While it’s not strange for hip-hop songs to be built on interpolations of older hits, “FRANCHISE” was the culmination of a recent surge in references to Dem Franchize Boyz. This second album was bolstered by the success of this remix and their other hit single, “ Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It” (which also references “White Tee”), and served as the group’s commercial peak before gradually fading into obscurity.įast-forward roughly 15 years and Travis Scott hits number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with his new single “ FRANCHISE” featuring Young Thug & M.I.A., a single completely built around “White Tee.” A week later, Travis releases an official remix with an additional verse from Atlanta superstar Future.
This version of the single found the most success, peaking at 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and laying the foundation for their sophomore album On Top of Our Game. The success of these two songs brought enough attention to Dem Franchize Boyz that the next year Jermaine Dupri signed them to his So So Def label and remixed their single into “ I Think They Like Me (So So Def Remix)” with verses from himself, Bow Wow, and Da Brat added. The next month, the Atlanta hip-hop group released their eponymous debut album, which included the song “I Think They Like Me” using sampled lines from “White Tee” as its chorus. In August of 2004, Dem Franchize Boyz released their breakout single “ White Tee,” catapulting them into the mainstream and reaching 79 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. A rich history of references, from accomplished wordsmiths complaining about snap music dominating the radio to Soundcloud pioneers remembering the music of their childhoods, has carried the legacy of “White Tee” all the way to Travis Scott’s “FRANCHISE.” This history includes several distinct surges in relevancy following “White Tee’s” initial release and will likely continue to expand as time goes on. While the white t-shirt has been a cultural staple for decades, Dem Franchize Boyz turned the unassuming article of clothing into a statement piece and in doing so became a permanent part of the hip-hop lexicon. A distinctive voice confidently exclaiming “Yup! In my white tee” over the bounce of a boisterous Southern hip-hop beat is a winning formula for one of the year’s hottest songs, whether it’s “White Tee” in 2004 or “FRANCHISE” in 2020.
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