ItsNotYouItsMe “Back To The Future” Edition salutes Jennifer Lopez in ‘Hustlers’ and mucho much more of the best pole-dancing moments in music history!
“Jennifer Lopez had us floored with her impressive pole-dancing skills in Hustlers, and she worked it once more during her halftime performance at Super Bowl LIV on Sunday (Feb. 2).
The moment was a nod to her famous scene from last year’s film, in which her character Ramona is introduced by performing at the strip club in nothing but a glittery unitard to “Criminal.”
Besides being an insane form of exercise (upper body strength is very much required), pole dancing has made its way beyond the strip club and into the music world. From music videos to movie scenes and performances, a number of celebs have strutted their stuff around a pole.
In honor of J.Lo’s Super Bowl performance, see below for our 10 favorite pole-dancing moments in music.
1. Jennifer Lopez – Hustlers
Lopez’s Ramona shows Constance Wu’s character Destiny how to maximize her profits at the strip club with this insanely challenging routine perfectly set to Fiona Apple’s “Criminal.” The iconic scene has J.Lo showing off her toned body around the pole, ultimately rolling around in the piles of dollar bills that are (deservedly) thrown onstage.
2. Shakira – “Rabiosa”
J.Lo’s not the only halftime performer who knows her way around a pole: Back in 2011, Shakira dropped her infectious tune “Rabiosa,” featuring Pitbull, and the colorful music video weaved in scenes of the Colombian star swaying her famous hips as she twirls around the pole.
3. Britney Spears – “Gimme More”
Brit’s Blackout era came with some of her biggest fan-favorite hits, including 2007’s “Gimme More.” Sporting the brown hair that defined the album cycle, Brit plays both the pole dancer and a strip-club attendee in the accompanying music video.
4. Rihanna – “Pour It Up”
No one rocks a jean thong quite like Bad Gal RiRi. The songstress rocks the pole in a backward hat as she fittingly sings, “Strippers goin’ up and down that pole/ And I still got my money.”
5. Miley Cyrus – “Party in the USA”
Miley Cyrus faced a wave of backlash following her 2009 Teen Choice Awards performance. Belting her song of the summer, Cyrus rolled out onstage straddling a pole extending out from an ice cream cart. Parents of the TCA’s young viewers deemed the choice inappropriate, but her father Billy Ray Cyrus came to her defense. “You know what? I just think that Miley loves entertaining people,” he told Access Hollywood at the time.
6. Christina Aguilera – Burlesque
Xtina starred in the 2010 film, which was filled with extravagant costumes, sparkling makeup and a lot of dancing. Aguilera’s pole-dancing moment came during her “I’m a Good Girl” performance, during which she proved to be anything but.
7. Beyoncé – “Partition”
Queen Bey worked the pole in front of Jay-Z for her sultry “Partition” video. Jay puffed on a cigar as Beyoncé seductively poses and slides down the hanging-rope poles.
8. FKA Twigs – “Cellophane”
Pole dancing is a staple for FKA Twigs, always climbing up a pole during her tour shows and turning the exercise into a cinematic fantasy in her “Cellophane” music video.
Most recently, she twirled to Prince’s “When Doves Cry” during Usher’s tribute to the late icon at last weekend’s 2020 Grammys.
9. Cardi B – “Money”
Former strip-club dancer Cardi B is no stranger to the pole. She shows us her skills in the “Money” music video, rocking a blond ponytail and a black sequined bodysuit. Cardi also flips the roles, playing the strip-club attendees and throwing dollar bills at herself. “Shake a lil ass/ Get a little bag and take it to the store/ Get a little cash/ Shake it real fast and get a little more,” she raps in the chorus. Of course, she also got to put her old job to work in Hustlers, alongside J.Lo.
10. Wale – “Pole Dancer”
I mean, what were we expecting from a song literally called “Pole Dancer”? The music video features Megan Thee Stallion and Wale rapping, as a slew of women work the pole around them in neon two-pieces and glittery stilettos.” – Billboard.com
