Lil John and DJ Snake’s “Turn Down for What” is an undeniable force — the sort of club track that not only inspires ridiculous wilding out on the dance floor, but which also actually kinda sorta comes to define a moment. While trap music has spawned plenty of hits and its production typically feels epic, it’s never had an anthem like this.
And you’ve never seen a music video quite as appropriately absurd and absurdly inappropriate as the one above. Directed by the Daniels, who never disappoint, the clip follows an incredibly odd evening in the life of a man who is physically incapable of turning down. He’s so turnt up, in fact, that he’s imbued with superhuman strength, a hypnotic crotch, and the ability to convert others as he goes.
Last month SPIN interviewed Lil Jon about the song, and his words seem all the more poignant and, ahem, on point now:
One thing I’ve learned over the years, having done so many different kinds of records and finding success with those records, is that a song’s gotta capture a moment in someone’s life. It’s basically a movement of people that like to have a good time. This song is the type of song that gets you motivated to do anything. A lot of people tweet me like, “I was almost through my workout, ‘Turn Down for What’ came on, and it made me go even harder at the gym.” I pitched the song to be used for a basketball team like the Miami Heat. It’s amazing, because that’s what I’ve been doing all my career: just getting people amped up and hyped up.
