Paging Dr. Beat: What is Budots and where did it come from?
Paging Dr. Beat! Emergency! Emergency!
From merely being danced during street parties and played in "patok" jeepneys, Budots has now evolved into a global sensation as an infectious TikTok dance trend.
One particular song under the genre has taken over the short video platform. Remixed by DJ Johnrey, the Emergency track samples Gloria Estefan’s vocals on Miami Sound Machine’s Dr. Beat, an 80s hit track.
Infused with hypnotic distorted basslines and high-pitched whistle hooks, TikTok users can’t help but join in the fun as they use it as the soundtrack for their various outfit changes—except they’re doing it all wrong.
Where did Budots come from?
Derived from the Visayan slang for “slacker,” Budots is a Filipino electronic dance music genre known for its heavy use of sampling, pulsating basslines, and iconic “tiw-ti-ti-tiw” synth hooks believed to have originated in Davao City.
The genre first appeared in mainstream TV in 2008 when Pinoy Big Brother: Celebritiy Edition 2 big winner Ruben Gonzaga performed the dance.
Sherwin Tuna, popularly known as DJ Love, championed Budots as early as 2009. In the short documentary Budots: The Craze, Tuna shared that he started producing songs and remixes for the dance steps he sees on the streets of Davao, eventually introducing the genre to the country’s music scene.
Contrary to the subtle and stiff movements of those who participated in the Emergency TikTok dance trend, Budots is usually danced with exaggerated worm-like steps, such as placing one’s fists under one’s nose, sweeping hand motions, and gyrating movements.
@pokemonmasterzo THIS IS MY CULTURE 🇵🇭 #budots #emergency #fyp #filipino ♬ original sound - Capt. Amireh - Amirehxz
Becoming viral
Local radios have been playing Budots as early as 2007, eventually reaching mainstream media a year later. However, it lost its popularity around 2011, only to be revived by campaigning politicians years later.
Rodrigo Duterte, then-mayor of Davao City, who was running for the presidency in 2015, was videotaped dancing to Budots multiple times with a group of young American YouTubers known as the Hey Joe Show and even during his political campaigns.
Four years later, Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, who was just acquitted of his plunder and graft cases, released a campaign video of him simply grooving to Budots, which ultimately helped him secure a seat in the Senate.
Since then, Budots has gained popularity all over the country as the hypnotic remixes are blast through speakers in jeepneys, outside shopping centers, and even during holiday parties, to name a few.
Recently, it has gone viral on TikTok with users subtly swaying their shoulders and hips to the track as they show off different outfits. Several stars have hopped on this trend, including Filipino American singer Olivia Rodrigo, BINI, KATSEYE, Red Velvet's Joy, and more.
@livbedumb ♬ 911 Emergency - Carl
Despite some doing the "Emergency" Budots dance differently, this trend puts Filipino culture in the spotlight, transforming the once-dubbed “dance for the slums” into a global sensation.