First Time Hearing Snow - Informer (Reaction!)

[@carldzoga1348]

He was framed for murder, did some time, was released when they found out he was innocent. Homie lived in a heavily Jamaican area and embraced the culture.

[@RickyT15]

he was also serving time when the song released and started charting and he didnt even know, seen the video for the first time in prison and didn't know the song had released.

[@terrancebrown87]

He didn’t snitch as to who really done it. Snow won’t turn informer.

[@vanhattfield8292]

@@terrancebrown87 Always wondered if when the law turned the heat up, whether Snow my melt and have to go by H2O in the future...

[@michaelgoyettemusic]

He was Canadian and the legal issues kept him from touring US and cashing in on this tune. Also I believe he broke probation by sneaking into US to shoot this video in NY

[@leahdoerr731]

Ditto

[@pyrusane]

"Lick he boom boom down" is Jamaican patois, it means to beat down or shoot down the informer, or snitch

[@AnnaP-uh3mc]

Amazing for me to learn this aged 50 in 2023 after singing “lick me bum bum down” since 1993. I always thought it was weird but 🤷🏽‍♀️🤣🙈

[@izabelasiczek3547]

Me too the same I'm 49 hello from 🇬🇧

[@AnnaP-uh3mc]

@@izabelasiczek3547 😂 Hi!

[@ZenobiaDecrespin]

Thank you

[@SteveStone-r1d]

If you came from the Caribbean, you'd know he's talking about making a snitch pay, not eating ass!

[@lanagievski1540]

People may find him cringe but he’s more real than half of people out there.

[@leahdoerr731]

Ditto

[@hgbugalou]

The fact he was in jail when his alcum dropped says it all.

[@Steve-hq4fm]

Snow was the real deal, even being in jail on attempted murder charges when this song got to #1!!

[@cruesome1971]

Don't be surprised when he comments on this video. He watches when people react to his songs.

[@xenoscoot]

I have seen Snow comment on multiple reactions! ❤

[@iahelcathartesaura3887]

🧡🤍 SNOW! 🤍🧡💯 4EVER! We hate that you were blocked from touring Snow but it probably made your life better overall? Kept it authentic and focused in the reggae world and you are loved and have always been loved!

[@stephanieclark9849]

*A licky boom boom down. Snow did an interview in 93' where he said it means "I'll hit down the informer; I'll knock the informer out". In the video he mimics gunshots when he says that part but yeah, that's what he says it means.*

[@coreyrees840]

I mean the lyrics right before are “I go blam” lol

[@kevinjennings238]

When this came out, I was singing in a Rock Band and we would do Parody Songs that we Created, during song Breaks. They would only be the "Hooks" of Famous songs. Here's the one I wrote for THIS Song (The "Transformer" Toys were Also Popular then)>>> * "Transformer.... I know yer gonna Turn Into a Train.... a Little Choo-Choo Now.."

[@stephanieclark9849]

@@kevinjennings238 😅😅

[@carson9359]

That's how I always took it. To be fair, when I first heard the song, I thought he said "leaky boom boom ow" a little confusion there. I was 10 or 11, though. I didn't catch most of the lyrics, I just liked the sound.

[@user-or1ye3iz6d]

​@@kevinjennings238😂😂🤣🤣❤️❤️

[@ajruther67]

Darrin Kenneth O'Brien, known by his stage name Snow, is a Canadian reggae musician, rapper and singer. His 1992 single "Informer" spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. As he was growing up, he had a strong interest in rock music but, in 1983, there was an influx of Jamaican immigrants to the neighborhood, his interest turned to reggae music and he became adept at the use of the Jamaican dialect, or Jamaican Patois. He developed his own style of music, by blending dancehall and reggae with rock and pop music. He sings with a Jamaican accent in this song

[@42Mrgreenman]

LOL yeah, it's such a mash-up, pop and off-beat reggae so fast and slang that most people wouldn't understand...but, damn if it's not a vibe...It's crazy, he's from literally one of the whitest places on earth, but because of political and economic conditions, he fell into reggae culture...what a world...

