Soundtrack — A Black Music Month tribute to the songs that shaped my memories — “Check on it”

“Check on It” is a song recorded by the American singer Beyoncé, featuring American rappers Bun B and Slim Thug. It was composed by Beyoncé, Swizz Beatz, Sean Garrett, Angela Beyincé, and Slim Thug. Fun Fact: The song’s development was motivated by the phrase “Check on It” which Beyoncé and her management jokingly used before they decided to turn it into a song.

“SHIT,” I screamed in pain. “I pulled a hammy!”

It was a brisk December day in Philadelphia in 2005. I was a recent graduate home for the holidays to visit my brothers and nephew. We piled into my brother’s lounge of a bedroom to watch music videos.

And that’s where it all happened.

I was never very much of an athletic person; I was just tiny and a bit bendy. So, it remains unclear why I thought I could dance along when Beyoncé’s “Check on it” video premiered. But there I was dippin’, poppin’, twerkin’, not stoppin’.

And when I went down to hit that bridge move, it was seven long minutes before I came back up.

“Check on it” is now one of my favorite Beyoncé songs to sit in my chair and nod my head to.