The Fourth of July weekend is upon us, which means people all over the country have a reason to fire up their grills and get their friends and family together for a cookout. Of course, no cookout is complete without music and line dancing. But if you've only been practicing your Cha Cha Slide, you've got some work to do. Because this year, everyone will be asking "Where dem fans at?"
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South Carolina native 803 Fresh created a cookout classic with his hit song, "Boots on the Ground." The infectious track has blown up all over TikTok and has become the soundtrack to a now-viral line dance loved by people young and old.
We already told you about one of the youngest fans, Miss Shirley, the preschooler who has amassed millions of followers and has become the unofficial face of the dance. She even makes a cameo in the official music video.
Celebrities couldn't help but get in on the trend. The song got a big boost from Beyoncé, who worked the dance into her 'Cowboy Carter' show.
Bey's mama Tina Knowles got a private lesson from former First Lady Michelle Obama. Check out the forever FLOTUS teaching her the moves here:
Even former Vice President Kamala Harris got in on the action.
The Story Behind the Song
From the moment you hear the first fan pop, it's hard not to sing along with South Carolina native 803 Fresh's track that is heavily influenced by gospel and soul. In a March 2025 interview with WIS 10, the South Carolina native said the song's lyrics were inspired by what he saw during a performance at his first trail ride.
"I seen the dancers, they had fans," he said. "And then I went to the next trail ride, and I didn't see no fans. So I was like, 'Where the fans at?' and it just went crazy."
Fresh added that while he got his start singing in church, he also takes musical inspiration from artists like James Brown.
Doing the Dance
While 803 Fresh is the man behind the song, Georgia-based choreographer Tre Little is responsible for bringing the "Boots on the Ground" line dance to life. But although his moves are being copied by millions, he said the whole thing was just a happy accident. In an interview, he said he first heard the song in his backyard and it made him want to move. He recorded his steps (including a moment when he tripped over his own feet), posted them on social media, and was surprised at how quickly the dance took off.
"Once I did it, within a week, I gained like over 100,000 views," he said.
You can check out Little's line dance tutorial before hitting the cookout scene here:
But once you learn the moves, you might not want to get too comfortable. Singer 803 Fresh teased new music on the horizon, saying fans of "Boots on the Ground" might find themselves learning the moves to a new line dance soon.
"I got a few more for the line dancers, y'all just stay tuned," he told WIS 10.
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