Boots, Fans & Facts: The Anthem That has America Dancing and Why It Matters

803Fresh

May 8, 2025

By Kasey L. Summerville

There's a sound traveling across America right now. You can hear it in gyms, barbecues, churches, TikTok, clubs, streets, trail rides, line dance classes, nursing homes, even corporate luncheons. It's Boots on the Ground by Southern soul artist 803Fresh.

And this isn't just a song.

It's a cultural moment. A literal movement.

When My Daughter Became the Teacher

"Mom, it's not that hard. Watch me again."

My 36-year-old daughter stood in my living room, demonstrating the dance steps for what felt like the tenth time. The 21-year age gap between us suddenly seemed like a century as I struggled to match her rhythm. Dancing has always been my thing—I know most line dances by heart. But the older I get, it takes just a little longer to catch on.

"You're overthinking it," she sighed, showing me once more. "Feel the beat, not the steps."

I was about to give up when something clicked. My feet found their rhythm, my shoulders loosened, and suddenly—I was doing it.

"Now you've got it!" she said, then she began setting up the tripod to record us.

We shared it on my Facebook story. Some of you may have even seen it. I've been hitting the dance floor every time I hear those opening beats.

I truly felt my daughter's pain weeks later when I taught the dance to a friend. Lord have mercy—it took her far longer to learn it than it took me! But she got it though. Once she did, we were both on and pop'n!

I bought my cowboy boots and wide-brimmed hat a while back and attended my first Black rodeo. I'm embracing this cowgirl/Southern trail ride culture that's always been around me but that I never fully stepped into before. And honey, the joy I've found there has been medicine for my soul during some of my most challenging months ever.

Let's talk about what's really happening with this phenomenon and why it matters.

This Song Is Bigger Than a Dance

803Fresh, born Douglas Furtick and raised in Wagner, South Carolina, is an independent Southern soul artist known for telling stories through music that reflect Black Southern experiences. Before going viral, he was already building a fan base with relatable lyrics, trail ride anthems, and down-home energy.

In a 2024 interview with The Breakfast Club, he shared that the idea came when he noticed people using large hand fans at one event and not at the next. It stuck with him. "Where them fans at?" turned into a hook. Combine that with the phrase "boots on the ground" and a hit was born.

"That's how it really started. From trail rides… I went to one ride and I seen everybody with fans. I went to the next one and didn't see 'em. So I was like, 'Where them fans at?'"—803Fresh, The Breakfast Club Interview

The result? One of the most streamed line dance tracks in the country and a cultural wave nobody saw coming. As of May 2025, the song has earned over 3.2 million streams on Spotify alone and continues to rise with each new dance video and social media sensation.

Culture Meets Commerce

If you search "boots on the ground" on Amazon, you won't find army gear. You'll find hand fans. Big ones. Loud ones. Beautiful ones. The kind that makes

a statement on and off the dance floor.

That's the power of culture and SEO—which stands for Search Engine Optimization. When a song or phrase becomes popular, people type it into Google, Amazon, YouTube, and social media platforms. Businesses that understand how those platforms work can benefit from the surge in traffic. Boots on the Ground is the perfect example.

Western fashion is experiencing a powerful resurgence. Cowboy boots, fringe jackets, and hats are flying off shelves—not just because of the song, but thanks to a broader cultural wave. Let's be honest, Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter era didn't hurt either. When style icons and grassroots trends collide, retailers take notice.

Just look at what happened right here in Little Rock, AR—the "Defeat the Beast" Black rodeo sold out completely. That's Black spending power in action. With an estimated $1.6 trillion in annual buying power, when we decide to support something, the impact is undeniable. Small vendors and big brands alike are benefitting. Because when Black culture moves, markets don't just follow—they transform.

Our dollars speak volumes, and corporations should continue to pay attention. Where them fans at, Target? Since announcing cuts to their DEI initiatives, many in our community have redirected their spending elsewhere. The growing movement to refrain from shopping at businesses that abandon diversity commitments shows exactly how powerful our economic voice can be. We decide where our money goes, and those decisions have consequences.

Choreography That Sparked a Movement

We can't talk about Boots on the Ground without giving credit where it's due. The viral line dance that helped launch the song into the stratosphere was choreographed by Tre Little, a talented creator whose steps sparked a nationwide movement.

His original choreography has been watched, learned, and reimagined by thousands—and the most popular video of it has racked up over 3.3 million views on YouTube.

🎥 Watch Tre Little's viral line dance video here: https://youtu.be/BBPYFL-GDiw?si=0I534NbI97yQ0Oxv

Thanks to Tre, the dance floor became a space for joy, connection, and creativity—one step at a time.

