New York Times writer Taylor Lorenz did some digging into the origin of the Renegade dance and discovered that Harmon was responsible. Lorenz interviewed the teen for the Times, and word started to spread. Black Twitter caught wind of it, and it was a wrap.
K Camp took notice and filmed a video with Harmon and a friend doing the dance to his song and posted it on Twitter with a message on Valentine’s Day.
“Thank you Jalaiah and Skylar for helping make lottery the BIGGEST song in the world (sic),” he tweeted.
Thank you Jalaiah and Skylar for helping make lottery the BIGGEST song in the world. Tell the blogs eat it up! pic.twitter.com/HOo2jy5TAH
— FLOAT (@kcamp) February 15, 2020
Now, fast-forward to the NBA All-Star celebrity game on Friday, Feb. 14. Three young White girls were being followed around Wintrust Arena. Kids were going crazy for them. Turns out they are social media influencers known as the TikTok girls, and they were flown out to reap the rewards of their influence.
They probably were not aware of the swell of support Harmon was receiving at the same time for her dance creation. The NBA took notice and flew Harmon out on a day’s notice to receive her due in front of one of the biggest audiences in the world.
THIS IS FREAKIN AWESOME!!! https://t.co/Xa4UJKfuPi
— Eddy “Precise” Lamarre (@Precise_Chi) February 17, 2020
This moment makes Black History Month that much sweeter. Justice moving at the speed of social media is sweet. Hopefully, Harmon’s recognition grows into a monetized opportunity for the teen, who made her debut at NBA All-Star 2020 and also connected with the TikTok girls.
This may not be what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was speaking of directly, but it kind of is.
oh wow the tik tok girls already linked with the original creator of the renegade dance pic.twitter.com/Vr1gIeLcPX
— alex. (@makeupIady) February 16, 2020
