It’s the earworm that simply refuses to go away. You know the one. That heavy, synthesized bassline kicks in, a booming voice shouts "I like to move it, move it," and suddenly you’re picturing a lanky CGI lemur with a leaf crown. It’s been decades. Why is this still happening?
Most people today know it as the Madagascar song I like to move it. It’s the anthem of King Julien, the party-obsessed leader of the Lemurs voiced by Sacha Baron Cohen in the 2005 DreamWorks hit. But the journey of this track from the gritty underground house scene of early 90s New York to the brightly colored screens of every toddler’s iPad is actually pretty wild. It wasn't written for kids. Far from it.
Honestly, the song’s second life as a movie soundtrack staple is one of the most successful rebranding jobs in music history. It turned a pulsating dance-hall track into a global brand.
The Secret History of the Madagascar Song I Like to Move It
Before it was the Madagascar song I like to move it, the track was a massive club hit by the duo Reel 2 Real. Released in 1993, the project was headed by DJ Erick Morillo and featured the distinctive, ragga-style vocals of Mark Quashie, better known as The Mad Stuntman.
Morillo was a legend in the house music world. He wasn't trying to make a nursery rhyme. He was trying to make people sweat in dark, smoke-filled clubs. The song reached number 89 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, but it was an absolute monster in the UK and Europe, peaking at number five on the UK Singles Chart.
It was everywhere.
The original version has a much grittier feel than the one you hear in the movie. It’s longer, heavier on the percussion, and lacks the polished, orchestral "oomph" that DreamWorks eventually added. If you listen to the 1993 club mix today, it feels surprisingly timeless. It has that raw energy that defines 90s Eurodance.
Then came 2005.
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DreamWorks Animation was looking for a "vibe" for their new film about zoo animals stranded on an island. They didn't just want a song; they needed a personality. King Julien needed an entrance. When they picked "I Like to Move It," they didn't just license a track—they hijacked a legacy. Sacha Baron Cohen’s performance was so chaotic and infectious that for a whole generation of kids (and their exhausted parents), Reel 2 Real ceased to exist.
The song became Julien’s. It became the Madagascar song I like to move it.
Why Does This Song Still Work Twenty Years Later?
Musicologists and pop culture critics have spent a weird amount of time analyzing why certain songs "stick" in animated films. Think about Shrek and "All Star." It’s the same phenomenon.
The Madagascar song I like to move it works because of its simplicity. The hook is essentially three notes. It uses a call-and-response structure that is hardwired into the human brain. When the singer asks, "You like to...?" the audience is biologically compelled to answer, "Move it!"
It’s also about the tempo. At roughly 123 beats per minute (BPM), it sits right in the "sweet spot" for dance music. It’s fast enough to feel high-energy but slow enough that a four-year-old—or a CGI hippo—can keep the beat.
The Sacha Baron Cohen Effect
We have to talk about the voice.
In the original film, Sacha Baron Cohen adopted a bizarre, pseudo-Indian/Madagascan accent that turned the lyrics into something comedic. He changed the "Move it!" from a command to a celebration of ego. When he sings it, it’s not about the dance floor; it’s about his kingdom.
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Interestingly, while Baron Cohen did the heavy lifting in the first movie, the franchise eventually moved on to different vocalists. Danny Jacobs, who voiced Julien in the TV spin-offs and some of the later games, had to essentially mimic Baron Cohen’s version of a song that was already a cover.
It’s a copy of a copy of a 90s house track.
And yet, it works. Every time. Even in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, where they brought in will.i.am to update the track, the core DNA of the Madagascar song I like to move it remained untouched. They added some "big room" synth sounds and some hip-hop verses, but you can’t mess with that hook.
The Legacy of Erick Morillo and the Song’s Darker Context
There is a bit of a tragic irony to the song’s success. Erick Morillo, the man who created the track, had a complicated relationship with his biggest hit. In interviews before his death in 2020, Morillo spoke about how the song provided him with incredible financial freedom but also boxed him into a "commercial" category that he spent years trying to escape in the underground scene.
He was a world-class DJ who played marathon sets at Pacha in Ibiza. He was a technical master. Yet, to millions of people, he was just "the guy who did the Madagascar song I like to move it."
It’s a classic case of a creator being eclipsed by their creation. The song became so big, so synonymous with talking animals and bright colors, that the original context of the New York house scene was almost entirely erased.
Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. It kept the song alive. Most 90s dance tracks die a quiet death on "Best of 1994" compilation CDs. This one got a second life as a cultural titan.
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Breaking Down the Versions: Which One is the "Real" One?
If you go searching for the Madagascar song I like to move it on Spotify, you’re going to get hit with about fifty different versions. It’s confusing.
- The Reel 2 Real Original (1993): This is the one for the purists. If you want to feel like you’re in a 90s warehouse party, this is it. It’s longer and has more "Mad Stuntman" verses.
- The Sacha Baron Cohen Movie Version (2005): This is the one from the first film’s soundtrack. It’s shorter, punchier, and features the "Lemur" vocals.
- The will.i.am Remix (2008): Featured in the sequel. It’s very much a product of the late 2000s "Black Eyed Peas" era of pop-rap.
- The Danny Jacobs / TV Series Version: Often found on various DreamWorks compilation albums. It’s a very close approximation of the movie version.
Most people prefer the 2005 movie version because it captures the frantic energy of the film. It doesn't take itself seriously. It’s pure, unadulterated fun.
The Cultural Impact: From Madagascar to the World
It’s easy to dismiss a song like this as "just a kids' song," but that ignores its reach. The Madagascar song I like to move it has been used in countless commercials, sporting events, and wedding receptions. It’s the "safe" dance track. Grandmas like it. Toddlers love it. It bridges the gap between generations because it’s fundamentally harmless.
But it’s also a meme.
The internet has a way of taking things that are earnest and making them weird. There are thousands of remixes, slowed-down "reverb" versions, and deep-fried memes featuring King Julien and this song. It has become a shorthand for "chaos." When something goes wrong in a video game or a funny clip, someone inevitably overlays the Madagascar song.
What You Should Do If You're a Fan (or Just Curious)
If you actually want to appreciate the Madagascar song I like to move it beyond just the movie clips, there are a few things you should actually do:
- Listen to the full Reel 2 Real "Move It Move It" album. It’s a fascinating time capsule of early 90s dance music that is much more diverse than the single suggests.
- Watch the original music video from 1993. It’s a masterclass in 90s aesthetics—oversized hats, bright colors, and low-budget green screens. It puts the song back into its original "cool" context.
- Check out Erick Morillo’s live sets (the non-commercial ones). If you want to see the genius behind the track, look at his legendary sets from the early 2000s. It’ll give you a new respect for the guy who gave the world the lemur anthem.
- Acknowledge the Mad Stuntman. Mark Quashie’s vocals are the soul of the track. Without his specific cadence and energy, the song would have been just another generic house loop. He deserves the credit for making those lyrics iconic.
The Madagascar song I like to move it is a rare beast. It’s a track that survived the transition from the club to the cinema, and from the radio to the meme-verse. It’s loud, it’s annoying to some, and it’s brilliant to others.
Most importantly, it’s not going anywhere. Whether you're five or fifty, when that beat drops, you're probably going to move it.
To truly understand why this song sticks, go back and watch the "I Like to Move It" sequence from the original Madagascar film. Pay attention to the choreography of the lemurs—the way the animators synced the movement to the specific syncopation of the 90s beat is why it feels so satisfying. Then, compare it to the original 1993 music video to see just how much of that "club energy" the animators actually managed to keep. It’s a fascinating study in how rhythm translates across different mediums.