March 27, 2020 | Courtesy of Billboard.com by Robbie Daw
Link to original article: https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9344505/where-are-they-now-2000-bbmak-baha-men-2gether
BAHA MEN
Who indeed let the dogs out? Initially, it was Trinidadian songwriter Anslem Douglas, who released chiding party jam “Doggie” in 1998. When S-Curve founder Steve Greenberg heard a cover of Douglas’ song, he insisted that the Baha Men, signed to his label at the time, record a cover in their own style.
By the summer of 2000, Baha Men’s rendition had been let off the leash, complete with the new title “Who Let the Dogs Out?” As the group’s Dyson Knight told VICE in 2015, “Management had the vision, and the Baha Men were reluctant, but the group went in and recorded it anyway. The rest is history.”
Lead vocalist Rik Carey tells Billboard, “First off, I have never barked so much in my entire life. It was myself and most of the entire band recording stacks and stacks of background vocals on the chorus and the barking. I thought it was funny as hell, but then I realized sonically why the producer needed it to sound a certain way.”
Who they are: The Baha Men have gone through many member switch-ups since forming in the Bahamas as a nightclub act in 1977. Vocalist Rik Carey joined up with the band just in time to ride the wave of success with their signature song.
Where you’ve seen them before: The 1994 incarnation of the band appeared in Disney movie My Father the Hero, the plot of which revolved around Gerard Depardieu’s character taking his teenage daughter -- played by Katherine Heigl -- on vacation to (you guessed it) the Bahamas.
When they knew they had a hit: “I felt that ‘Dogs’ would be big the moment I saw what avenues it took us down,” says Carey. “First it was kids that embraced us, then pro athletes and teams across the USA. Then eventually the world embraced us.”
The song’s impact: “Who Let The Dogs Out?” became then-Seattle Mariner Alex Rodriguez’s walk-up music until, ultimately, it was adopted as the team’s overall anthem. The New York Mets reportedly got into a light-hearted chicken-or-egg squabble with the Mariners over which team played the song at a game first. And that was just the beginning; the band went on to win a Grammy, two Billboard Music Awards and two Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards for their canine-themed contribution to popular music.
What happened next: Carey recalls the downside of fame. “For me, it was very hard dealing with the pressure of following up with another smash. The thing was, I had so many things on my shoulders at that time, that the pressure was significant. I was only 22 years old, and I was still discovering my talents and abilities as an artist and a musician. I didn’t have much room to be as creative as I wanted to be. Being from a tiny archipelago of islands, it was all a huge adjustment for me. However, I am loving the skin that I am in now because I have developed my own style and swag as a triple threat recording artist/performer/producer.”
Rik recommends: The Baha Men’s most recent release, 2015’s Ride With Me. “Some of my favorite songs I recorded with the guys are on that album, like ‘Night & Day’ and ‘Ride With Me’. I’m looking forward to seeing what the fans’ response is gonna be like when we drop some more new music very soon.”
What’s next for the band: “We recently shot a really dope music video for our upcoming single ‘Take A Chance (Motion Repeat)’. I’m excited to see what happens when Sony Latin releases it. It’s going to be interesting, because we’re aiming toward the Latin market with this new sound. It’s current and nothing but cool and sexy vibes... I’m so happy to still be here in the business and still killing these shows every chance Baha Men get bookings. The real Baha Men fans that stuck with us throughout the years know how amazing the band’s live show is.””
Personal favorite music from 2000: “I remember Beenie Man’s album at that time, plus *NSYNC, P!nk when she was a pop/R&B artist, and J-Lo with her sexy self. I also remember Sisqo’s ‘The Thong Song’ was also killing it too.
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