any other metaphorical "sequels" in real life. For example, one could refer to a second tropical storm, a rematch between rival sports teams, or a computer update as "Electric Boogaloo". The phrase is often used to mock the idea of a sequel that is unnecessary or of low quality.

The use of "Electric Boogaloo" in this context first appeared online as early as 2001 and was later used in publications such as the Huffington Post and the New York Times in 2005 and 2007, respectively. It has also been used in popular culture outside of the internet, such as in the title of an episode of the television show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia", "Chardee MacDennis 2: Electric Boogaloo".

In addition to its use in popular culture, the term "boogaloo" has also been used as a slang term by libertarians and anarcho-capitalists to describe an uprising against the government or left-wing political opponents, as in the phrase "Civil War 2: Electric Boogaloo".

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Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films: A 2014 documentary

"Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films" is a 2014 documentary film about the rise and fall of the independent film company, Cannon Films, helmed by Israeli cousins Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus. The film has a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of 7.4/10.

The phrase "Electric Boogaloo" is a reference to a funk-oriented dance style of the same name, popularized in the 1970s by groups like the Harlem Pop Lockers and a dance group called Electric Boogaloo. In the 2000s, the phrase entered the popular culture lexicon as a snowclone used to denote an archetypal sequel, often with a negative connotation. The original movie associated with the phrase is the 1984 dance film "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo", which was poorly received by critics.

The documentary "Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films" explores the story of Cannon Films, a company with a reputation for cheapness and questionable business decisions. Despite this, the studio's rise and fall make for interesting documentary material, and the film includes testimonials from a wide range of people who have had dealings with the studio. The documentary was released on Blu-ray by Ascot Elite Home Entertainment in 2015.

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Boogaloo as a political term: How the phrase has been used by right-wing activists

The term "boogaloo" has been used by right-wing activists in the United States as a dog whistle for a second American revolution or civil war. The term first came into use in the early 2010s and gained widespread attention in late 2019. The "boogaloo movement" is a loosely organized group that exists primarily online and is characterized by anti-government and anti-law enforcement rhetoric. The movement is difficult to define ideologically due to its decentralized nature, but it is often associated with libertarianism, anarcho-capitalism, and right-wing extremism.

Right-wing activists who identify with the boogaloo movement often advocate for violent rebellion against the government and see themselves as continuing a tradition of citizen resistance to government oppression. They have been described as "an ultra-nationalist, primarily white movement of people who belong to militias," and experts on extremism generally concur that the movement is right-wing. The boogaloo movement has been compared to the right-wing anti-government militia and patriot movements of the 1990s and 2000s, and its members often glorify historical events such as the McVeigh bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building as heroic moments of resistance.

The boogaloo movement has a significant presence on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and 4chan, where they organize and recruit new followers. In June 2020, Facebook conducted a coordinated takedown of boogaloo content, removing over 600 accounts and 200 groups. Despite these efforts, the movement continues to pose a threat to law enforcement and government targets, as evidenced by the large spike in boogaloo-related activity on 4chan and other right-wing militia pages following a seven-hour standoff with police in 2019.

The boogaloo movement has also been active in the physical world, with members attending protests and riots, particularly those related to racial justice and police brutality. While some boogaloo adherents have provided security for and demonstrated alongside racial justice protesters, suggesting some ideological alignment with anti-racist groups, others have attempted to exploit protests as cover for violence. The boogaloo movement's presence at these protests reflects the larger political moment of intense political polarization and declining faith in democratic institutions.

Frequently asked questions

'Electric boogaloo' is a phrase that is appended to the title of a film or TV show to mock its poor quality or to indicate that it is an unwanted sequel.

The phrase 'electric boogaloo' comes from the 1984 film *Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo*, which received mostly negative reviews.

A boogaloo was a popular dance and music style in the 1950s and 60s, with roots in Latin American and Southern US music culture. Electric boogaloo is a type of break dancing that arose out of funk and hip-hop styles in the 1970s.

The phrase 'electric boogaloo' is often used in popular culture to refer to an unwanted sequel, either in film or in real life. For example, one might refer to a rematch between rival sports teams as 'Rivalry Rematch: Electric Boogaloo'.

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