[@ThatCarGuy1983]

​@@42MrgreenmanCanada "White" you say? *NO WAY!!* 🤦🏻

[@Qmocean]

Toronto is the most multicultural city in the world.

[@JackOfAllRAIDs]

Then he had a girlfriend by the name of Tamei with whom he had a kid. She later died of cancer. Still later he ended up in jail on drug charges and assault (he's not in jail anymore).

[@tcjnz86]

Tons of Jamaicans in Toronto. I found a cool video of Snow addressing that from back in the 90s. I'll track it down and edit this comment to include it. Found it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5WummajjbCMgZI

[@JackOfAllRAIDs]

This song is about how someone "got stabbed right down the lane" and how the police suspect Snow of the killing (he was innocent). They pick him up and take him "to East Detention" where they "pull down me pants, look up me bottom." He's allowed a phone call where he calls his lover Tamei. He then talks about how he's a greatest singer but dangerous (packing a gun) and grew up in the poor ghettoes of Toronto where his toes were poking through his shoes. Ultimately, he knows who the killer was but "Shan won't turn informer" (he won't snitch).

[@MostPeopleAreBlank]

This comes from his album “12 Inches of Snow” which is a just the best album title!

[@fay-amieaspen6046]

12 inches, that was the thickness of his wad from this single alone, forget the album sales !

[@TheBest0704]

this song was actually number one on the Billboard Pop Chart in America for 7 straight weeks in 1992

[@pauljohnston3974]

Loving your confused look. It's pretty much the same feeling we all have!

[@michelleturner6865]

This was the most popular song for 1993 in the Toronto area. I remember the club scene was hopping and this was the bomb. Sham and Snow.

[@megdelaney3677]

LOVE this song!!! Thanks for reacting!!! 🎉

[@uomodonore245]

Snow is known for "Informer" but my favorite song of his is "Runway".

[@jsunsevensix364]

This was my jam when I was a teenager.

[@coreyrees840]

Grew up in a heavily Jamaican area of Toronto, Canada

[@boqndimitrov8693]

For so many years now, the beautiful girls from the video do not stop making men's hearts happy! I hope they are well, I wish them only health, happiness and a long life! You ladies are number one! ❤

[@carldzoga1348]

Damn, LOVE this song! You gonna trip on this one! Banger! 😊❤

[@kimcutts6153]

A huge HUGE hit way back when. It was played everywhere. 👍

[@JL-is9rg]

I wanted to recommend this to you several times but wasn't sure!! 😂 Loving your reaction because it's all of us at that line!!😂😂

[@Steve-hq4fm]

Snow was the real deal, even being in jail on attempted murder charges when this song got to #1!!

[@happymethehappyone8300]

This Classic will get you into the cookout,, Bobby Caldwell "What You Won't Do For Love"..TRUST ME!!

[@EandJ937]

He’s from Toronto homie🤣 I love seeing you react to old sh!t… this was a club banger in my day… (90’s) he’s talking about killing a snitch

[@freshestbreath]

The real original TO gem. Sorry Drake, you’re number 2.

[@GrimmjowwJ]

​@bullbob41 there's others that came before Aubrey Graham. I would listen to them first. Kardinal and all the artists he came up with

[@GrimmjowwJ]

I feel hella old when people react to Snow for the first time. I've met him and a few other Canadian artists since they can walk around Canada without being harassed

[@TheNaughtySenpai]

It definitely makes me feel my age 😂😅

[@Veronique428]

Me too 😂😂😹😅 especially when he said in early 2000, actually the song came out early 1990 😂😅

[@happymethehappyone8300]

Add these classics to your "Cook Out" list,, Sly & The Family Stone "Family Affair" & "If You Want Me To Stay"

[@volkfidde4269]

Since you are in Canada with Snow you have to listen to Maestro Fresh Wes- "Let Your Backbone Slide" or "Drop the Needle" and Classified "Inner Ninja".

[@smitherssausages9916]

Add Rascalz - Top of the world Rascalz - Northern Touch Or K-OS, Cardinal Official, Swollen Members, Dream Warriors, Classified, Pip Skid….. so much amazing Canadian hip hop

[@billdecat855]

​@@smitherssausages9916My definition...

