Tag Team is an American hip-hop/pop-rap duo residing in Atlanta, Georgia. They are known almost solely for their 1993 single "Whoomp! (There It Is)", which appeared in numerous advertisements, films, and television series. The duo is made up of Cecil Glenn (DC, the Brain Supreme) and Steve Gibson (Steve Rolln).
History and legacy
Formation
DC Glenn and Steve Gibson grew up in Denver, Colorado. They met at Manual High School in 1982, where both pursued their musical interests. It was in the South that the two were inspired by artists such as Success N Effect and Kilo Ali as they explored the roots of the Southern hip-hop genre.
"Whoomp! (There It Is)"
In August 1992, Tag Team recorded "Whoomp! (There It Is)". At that time, Glenn was working as the main DJ at a gentleman's club in Atlanta called Magic City, which would later become recognized as a hub of Atlanta hip-hop and rap music. Glenn played the track in the club on the same day it was mixed. "Whoomp!" received the biggest crowd response he had ever seen as a DJ. The single was shopped to and rejected by multiple record labels because executives were unfamiliar with southern bass and were unsure if the sound would sell well around the country. Glenn instead borrowed $2,500 from his parents to press 800 records. The singles quickly sold out in Atlanta on word of mouth alone. The song came to be used at sports events and in motion picture productions, such as Elf, Shark Tale, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, and D2: The Mighty Ducks.
A similar song, "Whoot, There It Is", was released by the Miami-based group 95 South a month prior to Tag Team's "Whoomp!"
Lyrically and musically, critics and listeners have pointed out the song's positive and uplifting vibe. In interviews, Glenn and Gibson discussed the conversation in which they decided to use the phrase. Glenn said, "Oh, man, we need to do a song called, 'Whoomp, there it is". Gibson was on board immediately, replying simply, "How do you spell it?" Tag Team retained 100 percent of the writers' share and received a portion of the publisher's income derived from the exploitation and any future sale of the rights to "Whoomp!" They were also granted the right to recover performance royalties from third parties. Most recently, they performed at the halftime show of the Seahawks' season opener game against the Denver Broncos, in Seattle, WA in September 2024.
Impact
Tag Team's role in the popularization of Atlanta's version of Miami bass, Southern bass, contributed to the rise of Atlanta as a home for unique alternatives to the established "East Coast/West Coast" hip-hop identities, including DJ MZH (aka Marcus Holbert). Around the end of 2020, Tag Team appeared in a GEICO commercial parodying "Whoomp!" with an ice cream scenario and the substituted lyric "Scoop!".
Discography
Studio albums
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Title
! rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Details
! colspan="2"| Peak chart<br />positions
! rowspan="2" style="width:10em;"| Certifications<br /><small>(sales threshold)</small>
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:35px;"| US<br />
! style="width:35px;"| US R&B<br />
|-
! scope="row"| Whoomp! (There It Is)
|
- Release date: July 20, 1993
- Label: Bellmark/Life
- Formats: CD, cassette
| 39
| 28
| style="text-align:left;"|
- RIAA: Gold
|-
! scope="row"| Audio Entertainment
|
- Release date: August 4, 1995
- Label: Bellmark/Life
- Formats: CD, cassette
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| Boxcar Graffiti
|
- Release date: December 1, 2010
- Label: inthegroovemusic
- Format: Digital download, streaming
| —
| —
|
|-
! scope="row"| Turnt Up Season
|
- Release date: January 30, 2015
- Label: Kornerstone Music/Hit Music Empire
- Formats: Digital download, streaming
| —
| —
|
|-
|-
| colspan="10" style="font-size:85%"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart
|}
Compilation albums
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! style="width:14em;"| Title
! style="width:18em;"| Details
|-
! scope="row"| The Best of Tag Team
|
- Release date: February 1, 2000
- Label: Bellmark
- Formats: CD, cassette
|}
Singles
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"| Single
! colspan="5"| Peak chart positions
! rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"| Certifications<br /><small>(sales threshold)</small>
! rowspan="2"| Album
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:35px;"| US<br />
! style="width:35px;"| US R&B<br />
! style="width:35px;"| US Pop<br />
! style="width:35px;"| AUS<br />
! style="width:35px;"| UK<br />
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1993
! scope="row"| "Whoomp! (There It Is)"
| 2
| 1
| 38
| 19
| 34
| style="text-align:left;"|
- RIAA: 4× Platinum
- ARIA: Gold
| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| Whoomp (There It Is)
|-
! scope="row"| "U Go Girl"
| —
| —
| —
| 85
| —
|
|-
| 1994
! scope="row"| "Here It Is, Bam!"
| —
| 75
| —
| —
| —
|
| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| Non-album singles
|-
| 1995
! scope="row"| "Funkey Situation"
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|-
| colspan="10" style="font-size:85%"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart
|}
Other charted songs
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Year
! rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"| Single
! colspan="2" | Peak chart<br />positions
! rowspan="2" | Album
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! style="width:35px;" | US<br />
|-
| colspan="10" style="font-size:85%"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart
|}
Music videos
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Video
! Director
|-
| 1993
| "Whoomp! (There It Is)"
| V.J. Beedles
|-
|1993
|"Addams Family Whoomp"
|V.J. Beetles
|-
| 1994
| "Whoomp! (There It Went)" <small>(with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald)</small>
|
|-
| 1995
| "Pig Power in the House"
|
|}
Awards and nominations
- Favorite Song, 1994 Kids' Choice Awards – won
- Favorite Pop/Rock Song, American Music Awards of 1994 – nominated
- Best R&B New Artist, 1994 Soul Train Music Awards – nominated