Inside the Visual Phenomenon of Lmfao’s ‘Sexy and I Know It’ Music Video
By Alexander Ross
The centerpiece of the video was simple: the "wiggle." During the chorus drop, where the driving electro bass drops into a spare, syncopated bounce, the dancers sync their hip movements in exaggerated, pendulum-like oscillations. This was visual design engineered for mimicry.
Long before short-form algorithms automated dance challenges, the "wiggle" became a grassroots music video dance craze. High school sports teams, flash mobs, and late-night television hosts scrambled to recreate the physical routine. The choreography required zero technical dancing skill; it demanded only the complete surrender of personal dignity. Redfoo understood that viral music video phenomena thrive on accessibility. While contemporary acts like Lady Gaga and Chris Brown delivered hyper-complex, professional stage routines, LMFAO invited their audience into the joke by making the signature move laughably easy to imitate.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