[@alissagarcia8947]

Love this song! I was a senior in high school when it came out! Brings back memories.

[@stephanielehane310]

Meee toooo lol

[@KittyKorner]

Great reaction!! When i was a teenager his song "Lady with the red dress" was my absolute fave! Omg i loved him so much lol

[@Drobium77]

At school in the UK, we always thought he was singing "I'll lick your bum bum down" 😆

[@bryanCJC2105]

Congratulations, you have officially entered the Boom Boom Zone. I think most of us never really knew what he was saying. "Jiggala miggala somie amadeus a leaky boom boom there" Of course, back then lyrics weren't as important. We just went with it.

[@krt3718]

Daddy Yankee did a version of this a few years ago, with snow guesting in the video.

[@connieguzman8721]

The song by Daddy Yankee is called "Con Calma"

[@thumpyloudfoot864]

Northern Touch - Rascalz, Checkmate, Kardinal Offishall, Thrust and Choclair... great tune and the beat goes hard AF...

[@volkerp.2262]

If you go to the early 90s one hit wonder rabbit hole, you should go for House of Pain (Jump around) and Kriss Kross (Jump Jump).

[@r.p.8065]

Snow is from Canada........ YES CANADA !!!!!

[@connieguzman8721]

Toronto to be exact 🙂

[@Anthony-kk5zc]

He was locked up when this song hit. Didn't even know he had a hit. When he got out shortly thereafter, the moment, momentum, and money were gone.

[@Nickel138]

Yeah, informer is a snitch. It’s “I lick he” I knocked him out. “Boom Boom down” two punches and he’s down. Also, this dude was locked up in the pen when this song hit the charts. It was a hit and he was in prison, when he got out, he got picked up from prison in a limo. 😂😂😂 He’s Canadian, but he grew up in a Jamaican neighborhood in Canada. So he took on the fake patois. Couldn’t get away with that these days. 😂 Still, the dude can rap, and been locked up more than most rappers so he’s speaking some truth.

[@billdecat855]

In the neighbourhood, we called it Ja-fakin when a white boy would break into patois or pidgin.

[@ShaunaB]

I got this CD for my 12th birthday. Was one of the first CDs I've owned. This was a vibe! Still love this song and CD ❤️

[@konradv7]

A ‘snitches get stitches’ song.

[@jasonknight1085]

This one always has to be followed up with Jim Carrey's parody "Imposter" from In Living Colour.

[@Aprilmomof2]

This song was the shit back in the day. Clubs would get crunk.

[@tonys07ss]

snow is from toronto canada he lived next to a Jamaican family that gave there blessing to his to use the accent

[@markvicferrer]

"2000s music" had me dead. And feeling damn old.

[@Shaman-py4sw]

the story behind the track, the making of the video, the release of it while in prison, dudes story is legit!

[@tylerzerbe6861]

so when this song came out i was heavily into reggae and was happy to see something reggae-ish on the charts. i was cool for about 6 months because i managed to decode and memorize this song and could bust it out at school. then for some reason everyone hated snow and well, i was back to being a dweeb. meh, who gives a shit, its still a good song, i enjoyed it then and i enjoy it now.

[@g.dubyou6263]

This was the jam back when I was in HS. Can’t wait until you get to Hall & Oates. Waiting on Sara Smile, especially. 🙌

[@lindasalaki9404]

Would love to hear more, that was 🔥

[@Gordo101978]

Many one hit wonders back in the day and this song was one of them but it's stood the test of time and even Daddy Yankee brought it back

[@lepoetress]

He had another song Need Another Lover and after that, he had trouble getting in the US because of his record, if I recall correctly. I don't think they would issue him a visa for the US, so his momentum was lost. Another one by him is sort of a remix to this called Lonely Monday. Yes, this was the jam!! You gotta see the In Living Color parody Imposter 😂😂😂

[@clayton6899]

North york represent don mills flemo

[@Aaron-xc4je]

