Although I concede this is an inflexible definition, I expect further research to demonstrate its utility.
There is a strong correlation between musicians accused of selling out and the inclusion of hand-raising-oriented instructions in the lyrics of songs those musicians perform. Since it seems the idea of selling out is most commonly associated with endorsing a capitalist spirit in one’s music or, worse, simply pandering to populist trends, I submit that although my definition will inevitably require fine-tuning, any act of selling out must necessarily be interpreted within a context of social inclusivity.
While I cannot be certain that my definition will stand the test of time, I have conducted rigorous experiments with as few variables as possible as an entry point into this complex field. Below are some of my findings. I believe others will agree that there is an unexpectedly convincing case to be made for my definition of selling out.
Nicki Minaj:
Starships were meant to fly
Hands up and touch the sky
50 Cent:
Put your hands up, put ‘em where my eyes can see
What’s up, you know you wanna party with me
Nerina Pallot:
Put your hands up
Say you wont stop
Fedde LeGrand:
Put your hands up
Put your hands up
Put your hands up
For Detroit
Matchbox Twenty:
Put your hands up
It’s all right
Singing oh-oh-oh-oh
Until the sun rise
Inna:
Put your hands up
Dream until the morning
Kylie Minogue:
Put your hands up if you feel love tonight
If you feel love
Now put your hands up if you feel love tonight
If you feel love
Ne-Yo:
Put ya hands up, ladies put ya hands up
Get ya hands up, fellas get ya hands up
Jadakiss:
Come on, put ya hands up
Nah, fuck that, put ya hands down
Come on, put ya hands up
Nah, fuck that, put ya hands down
Chris Brown:
If you’re sexy and you know it put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up in the air, girl, put your hands up
Miranda Cosgrove:
Everybody’s dancin’ dancin’ crazy,
And we never stop, never stop,
Everybody’s ragin’, ragin’ crazy,
Put your hands up,
Put your hands up,
Benny Benassi:
Oh, yeah put your hands up
Yeah yeah
Daft Punk:
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Bomfunk MC’s:
Put your hands up
Put your hands up
Put your hands up
Put your hands up
LL Cool J:
I said put your hands in the motherfuckin air – where?
David Guetta:
So, raise your hands
Put your hands up
Put your hands up
Put your hands up
Put your hands up
Put your hands up
Put your hands up
Fergie:
Hands Up
Get your hands up
Throw your hands up
Get your hands up
Throw your hands up
Get your hands up
Throw your hands up
Get your hands up
DJ Khaled:
If you from the streets like me, put your hands up
If you rep your city like me, put your hands up
If you put in work like me, put your hands up
Mizz Nina ft Flo Rida:
I wanna see you put your hands up,
Now let me see you put your hands up, all your hands
I wanna see you put your hands up, all your hands
I wanna see you put your hands up, all your hands
Nelly:
If you’re a pretty lady put your hands up
Everybody in the house put your hands up
Ya wanna ride ya own Mercedes put ya hands up
Danzel:
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up
in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up
in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up
in the air
Put your hands up in the air
Put your hands up
in the air
OPM:
Put your hands up, this is a stash up
Pull the trigger and you’re gonna get mashed up
Put your hands up, this is a stash up
Pull the trigger and you’re gonna get mashed up
Put your hands up, this is a stash up
Pull the trigger and you’re gonna get mashed up
Put your hands up, this is a stash up
Pull the trigger and you’re gonna get mashed up
Fatboy Slim:
Put your hands up
Put your hands up
Put your hands up for Fat Boy Slim
Nelly (again):
If you ever loved somebody put your hands up.
If you ever loved somebody put your hands up.
And now they’re gone and you wish you could give them everything.