We've Seen This Before but It Hits Different in 2025

Black folks have been gifting America with joy through dance for generations. From the Electric Slide to the Wobble, we've led the way and everyone followed.

But this time, it's happening in the middle of something else.

All across the country, we're seeing headlines about companies "restructuring" their diversity initiatives. According to a 2024 report by the Society for Human Resource Management, nearly 40% of surveyed companies have reduced their DEI budgets or staff in the past year. What they call "restructuring" often means gutting programs, cutting funding, reducing staff, and minimizing the very work that opened doors for so many. This isn't happening in isolation. While folks are doing line dances together, DEI programs are being dismantled nationwide. Books reflecting our experiences are being removed from libraries. And hard-fought gains are under attack.

So yes, it's great to see folks of every race celebrating Boots on the Ground. But here's the question:

Can you dance to our rhythm but ignore our reality? Can you celebrate our culture but stay silent about injustice?

Joy is powerful. But joy without action rings hollow.

Support the Artist. Support the Moment.

803Fresh didn't just give us a song. He created a moment that brings people together—a shared experience that gets us moving, smiling, and expressing joy through movement and those signature hand fans.

Let's support that with action.

I can't help but think of the money we have spent on this trend/phenomenon. Just think if all of those fans we purchased generated revenue for a Black-owned company? What if we were intentional about purchasing our hats and boots and fans from a Black vendor? Talk about a movement.

That's where the real power lies—not just in dancing together, but in circulating our dollars within our own communities. As someone who's spent years in corporate America, I've seen how quickly Black culture gets consumed without proper credit or compensation. When I purchase music now instead of just streaming it, it's my small way of saying "I value what you've created." It's personal for me.

Buy the song. Don't just stream it. Purchase "Boots on the Ground."

Add it to your playlist. Use it at your next event or show. Love in the ways that matter. Visibility and dollars.

Keep the energy alive but anchor in awareness. Share this blog.

The Power of Suddenly

This moment didn't roll in slow. It showed up suddenly. One day, most people didn't know 803Fresh's name. The next, his voice and beat were in our heads, hearts, and headphones. That's how quickly it can shift.

Lord knows I've been waiting for my own "suddenly" during the last year. Some days the rejections pile up so high I can barely see over them. But watching 803Fresh's rise reminds me that breakthroughs don't always announce themselves with a warning. Sometimes they arrive unexpected and right on time.

Let this be a word of encouragement to anyone who feels like they're one idea away from something big. You are. One witty idea, one inspired hook, one brave decision can change the trajectory of your life and your bank account.

It doesn't matter if you're from a small town in South Carolina or a big city across the country. It's not where you come from but how you keep moving, growing, and believing in what hasn't manifested yet. Sometimes we have to trust beyond what our physical eyes can see. 803Fresh is living proof. And your moment might be next.

A Lesson in the Variations

There's something else I've noticed about this song. No two dances look exactly the same. I've seen churches add their own flair. I've seen older folks take it slow and smooth. And just the other day, I watched a white group perform the dance with a completely different step pattern.

And guess what? It was still Boots on the Ground.

The song remained the same.

That's a reminder we all need. We don't have to move the same way to belong. We don't have to show up in identical fashion to be in community. We are allowed to have different rhythms, different backgrounds, different steps.

As long as we're still tuned into the same beat—progress, unity, humanity—we're doing just fine. That's the beauty of culture. It leaves room for individuality without losing the power of the collective.

In the Middle of the Heaviness

As heavy as the world feels right now and with DEI under attack, programs being rolled back, and daily headlines that weigh on our spirit—this song reminds us that joy still has power. We've been taking hit after hit, but this dance gives us a moment to breathe.

It's light in the middle of all this heaviness.

First, it hits our head. Then our shoulders start moving. Then we're on the floor, fans clapping, boots stomping, smiling like it's the first good thing we've felt in a minute. That kind of joy that is not just welcomed. It's necessary.

Final Word

803Fresh wrote what he saw. He put music to a moment, and the people made it a movement. That's the beauty of culture. It's born in truth and grows in community.

So yes, dance. Smile. Pop your fan. Wear your boots. But when the music stops, don't go silent.

Keep your boots on the ground in the fight for fairness, equity, and joy that lasts. Keep dancing! It’s good for us!

Feel free to share this blog and tag me. Let's keep the conversation and the culture alive.

Meet me on the dance floor and make sure you bring your fan! If you need a fan, I have one linked to my Amazon Storefront here: https://www.amazon.com/shop/kaseysummerville/photo/amzn1.shoppablemedia.v1.a0660882-50a6-4de4-9e0e-f039ee04926f?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfphoto_KX4XNCAZG9CDJ6PKX19K

📸: Photos taken from 803Fresh Facebook Page