About Pump Up the Jam

"Pump Up the Jam" is the opening track on Belgian act Technotronic's album Pump Up the Jam: The Album. It was released as a single on 18 August 1989 and was a worldwide hit, reaching number two in the United Kingdom in 1989 and on the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1990. The song was later certified triple platinum. It also peaked at number-one in Belgium, Iceland, Portugal and Spain. "Pump Up the Jam" has been described as a fusion of hip hop and deep house elements, as an early example of the hip house genre, and it has been named as the first house song to become a hit in the U.S.

Technotronic's vocalist Ya Kid K was initially overshadowed by Congolese model Felly Kilingi, who appears lip-syncing in the music video and was featured on the first album cover as a marketing tactic. Ya Kid K was ultimately recognized upon a U.S. tour and a repackaged album cover that featured her instead of Felly. In 2005, the song was remixed by DJ-producer D.O.N.S. and reached number one on the British Dance Chart. The Guardian featured the song on their A history of modern music: Dance in 2011. And in 2020, Slant Magazine ranked it at number 40 in their list of The 100 Best Dance Songs of All Time.