People’s Party is coming with all the content this week. Not only will Talib Kweli chat with RZA on Instagram for a special live edition of the show on Friday, but he also sat with hip-hop legend Everlast for Monday’s regular episode. In this exclusive preview, Everlast and Kweli reveal and discuss the origins of Everlast’s biggest hit: House Of Pain’s St. Patrick’s Day staple, “Jump Around.”
As it turns out, the reason Everlast and co. threw such a vicious diss to Ruffhouse Records CEO Joe Nicolo at the end of the record is because Nicolo originally tried to sign House Of Pain, but offered them “a ridiculously shitty deal.” “The next thing I know, I get called into the offices of Tommy Boy,” Everlast elaborates. “They’re like, ‘Alright, don’t panic…’ They play a record, and it’s Kriss Kross [“Jump”].” Apparently, Nicolo had heard “Jump Around” before its release and in an effort to circumvent the song’s eventual success, he’d employed Kriss Kross to make the similarly-titled “Jump.” Tommy Boy instead pushed “Jump Around” nationwide, ensuring it’s — ahem — everlasting success as one of hip-hop’s biggest hits ever.
Watch Everlast’s explanation of the song’s origins above.
People’s Party is a weekly interview show hosted by Talib Kweli with big-name guests exploring hip-hop, culture, and politics. Subscribe via Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.