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Tekashi 6ix9ine’s Dancehall-Inspired ‘Punani’ Based On Leftside’s ‘Want Yuh Body’

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69_leftside
Tekashi 6ix9ine and Dancehall artiste Leftside

American rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine has shared a video for his new single Punani, which sounds inspired in part by Dancehall artiste Leftside’s track called Want Yuh Body.

Punani has come with a bit of attention, especially within the Dancehall community not just for its popular Jamaican slanged title but also for its familiar-sounding lyrics and riddim which was released over a decade ago.

It turns out Tekashi sampled Leftside’s 2010 track Phat Punani (Want Yuh Body). There have been a few renditions of the track since its release. Leftside remixed the original song to feature Mystic in 2011 and again in 2015 to feature Sean Paul. Bling Dawg also recorded on the riddim with his track Lip Sync.

6ix9ine, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, was sprung from lock-up early and confined to house arrest in April, over fears that his chronic asthma made him vulnerable to the coronavirus.

The 23-year-old wasted no time in getting back to his music and released a string of songs with music videos, including TROLLZ with Nicki Minaj in early June. Even though 6ix9ine looks pretty wired in his effervescent videos of late, it was evident they were shot in a confined space as he even showed off his ankle monitor in a clip of TROLLZ.

Today, the music video for Punani captures the rap star out in the streets of New York with his crew, drifting and posing on some pristine looking Lamborghinis. Tekashi’s lawyer, Lance Lazzaro, confirmed to USA TODAY that the rapper has finished his home confinement and shot a music video in Brooklyn on Sunday.

Punani was directed by Canonf8, mixed and mastered by Wizard Lee and has quickly amassed over 8 million views since its release a few hours ago. Watch it below.

Watch Leftside’s remix of Want Yuh Body with Sean Paul below.

Tekashi’s version has the same hard-hitting beat as the original riddim, mixed in with some hip-hop pulses. While he plays on the punch line, “phat punani,” on the hook, the 1 minute and 30-second track doesn’t quite grasp the essence of its meaning.

Leftside’s latest single is Jiggle Dat, and he has been teasing the release of an album, titled Xcitement and its first single, Dem Nuh Ready Yet featuring Sean Paul.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDaLwFXHI87/

The Jamaican artiste, whose real name is Craig Parks, has also gained success as a producer on albums for Sizzla, Bounty Killer, Wayne Wonder, and Sean Paul, among others.  Parks’ alter ego, Dr. Evil, has been on hiatus of late, as he focused on being Leftside – the recording artiste, producer, and the owner of Keep Left Records.

Some fans, familiar with Leftside’s original song and its remixes, reacted to 69’s new video today.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDaV_uQjkd9/

https://twitter.com/HollaChala/status/1290020827354656768