Bon Jovi:
Raise your hands
When you want to let it go
Raise your hands
And you want to let a feeling show
Raise your hands
From New York to Chicago
Raise your hands
From New Jersey to Tokyo
Raise your hands
Tokio Hotel:
We are here tonight
Leave the world outside
I see you shining bright
Raise your hands together
Motley Crue:
Yeah, so raise your hands to rock
Raise your hands to rock
Raise your hands to rock
Raise your hands to rock
Vicious Rumors:
Raise your hands, raise your hands
Take a stand, you’ll be free
Stonebridge:
And baby I don’t care
Where you’ve been before
Just put ‘em high
Put ‘em high
Make the best of it
Just a little bit
Just put ‘em high
And put ‘em high
Mac Miller:
If you in the ride turn the volume real high,
If you tryna feel the vibe throw your hands up in the sky
Motherfucker get em up up up up up up
Get em up up up up up up
Ace Hood:
Say I maybe gave a damn but I never gave a fuck
Rep your city like a G then put your middle fingers up
I got that east side rollin’, and that west side smoke
South side rollin wit me and the north side gon
Get em up, ay, get em up,
Get em up, ay, get em up,
Get em up, ay, get em up,
Get em up, ay, get em up,
Get em up, ay, get em up,
Get em up, ay, get em up,
Get em up, ay, get em up
Paul Oakenfold:
Gotta get ‘em up
Who wants some?
You better get ‘em up
Come get some
Gotta get ‘em up
Who wants some?
You better get ‘em up
Come get some
Cypress Hill:
Get ‘em up
Get ‘em up
Get ‘em up now
Get ‘em up
Get ‘em up
Get ‘em up now
Get ‘em up
Get ‘em up
Get ‘em up now
Get ‘em up
Get ‘em up
Get ‘em up now
Ottawan:
Hands up, baby, hands up,
Gimme your heart, gimme, gimme your heart
Gimme gimme
Hands up, baby, hands up,
Gimme your heart, gimme, gimme your heart
Gimme gimme
All your love,
All your love.
Lloyd Banks ft 50 Cent:
Put ‘em up, put ‘em up, put ‘em up, put ‘em up
Put ‘em up, put ‘em up, put ‘em up, put ‘em up
Put ‘em up, put ‘em up, put ‘em up, put ‘em up
Put ‘em up, put ‘em up, put ‘em up, put ‘em up
Black Eyed Peas:
Hands up
Coming with rhythms to make you head jerk
We makin’ the whole joint short circuit
Hands high touch the sky get ‘em up
Get ‘em
Get ‘em
Get ‘em
Get ‘em
Get ‘em
Get ‘em
Get ‘em
T-Bone:
All my rogues gonna ride tonight
Get ya hands way up in the air tonight
Timbaland:
We’re standing on chairs
with the hands up in the air
with the hands up in the air
with the hands up in the air
with the hands up in the air
with the hands up in the air
with the hands up in the air
with the hands up in the air
with the hands up in the air
with the hands up in the air
Nadine Coyle:
We feel our best
And I’m done with stress
Let’s get together…
Put your hands up
Put your, put your hands up
Put your hands up
Put your, put your hands up
Aaliyah:
Where you at, where you at
So if you’re down with the PA let me see your hands up
And if your head is bobbin to the track throw your hands up
And if you got loot in your pocket throw your hands up
And if you not foul let me see your hands up
And if you’re protected and you know it throw your hands up
And if R Kelly’s record is sharp let me see your hands up
And if your body swing to the track throw your hands up
And if you want some more of the flower throw your hands up
The Stereos:
Throw ya hands up, put ‘em in the air
Rock it with me like you just don’t care
Throw ya hands up, get ‘em up high
Rock it with me and we’ll go all night
Jay-Z:
Throw the hands up (uh, uh, uh)
Throw the hands up (niggaz)
Throw the hands up (bitches)
Throw the hands up (bustas)
Throw the hands up (hustlers)
Throw the hands up (hos)
Throw the hands up (postas)
Throw the hands up (MAC)
Missy Elliott:
Throw your hands up if you like to get high
Make a phat beat so we can party all night
If you got beef you gotta take it outside
Throw your wrists up and lemme see your ice shine
While I think the results speak for themselves, the evidence is hardly conclusive. Some of the aforementioned artists may have written their lyrics in an ironic spirit, which would disqualify them from being included in a list of sellouts. Others may have simply ad-libbed their instructions to raise hands — a difficult situation, since the “official” lyrics sheet would omit these instructions, rendering nebulous any identification of “obvious” selling out.
Certainly I cannot claim to have singlehandedly discovered this pattern. I openly and enthusiastically bring to your attention the fine but neglected work of anyone who has ever managed a gym, ever. Without these individuals, nobody would have the time to notice how many songs exist exclusively to get an audience “pumped up” or, alternatively, to get a hapless gym-goer “pumped” full stop.
