@upcloseandlovely, 2023
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Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest revision- August 6, 2024
This pancocojams post showcases videos of and comments about the evolution of the "Set It Off" stroll that is performed by members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority to Strafe's record "Set It Off". .
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyright remains with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
-snip-
Click the "African American fraternity and sorority stepping and strolling" tag below for other pancocojams posts about strolling, including unity strolls, and stroll offs (competitive strolls).
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WHAT IS STROLLING (IN THE CONTEXT OF HISTORICALLY BLACK GREEK LETTER FRATERNITY AND SORORITY CULTURE) ?
"Strolling'" is a processional "dance" that is performed by two people or (usually) a group of people. Strolls originated with and are mostly still associated with members of historically Black Greek letter organizations (BGLOs).
Strollers form a single line and move in a circular or forward to a recorded song. The earliest term for these strolling performances is "party walks". The term reflects the history of these processions which were first performed at parties and other non-competitive social events . The term "party walks" is sometimes still used in 2024, but strolls are now either competitive or non-competitive activities.
Strolls may be performed by members of one BGLO, or by more than one BGLO whose members stroll separately at the same time and basically in the same space. Members of more than one historically Black Greek letter organization may also stroll together in what are called "unity strolls".
Each of the nine historically Black Greek letter organizations (collectively known as "The Divine Nine") has their own strolling styles and each BGLO has certain records that they stroll to which are associated with that particular organization. For instance, with regard to historically Black Greek letter sororities, members of Apha Kappa Alpha stroll (party walk) to the record "Set It Off", members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority stroll to "Got To Be Real", members of Zeta Phi Beta stroll to "Bad Mama Jamma" and members of Sigma Gamma Rho stroll to "Shake That Monkey".
Certain other African American dance records (such as "Knuck If You Buck") are used as stroll songs by all of the Divine Nine sororities and fraternities. However, the popularity of certain songs that are used for BGLO strolls may differ depending on which state or region of the United States the chapter of the fraternity or sorority is in. Also, while some songs used for strolls continue their popularity over time, other songs that were used for strolls in past years have been retired.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/11/lists-of-hip-hop-songs-that-are.html for the closely related 2020 pancocojams post entitled "Lists Of Records That Are Commonly Used For Historically Black Fraternity & Sorority Strolls (information, videos, and comments" .
Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/04/when-did-historically-black-greek.html for the 2025 related pancocojams post entitled "When Did Historically Black Greek Letter Fraternity & Sorority Stepping Begin?" for information about the history of historically Black Greek letter organization "steppin",...
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WHAT "SET IT OFF" MEANS
These definitions are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
Definition #1
From Tazi M.Hughes (my daughter)
"set it off" - "to get people excited about starting something" [for instance, this is another way of saying "Let's get this party started!"
**
From https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Set%20it%20off
"set it off
To do something with intensity or hurricane like force.
Boy 1: Did you see that fight between Kyle and David?
Boy 2: Yea dude, David really set it off!
by Anthony UNLV April 17, 2010"
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE RECORD "SET IT OFF"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strafe_(band)
"Strafe is an American electro group that gained popularity in the mid-1980s. The group is primarily known for its single "Set It Off" (1984) which has been extensively sampled by hip-hop, house, techno, and EDM artists.[1]
Origin Brooklyn, New York, US
Genres Electro, old school hip hop
Years active 1984–unknown
Labels Jus Born
A&M Records"...
-snip-
"SET IT OFF" LYRICS (1996 record) partial lyrics
“Y’all want this party started right?
Y’all want this party started quickly right?
Y’all want this party hot?”
Set it off, set it off, set it off
(Set, Set, Set, set it off)
Set It Off I suggest y’all Set It Off I suggest y’all
Set It Off! Come on let’s Set It Off!
Set It Off on the left y’all Set It Off on the right y’all
Set It Off! Come on let’s Set It Off!
On the left (Start it!) On the right (Start it!)
On the left I suggest while we’re left (Start it!)
On the left (Start it!) On the right (Start it!)
On the left I suggest...."...
-snip-
Online source: https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/1446755/Strafe/Set+It+Off
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WHEN AND WHERE WAS THE FIRST AKA STROLL TO STRAFE'S RECORD "SET IT OFF" PERFORMED?
According to r.obinna5396 whose comment is given as #1 under Showcase Video #3 in this post, the Beta Alpha chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. introduced the "Set It Off" stroll on FAMU's campus in 1987-1988
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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM SHOWCASE VIDEO #1
Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.
@20PinkPearls, 2023
"Come on, Ladies of AKA, teach us the original 'Set It Off' stroll! Ok now!!! 
"
**
Reply
@upcloseandlovely, 2023
**
@sonyaholland8493, 2023
"Yessssssssssss! Bring the original back please! I love it!!! 🩷"
**
@msbhavin65, 2023
"Much nicer than the new age stroll."
**
@marilynnjones951, 2023
"Alright, Alright that's what I remember at Ft Valley State...yes back in the day; Classy, sassy & cool!"
**
Reply
@persistanced280, 2023
"@Marilynn Jones, me too! #AlphaBeta"
**
@LeeLeeWilliams-1908, 2023
"Yass Sorors the OG 
"
@JasmineSakinah1908, 2023
"Yes I love it Sorors 
"
@deedee_southerngirl, 2023
"Alright now, Sorors!!! Set it OFF."
