Bad Rabbits were my favorite local act during the time I spent in Boston. Any band featuring Black nerdy dudes with a punk rock sensibility was bound to score high marks with me. I only got to see them live once, but it was memorable. The show was at Brighton Music Hall (for scale: the cap there is 500) and I feel like it was on or near Memorial Day weekend. An energetic band playing in Boston right after school lets out just as summer is starting? You had to know shit was going to be LIT. AS. FUCK.

And it was. The Rabbits came out on their Morris Day and the Time meets Deftones best. It’s the only time I’ve ever been at a show and felt like a riot was going to break out. Bad Rabbits’ lead singer Dua lost his glasses in the crowd. The energy was insane.

I was officially converted after that show. I sent emails to a couple of my closest big-willie contacts, trying to get a label to come and look at the band. I do think there was interest, but nothing ever came of it. The Rabbits released a couple of things on their own, split up for a minute, and just reformed earlier this year. Somewhere in all of that, they teamed up with super producer Teddy Riley for a slice of summery, funk/rock perfection called “Dance With You”.

It’s probably one of their most commercial-sounding pieces of music and isn’t totally true to the band’s live aesthetic, but it’s a jam anyway. “Dance With You” rides on a sample/replay of Guy’s debut smash “Groove Me” (way to congratulate yourself, Teddy), and it’s the perfect mix of old-school/new-school.  Bad Rabbits probably killed this shit live. I never got to see them perform it in person, but this song had enough juice that it got them a spot on Arsenio 2.0. I remember staying up to watch the performance and being slightly disappointed. I imagine the fellas were nervous as this was their first major TV gig. Still, one dodgy televised performance doesn’t take away from the fact that “Dance With You” bangs hard. Shoulda been a huge hit.

Also, why is Clinton Sparks here? What does he do on the song?