Soundtrack — A Black Music Month tribute to the songs that shaped my memories — “Do It”

“Do it” is a song on “I’m Serious,” the October 2001 full-length debut studio album by T.I. Fun fact: I wrote an album review for “I’m Serious,” that read ‘I have a feeling T.I. is going to be around for a long time.’ and there were people who didn’t believe me.

I was in my first semester of college in New Orleans, but it was late enough in the school year for me to already have enemies. And by enemies, I mean someone who my New Jersey behavior irritated to the point of “don’t bring that bitch around me.” Our small first floor group of dorm sisters was split in fours by this beef. I would join in only when the girl from Lithonia, an Atlanta suburb, wasn’t around. She and I had almost come to blows so many times that while it was best to keep us separated, dorm living does not support this concept.

Our rooms were next to each other. Often, she’d blast her music until the faux cement walls between us would rattle. But I love music, so this never bothered me the way she hoped it would.

During one of her “annoy the bitch I don’t like” attempts, the bass line made putty of our walls as if she had plastered a tweeter on it. It was an irresistible beat that my hips refused to ignore. I went into an unexplainable, yet automatic twerk. Then the most Atlanta accent I’ve ever heard broke through rapping. The whole song was dedicated to this amazing ah (ass) he found at a nightclub. The beat remained a continuous vibe and the hook chant-along worthy. I was literally on the other side of the wall bouncing my ass and hollering. And just like that, as if the 3 minutes and 56 seconds wasn’t enough, she started the song over.

I ran out of my room and started pounding on her door. She opened it with joy on her face signifying she had finally upset me to the point of confrontation. But I wasn’t there to give her what she wanted.

“The fuck you want,” she slickly asked.

“Who is that,” I screamed over her still paying music.

“Bitch, what,” she responded.

“Bitch, who is that? What is that song,” I asked.

“Um, it’s Tip,” she said holding up the CD. “He’s from A-lan-a.”

“Let me see,” I asked.

She handed me the CD with such a look of confusion in her eyes. I looked the cover over for a few minutes before giving it back.

“Thanks,” I said running out of her room.

Fewer than two hours later I was at the Lakeside Mall buying the CD.

LATER THAT SAME SCHOOL YEAR

One Friday night that following May, I found myself standing in line at a club in downtown Atlanta. It seemed that as soon as we got in, the beat dropped on “Do it.” And so began all of the popping, shaking, dropping and bouncing. As I watched the song’s inspiration play out, I thought, yeah, that Tip guy is going to be around for a long time. Now bounce yo’ ah and holler.