Brings back my Child Hood Snow says the A licky boom-boom down' means, like, I'll hit down the informer; I'll knock the informer out” the guy that Rat him out Snow did jail time for boosting cars

[@ramiromaia592]

He wrote this when he was in jail, a Canadian rapper with a Jamaican accent from growing up in a Toronto neighbourhood with a predominantly big Jamaican contingent community where he had friends

[@1MADZ]

I was alive and well when that song came out I grew up with it it was big when it came out

[@mannybravo237]

He raps 'born n raised in the ghetto that I want you to know,,,'. Cool reaction! This was a big hit back then. It was released as a single, then Snow dropped his album. Seems he only had that one hit that the radio stations jumped on. I had the single, and his debut album. He was always being 'discredited' as a 'gangsta' hiphop recording artist imo. Hey, ck out Ren and his jam 'Murderer'!!!!! It's like a '23 version of this jam. Super cool🤘🏼

[@julienielsen4462]

I’m in Montreal , Snow performed here in 2001 he was great at club Dome which does not exist anymore. He did a few songs.

[@happymethehappyone8300]

A MUST HEAR track,, The Green "Wake Up"

[@clayton6899]

Real OG from canada. Check out his other shit. He goes hard. Respect ya know. Donmills baby

[@christinec1928]

You gotta love Snow. This was big back in the day. Most of the album was awesome. We have a lot of Jamaican influence in Toronto.

[@eidolonone]

No one's gonna drop Matisyahu in these comments? Aight. Last 2 dollars - z.z.hill. Grits Aint Grocieries - Little Milton Hearts & Bones - Paul Simon Welcome to the East or Touch Your Button - Wyclef Prayer for my Mama - Gentleman Just a few Gate crashers for rabbit holes. K. Enjoy the down to clown up for being down open to whatever vibe homie. Keep em coming 👊

[@eidolonone]

Eidolon talkin mess - my bad: last two dollars - Johnnie Taylor. Down Home Blues/Cheating in the Next Room/Chop Off... - z.z. hill. Dont tell my moms I botched that 😅

[@516Mel]

This guy is opposite of Vanilla ice. This guy was really a street dude, went to jail for some serious stuff.

[@MrKingGlock]

born and raised in conneticut .. Canda ..i lick yar Bomm Bomm Down. : talking about taking down the snitch.. +YT Search .. SNOW JAMAICA.. Hes a ledgend over there

[@horrorbizness2043]

The black guy is MC Shan. A legend in the industry.

[@shelleywithane3087]

He said he's from Etobicoke (eh-toe-bih-co). It's near Toronto in Ontario, Canada. And yes, this was the jam!

[@karenpower1643]

Snow is Canadian (as am I) and I remember when this song came out. It was a HUGE hit. He grew up in Toronto and those in his neighbourhood were all from the islands (specifically Jamaica) so it's in his blood. The song is about “Informer” basically as an insult against those who he claimed “snitched on” him, which led to him doing an eight-month bid in the maximum-security Toronto East Detention Center. Owing to this, the hook of the track is based on Snow physically threatening the “informer” who got him locked down. He's singing a combination of English and Jamaican Patois (creole).

[@JohnGuzik]

They used to run the lyrics across the bottom of the video on MTV.

[@daveowens271]

Back in the early 90's when I was dating my wife, this song was freaking EVERYWHERE! I mean it was bumping everywhere.

[@ShawnKavanagh]

This was a very interesting song when it came out

[@Aurelius556]

People make fun of him because he's a white boy, but he was all about that life back then. True gangster!

[@Rahk5929]

Should do a reaction vid for Anything For You with Nadine Sutherland and the remix with Buju, Beenie, Terror, Louie and Kulcha...the original is so sick

[@karlgiandomenico6005]

He was born and raised in canada. He lived in a community that had a lot of Jamaicans and he embrwced their culture

[@Veronique428]

It’s weird seeing people discovering this song now, especially when he said in early 2000, actually the song came out early 1990 😂😅

[@leahdoerr731]

Licky boom boom dem means he's going to get the snitches

[@thelostviking9998]

Yeah he is from north York Toronto. Back then it was basically the Jamaican queens of Toronto. It the song is about dealing with snitches. He said in an interview licky boom boom down was about fist fighting and beating up a snitch but it’s kind of obvious it means a little more then just giving a snitch a beat down.

