Background and composition
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The song features a prominent, slowed down sample of the 1993 song "The Rhythm of the Night " by the Italian group Corona (the song is performed by Italian singer Jenny B , the ghost-voice involved in the project).[ 4] [ 5]
Jennifer Lopez was originally intended to appear on the remix version, but Jaden Smith , whose father starred in the third film, appeared on the remix instead which was released on the film's soundtrack.[ 6] [ 7]
Billboard 's writer Jessica Roiz compared "Ritmo" to "The Rhythm of the Night", writing that the first one "fuses Hip-Hop, EDM, and reggaeton, has Spanish and English verses without interrupting the original chorus from "The Rhythm of the Night"".[ 9] In a less enthusiastic review, Gary Suarez of Rolling Stone wrote that "the overextended J Balvin atop a convenient confluence of virally primed factors" which "proved irresistible to radio programmers and streaming playlisters", but he defined the use of Corona's semple a "plunder".[ 10]
The official video of the song, directed by Colin Tilley , was released on YouTube on October 11, 2019, on the official YouTube 's Black Eyed Peas channel.[ 17]
The first line of the song's rap, "No son ni Reebok ni son Nike" (translates to "They are neither Reebok or Nike"), references a viral clip[ 21] in which a Dominican radio caller requests Corona 's "The Rhythm of the Night " by asking the host to play the song that goes "esos son Reebok o son Nike" (translates to "are those Reebok or Nike"). The moment went viral after the host impressively retrieved the requested song based on that clue alone.
^ a b "Credits / RITMO (Bad Boys For Life) / The Black Eyed Peas" . Tidal . Retrieved December 17, 2019 .
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