Karol G’s “BbY WOW,” Sampling Iconic Coolie Dance Riddim, Tops Billboard Global Charts

The Colombian Latin superstar’s collab with Judeline and Rusowsky dethrones Shakira and Burna Boy’s “Dai Dai” from atop the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart after generating 42.3 million global streams in a week and surpassing 103 million Spotify plays

Colombian superstar Karol G

Colombian Latin superstar Karol G, alongside Spanish artistes Judeline and rusowsky, has climbed to No. 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts with their collaboration, “BbY WOW.”

The achievement gives Karol G her second leader on both global charts, following “TQG,” her collaboration with fellow Colombian superstar Shakira, which debuted at No. 1 in March 2023. For Judeline and rusowsky, “BbY WOW” marks their first No. 1 on either ranking.

The track, which samples Jamaican producer Skatta Burrell’s iconic Coolie Dance riddim, has already surpassed 103 million streams on Spotify. According to Luminate, “BbY WOW” generated 42.3 million streams worldwide from August 28 to September 3, a 62% increase week over week, while selling 1,000 downloads globally, up 60%.

The surge makes “BbY WOW” the biggest song in the world on Billboard’s global rankings, dethroning Shakira and Burna Boy’s “Dai Dai,” which previously spent 10 weeks atop Global Excl. U.S. and seven weeks at No. 1 on the Global 200.

Released in 2003, Skatta Burrell’s Coolie Dance riddim has enjoyed a remarkable global reach over the past two decades, with its distinctive sound sampled and incorporated into music stretching from Latin America to India, the Arab world and the U.S. pop scene.

The latest success also arrives amid renewed conversation around the influence of Jamaican production on global music. Iconic Jamaican production duo Steely & Clevie were recently dealt a major legal setback in their sweeping copyright case involving reggaeton’s signature Dem Bow riddim, after Bad Bunny and several other defendants secured a significant victory.

Filed in 2021, the sprawling case has targeted nearly 2,000 songs involving more than 150 artistes, with major names including Bad Bunny, Karol G, Drake and Justin Bieber among those connected to the litigation. Steely & Clevie’s claims center on the alleged unauthorized use of elements derived from their influential late-1980s Jamaican production “Fish Market.”