[@happymethehappyone8300]

Another "Cook Out" classic,, Johnnie Taylor "Who's Making Love"

[@MrMcSmack]

Snow is king

[@delphilungwyn5308]

I like ya boom boom down...my thoughts exactly 💯😂✌..I'm glad you said it.😂

[@louissimmonds5509]

Like how he rides the beat in this song.

[@geokaragiannis]

FIRE!!!!!

[@davidpottinger987]

Yes I know he's good fam!!!!!!

[@halecj1]

Ah shit, I forgot all about Snow! I used to know all the words...err, the sounds of this song to impress my friends.

[@ThenewMattClark.Canadaprison]

Listen to Snow. Lady with the Red dress on or Monday Morning

[@lepoetress]

The rapper was MC Shan

[@PixelPro-4000]

This came out in the early 90s.

[@xavierrimmington4758]

I likie boom boom now! Come on dope!!!

[@Organicme1]

I have been wondering if "Snow the product" was a product of this Snow, both talented and even a likeness. TY for the awesome reaction!

[@JustOneSue]

YES!!

[@Kezmatic1]

he had respect in the streets.

[@NocturneSoul]

"I licky boom boom down" means to take down the rat, to shoot the snitch down.

[@cherrypie2749]

We all asked that same question back in the day. Lmao

[@wjadam024]

Snow learned Ragga in jail. "born and raised in the T.O.".

[@mamaflush9945]

Hey Shon, I thought I'd drop off another band for you take a listen to, if interested "Eagles - New Kid In Town Live -1977" The Eagles is an American rock band founded in Los Angeles, CA in 1971. They were a very popular band of the 70's and 80's with five number one singles and six Grammy awards, five American Music awards, and six number one albums and two of their albums were among the 20 best-selling albums in the U.S. They were also one of the biggest mainstream American rock bands to emerge in the 1970's...basically this band is ❤‍🔥

[@eugeneklechevsky3607]

Eagles are a guaranteed YT strike

[@mamaflush9945]

@@eugeneklechevsky3607 Oh no! I didn't know 😕 that really sucks

[@Jaysun1]

This video was released while he was in prison and all the inmates were watching the premiere with him. He said they went crazy.

[@americanswan]

Hotstepper is good and has a similar catchy beat to dance to

[@cherrypie2749]

We all wondered about that line when the song came out 😂

[@kevinjennings238]

Hey Bud! This song was HUGE when it came out! When this came out, I was singing in a Rock Band and we would do Parody Songs that we Created, during song Breaks. They would only be the "Hooks" of Famous songs. Here's the one I wrote for THIS Song (The "Transformer" Toys were Also Popular then)>>> * "Transformer.... I know yer gonna Turn Into a Train.... a Little Choo-Choo Now.." What do you Think? ~~~Yer Pal, "Daytona Snooper"**

[@kmikl]

"Informer, you no say daddy me Snow me or I'll go blam, I'll lick you, boom-boom, damn."

[@patriciadavis1393]

Oh my God this is hilarious I just watched your reaction to Ice Ice Baby and I told you you have to check out this song😂😂😂😂 and what do I find but you checked it out already so I'm sure you will enjoy it❤❤❤❤ even though you might not understand it LOL😂😂😂😂

[@coreyrees840]

Tracks about taking out a snitch

[@CharlesGates-v6n]

Chiming in to say "lick-a-shot" is a patois/rasta-reggae slang for shooting a gun, so "licky boom boom" follows as "lick-a-boom-boom (gunshots) -> down (dead)". ~from the internet 🛜

[@G11713]

"likki boom boom them" is to hit (lik) them with bullets (boom boom). He's from Toronto, Ontario in Canada. Sounds like he's saying he grew up in Etobicoke which is a suburb of Toronto.

[@TanyaQueen182]

I still know every word. Thanks to Mtv's "Say What? Karaoke!" lmao I'll see myself out.