Move over, “Lift Every Voice And Sing” and “Before I Let Go,” there’s a new Black National Anthem in town. Joining James Weldon Johnson’s historic hymn and Frankie Beverly & Maze’s iconic jam is 803Fresh with his single “Boots On The Ground.” Over the past six months, the infectious song has gone viral with its accompanying line dance and become a smash hit for the South Carolina native. The breakout artist is riding the wave straight to the top of the charts and keeping momentum high with the release of the song’s music video.
803Fresh’s “Boots On The Ground” has become an anthem for Black joy amid daily chaos and orchestrated uncertainty in the United States since a certain orange menace regained power. You likely cannot log on to social media, turn on the radio or go to a function without hearing the lyrics “I got my boots on the ground” and “Where dem fans at?” and the click-clack of hand fans. The song has the culture in a chokehold with luminaries such as forever First Lady Michelle Obama, former Vice President Kamala Harris, Beyoncé and GMA co-host Robin Roberts doing the “Boots On The Ground” dance steps.
803Fresh brings the feel-good song to life in a vibrant visual shot on location in his hometown and on the campus of South Carolina State University. Everyone and their mama are outside with 803Fresh, including notable cameos from SCSU’s marching band The Marching 101, North Carolina soul brotha Anthony Hamilton and four-year-old dancer LaR’iyah Jesireé, better known as the viral sensation Ms. Shirley.
“I wanted this video to be something my hometown and my state could be proud of,” 803Fresh said in a press release. “This is Carolina Soul. This is for the people who’ve been riding with me from day one. It’s also about showing the world just how powerful and beautiful Southern Soul music really is.”
The singer born Douglas Furtick is thankful for how people have embraced “Boots On The Ground,” and he understands what it means to the culture at this moment in time.
“This record started with us,” he shared in a statement across his socials when the video premiered. “It came from trail rides, from backyards, from real-life moments, not marketing. It’s spreading because of the joy it gives people. As it grows, I just want to say: thank you. For dancing. For sharing. For seeing yourself in it.”
He’s acutely aware that as the song’s popularity increases, culture vultures will “try to take it, flip it, water it down,” but he’s unfazed and unapologetic about who this song is for. “This moment, this joy, this win, belongs to US. And we’re going to protect it. This is for the aunties, the steppers, the kids, the OGs. This is for anybody who’s ever been told we don’t have nothing. ‘Boots On The Ground’ is proof we’ve always had something, and now the world sees it, too.”
The world is seeing and hearing more from 803Fresh, who recently performed with D-Nice at Club Quarantine Live during the Preakness Festival in Baltimore and was interviewed by Sherri Shepherd on her daytime talk show Sherri. He shared the song’s origin story, gave everyone in the audience fans, previewed the video and hit the line dance with Shepherd and a few of her staff members.
- Advertisement -Get your boots, get your fans and get to stepping with 803Fresh when you watch the visual for “Boots On The Ground” and his segment on Sherri in case you missed it.