@thecomedicmue3873, 2023
"SKEE WEEEEEEEEE!!"
-snip-
AKA's signature call (vocalization)
@kreole0834, 2023
"Yes Sorors and my chapter in Vegas still does the original! Set IT Off!!🩷🩷#AKATTO"
@MegNaturally, 2023
"I love this! So classy! 
"
@Maid4hisglory, 2023
"I LOVE MY AKA!!!"
@tiawannaglover8013, 2024
"Yass I love it when the Grown and Sexy show the babies how it all began!! Come on Ladies of AKA you did that
️🩷"
@elephant_haze7319, 2024
"This original should have been the Law Very Classy I'd love to watch my wife, daughter, mom, sister, grandma to step like this. Only If We Could Go Back In Time
** @queenofthesouth4205, 2024 "Pretty in Pink and Gorgeous in Green #AKA1908" ** @kingtech7917, 2024 "They should keep it like this fr the music, the moves all that shout to these AKA queens salute"
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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. | The Original Beta Alpha
Chapter | Set It Off FAMU
Everlasting Decisions, Nov 16, 2021
-snip-
Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread:
@glendareizellthorpe650, 2022
"Sorors knew the assignment! Love it Sorors you ladies represented well "
@sandybranch163, 2022
"This Set it off update is doable for us seasoned Sorors
"
Reply
@nichelebankston9009, 2022
"Kinda looks like the one I learned in the
80s....minus the AHHHHkatude"
**
@MegNaturally, 2022
"I thought this was the original one. Lol"
@ProfessorBae08, 2022
"LOL. Right!"
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SHOWCASE VIDEO #3 - The ΑΚΑ "Set it Off" stroll (2nd video).
Mitchell Hill, Jr,, Nov. 3, 2019
HOTEL INDIGO ATLANTA DOWNTOWN
Here's another video of the pretty ladies of ΑΚΑ strolling
to the same song "Set it Off". Again, my mom is one of the ladies.
#alphakappaalpha
-snip-
This video'S title indicates that this is the 2nd video. I presume that means that this is the second video of this stroll that was published by Mitchell Hill Jr. Unfortunately, I haven't come across the 1st video.
-snip-
Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread:
1. @r.obinna5396, 202o
"This is not the traditional Set It Off stroll for AKA; or It's certainly not the stroll that Beta Alpha introduced on FAMU campus in 1987-1988"
**
Reply
2. @meathead177, 2020
"Well, sorry for the false information. Do you know what the traditional stroll looked like? Did you go to Florida A&M University?"
"Boule" (pronounced BOO-lay) is a term that most historically Black Greek letter organizations use to refer to their annual national conference. [Please correct this definition if it is incorrect.]
**
Reply
4. @LL-zw2qb, 2021
"I just commented the same thing in the first video labeling
this as the traditional set it off stroll. The original is classier than these
newer versions."
-snip-
I haven't come across this publisher's first video of this stroll.
**
Reply
5. @LL-zw2qb, 2021
"@r.obinna5396 The original version looks more like AKA
because the lifting of the knees and slapping the thighs just makes it less
classy because all of the ladies aren't pointing their toes when they lift
their knees and if you have a skirt on then well..."
**
Reply
6. @LL-zw2qb, 2021
"@meathead177 The real original version ends at around the
:17 second mark in that video link provided by @R. Obinna. They started with
the original then added the newer versions on to it rather than start over again which is how
it was originally done.""
-snip-
The comment with the link isn't in this sub-thread any longer.
**
7. @corruptionfighter6279, 2021
"I was made Spring 88 Iota Chapter and I have to say I do not recall a shimmy in the original stroll (FAMU vid) and we did not lift our legs to slap our thighs we kicked our feet out and pointed our toes while slapping our legs (however that could just have been our chapter). Over the years the stroll has morphed or evolved as one person on here stated, which is understandable as change is inevitable.
yes, things have evolved" -snip- "I'm 89" probably means that 1989 was the year that the commenter joined AKA. The word "sashed" probably is a typo or misspelling of "sashay" (My definition of "sashay" is your hips". ** [This comment was posted by the publisher of this video in response to a request to publish a tutorial video about how to do this stroll,]
9. @meathead177, 2021
"I'm not a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, I'm not even a woman. My mom is a member of this sorority and this was at a gala."
**
Reply
10. @aaronjuniper8167, 2021
"There's obviously a "Gala version and a "Yard Show" version.
Both are appreciated !to casually walk to the beat with an exaggerated movement of
**
11. @godbodyrock, 2021
"
Twenty Pink Pearls, July 26, 2022
-snip-
In the context of most historically Black Greek letter organizations, a "Boule" (pronounced BOO-lay) is a conference for members of a particular sorority of fraternity.
This video has no comments except a link to a number of vendor and other videos about that Boule.
*** SHOWCASE VIDEO #5- Delta Air Lines’ AKA’s “Set It Off” Stroll
Here’s Johnny!, Jan 18, 2024 -snip- Here are two comments from this video's discussion thread. 1. @shondahumphreys3384, 2024 "United has AKA’s and we stand with are Delta AKA’s as well … Let’s set it of Together. My beautiful Soror’s" ** 2.@try-one2252, 2024 "find the irony in AKA's working for Delta Airlines...LOL" -snip- This commenter finds it to be ironical that AKAs work for Delta Airlines because there's quite a bit of contentious history between Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
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