(Photo credit: Youtube Screenshot)
In an effort to get more people vaccinated, states, governments and communities have come up with a number of different incentives. A few different incentives include free lottery tickets, free haircuts, guns, cryptocurrency, and even marijuana.
Some say it’s doing too much. Other’s say, when it comes to saving lives, it’s never enough.
Now, there’s a new push in urban America with new programs and initiatives to get people vaccinated, including using popular artists. The latest push is from New Orleans rapper and original “Hot Boy,” Juvenile–remember him? He has partnered with former label mates, super producer Mannie Fresh and fellow New Orleans Rapper Mia X.
Juvie and the team are back for the “99′ and the 2000’s” but with a twist. The popular hit “Back That Thang Up” has been remixed into the now-viral anthem known as ‘Vax That Thang Up.’
Through his recent partnership with a popular dating app in the African American community, BLK, the rapper teamed up to create and release the pro-vaccine anthem to encourage Covid-19 vaccinations in the black community.
The classic chorus that had women rushing to the dancefloor and shaking their bodies in droves has now been reworked to say “Girl you look good won’t you vax that thang up. You a handsome young brother won’t you vax that thang up/ Dating in real life, you need to vax that thang up/Feeling freaky all night, you need to vax that thang up.”
In the video, instead of throwing money, Juvenile is seen throwing vaccination cards. Instead of talking about what he wants for himself, he’s speaking to whole community.
The pro-vaccine track that hit over 1.5 million views on YouTube in just 48 hours also features original Cash Money Records artist and producer Mannie Fresh and No-Limit Records rapper Mia X. Of course the remix was met with mixed reviews on #blacktwitter. With good and bad feedback the culture definitely weighed in with some calling it genius and others shaking their head.
“I just wanted to do something positive for my people and to stand in the front to show that I’m willing to sacrifice my life not just for me but also for my family,” Juvenile said in a statement, according to Rolling Stone. “We don’t know what we’re facing right now but we really do all need to be vaccinated so we can continue to do our thing and survive.”
BLK said in a statement that it hopes “Vax That Thang Up” will help ease vaccine hesitancy.
“Black adults under the age of 40 are the most likely group to avoid the Covid-19 vaccination, according to the U.S. Census Bureau,” the statement said. “Distrust of doctors and government, less access to vaccination centers, and online misinformation each play a role. We hope this video is both entertaining and actionable.”
“We have a direct line to the audience that needs to internalize this message,” Jonathan Kirkland, BLK head of brand and marketing, said in a statement. “The song may be playful and fun, but the underlying message is as real as it gets.”
What else is real are the numbers of vaccine rates.
As of July 4, about two-thirds of adults in the US had received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine and about 157 million people were fully vaccinated, but coverage varied widely among different groups. And as vaccination progress stalls, large disparities remain between who has been vaccinated and who has been most affected by the coronavirus.
While the Biden administration’s July 4 goal focused on the number of adults who were at least partially vaccinated, the share of the total population that is fully vaccinated better represents the level of protection against Covid-19.
Adults ages 18 to 29 make up the largest share of Covid-19 cases (29%) reported since the start of the pandemic, as well as in recent weeks. But they make up the smallest share of those who are vaccinated (8%) with the exception of minors, not all of whom are eligible to receive a vaccine.
This is a particular concern among health officials in the US as the Delta variant spreads rapidly across unvaccinated populations. The Biden administration specifically identified adults under 27 as the group that would miss the July 4 goal.
“Black adults under the age of 40 are the most likely group to avoid the Covid-19 vaccination, according to the U.S. Census Bureau,” a BLK statement reads. “Distrust of doctors and government, less access to vaccination centers, and online misinformation each play a role. We hope this video is both entertaining and actionable.”
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