Bump N' Grind by R. Kelly

Album: 12 Play (1993)

Charted: 8 1

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

In the early to mid '90s, many R&B songs had titles that referred specifically to sex. Some of these were obvious, such as Color Me Badd's "I Wanna Sex You Up" and R. Kelly's previous single "Sex Me," but others found new and exciting ways to describe the nasty. Some of these songs popularized the catch phrases they came from, including Candyman's "Knockin' Boots" and Silk's "Freak Me," but this song took the phrase "Bump N' Grind" to a new level. While the phrase certainly indicates sex, it could also refer to dancing or many other activities. It even became a popular on air saying for ESPN anchor Stuart Scott.
British house duo Waze & Odyssey produced a bootleg of the track, which was originally just for their DJ sets. Their reworking took on a life of its own after it was uploaded to YouTube and the remix was officially released on October 19, 2014 reaching #3 on the UK singles chart.
Waze & Odyssey's version samples Nightcrawlers' mid '90s hit "Push the Feeling On."

Comments: 1

Gonzo from UkOriginated the term "Bump & Grind"? Uuuh. Nope. David Lee Roth includes a song by the same title on his 1986 album "Eat 'em and Smile", and the phrase itself was popular many years before that. I've read the phrase in books dating back to the early 1950's which implied the usage of the phrase "Bump & Grind" being commonplace amongst Jazz & Blues musicians in the 1920s & '30s, so crediting R.Kelly with the origin of the phrase is incorrect (and really rather stupid).

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Just Can't Get EnoughThe Black Eyed Peas

The Black Eyed Peas shot the video for "Just Can't Get Enough" in Japan just a week before a devastating earthquake hit the country.

Cigarettes And Chocolate MilkRufus Wainwright

"Cigarettes And Chocolate Milk" describes a time in Rufus Wainwright's life when he found himself hungover and pounding chocolate milk to feel better. It didn't work, so he smoked a cigarette, which is when he realized his addictive personality could be a problem.

Wrecking BallMiley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus didn't write "Wrecking Ball" but could very much relate to it. She was having problems in her relationship with Liam Hemsworth, so the theme of giving your love only to have it wrecked really resonated with her.

Why Can't We Be Friends?War

War got the idea for "Why Can't We Be Friends?" when they were traveling in Japan and found they had a kinship with the citizens even though they didn't speak the same language.

Opposites AttractPaula Abdul

MC Skat Kat was created for the remix of "Opposites Attract," which was released as the last single from Paula Abdul's Forever Your Girl album. The team that created the Kat also did a-ha's "Take On Me" video.

Don't You Want MeThe Human League

Phil Oakey of The Human League recorded his vocals for "Don't You Want Me" in the studio bathroom. The recording was disrupted by guitarist Jo Callis reaching through an open window from outside to repeatedly flush one of the toilets.