A couple weeks ago, while recovering from coronavirus, a bored Rita Wilson posted a video of her rapping along to Naughty By Nature’s “Hip Hop Hooray.” Her rendition went viral, and now Wilson has teamed up with NBN for an official remix. It’s for a good cause, as a fundraiser for the MusicCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.
“We are honored to have Rita Wilson recite our song. We were totally shocked she could rap the verses so well. We were aware she contracted COVID-19, and was quarantined along with her husband Tom,” Naughty By Nature said in a statement. “The next thing we know, everyone began to inbox us her Instagram. We are honored to be part of the remix of our classic song to raise awareness and help fight the coronavirus. Thanks again to Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks for embracing us, and for helping us take the unexpected viral moment further for such a great cause.”
Wilson had her own statement:
’Hip Hop Hooray’ is like modern day Shakespeare. I originally learned the song for one of the most fun roles I ever played in the film Boy Genius. It took me a month to learn because it’s so complex and nuanced; it was like training for a marathon. The rhythms and tempos are so unique and creative. When I was quarantined and recovering from COVID-19 I wanted to see if I still remembered it, kind of like a brain exercise. To my surprise I did. I thought it would be fun to put it on my Instagram to show people I was doing okay and to make them smile. When Naughty By Nature commented about it, I couldn’t believe it. What a joy to be doing this remix with legends of the Hip-Hop world. I’m forever grateful for their generosity of spirit and for being able to raise money together for MusiCares® COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Check it out below.