Music Producer Diplo Aims to Set World Record for Twerking

Mere days after Miley Cyrus’s attempt at twerking set the U.S. aghast, music producer Diplo hopes to organize a twerking event so big the whole world will notice.

Tentatively titled “Butts Around the World,” the dance and reggae hitmaker (pictured, right) is soliciting women of legal age to email videos demonstrating their buttock-clapping skills to audition for a “twerk wall” to be assembled Sunday at New York City’s Electric Zoo.

The event aims to break the “world record” for most people twerking at the same time. While no official number exists for this title, Diplo faces stiff competition from 2013’s Teen Choice Awards, held earlier this month. Inspired by a video of–again–Miley Cyrus ass-dancing to J. Dash’s “WOP” in a frog costume, the entire audience, including young children and One Direction’s Harry Styles, joined in the twerkathon.

The electronic music producer, who also works under the moniker Major Lazer, is no stranger to twerking. The title track to his 2012 EP Express Yourself (used in the Instagram video promoting the event) features detailed instructions and ample encouragement from vocalist Nicky Da B to would-be twerkers and twerkettes everywhere. 

After the song’s release, Diplo’s record label Mad Decent held a contest encouraging fans to send photos of themselves performing twerking handstands in imitation of the single’s cover art. Hashtagged #expressyourself, the contest drew “what seemed like hundreds of submissions.”

In a display of even greater twerking familiarity, Diplo not only produced but appeared on “Twerkin’,” a song from Oakland rapper Kreayshawn. His hook entreats fledgling twerkers to “drop your booty down ’til your booty’s lower case.”

Diplo has previously worked with the twerkaholic Cyrus on the Snoop Lion reggae track “Ashtrays and Heartbreaks.” 

Watch the NSFW, twerk-centric video for “Express Yourself”:

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include Diplo’s work on the Kreayshawn track “Twerkin’.” We apologize for this egregious oversight.