Old School Black Gospel Music: "Low Country Claps" (also known as "Charleston Claps" And "Double Claps")

BRENDA J. PEART, Oct 25, 2019  

When drums were outlawed the Gullah Geechee made their own sounds combining their African rhythms ....

Listen carefully across the diaspora and your hear similar patterns

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series about Old School Black Gospel Music.

This post focuses on "low country clapping" (also known as double clapping), particularly in Black churches in the United States.*

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and religious purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

-snip-
*Other posts in this series document double clapping among some Black people in Jamaica, in Jamaica, in the United Kingdom ,and elsewhere. 

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WHAT "LOW COUNTRY" MEANS IN SOUTH CAROLINA, USA
Excerpt #1
From https://southcarolinalowcountry.com/south-carolina-lowcountry-what-is-it-all-about/#:~:text=3%20August%202022,geographical%20location%20and%20cultural%20mindset. 
South Carolina Lowcountry: What is it all about?, 3 August 2022
"What is the meaning of Lowcountry? Merriam Webster defines it as “: a low-lying country or region especially: the part of a southern state extending from the seacoast inland to the fall line.” South Carolinians define it as a geographical location and cultural mindset.  But for me… It is more than that!

It’s Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper, the four counties that make up the SC Lowcountry Tourism area…..
-snip-
The most well-known South Carolina low country city is Charleston, South Carolina.

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Excerpt #2
From https://www.palmettobluff.com/discover/stories/history-explained-lowcountry#:~:text=The%20culture%20of%20the%20Lowcountry%20has%20been%20primarily%20shaped%20by,African%20tr History Explained: Why It's Called the Lowcountry Written by Palmetto Bluff, Jul 5, 2022
…”The Culture of the Lowcountry

The culture of the Lowcountry has been primarily shaped by the Gullah-Geechee people. The descendants of West and Central Africans who were enslaved in South Carolina to labor the coastal rice and cotton plantations, the Gullah-Geechee people have retained many of their African traditions throughout the years.”….

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - The Lowcountry Sound

 Karen E. Thrower, May 5, 2016

Rev. Isaac Holt and Trinity Missionary Baptist Church Choir capturing the sound of the Lowcountry. Charleston,SC

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #3 - Soul Stirrers - I'm A Pilgrim

bcimasschoir, Apr 17, 2008
-snip-
Here'sa comment exchange from the discussion thread for the2011 pancocojams post entitled "Three Versions Of The Gospel Song "I'm A Pilgrim" - Lyrics & Comments"  http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/12/three-versions-of-gospel-song-im.html 

These comments are numbered for referencing purposes only.

1. Azizi Powell, January 16, 2013 at 12:53 PM
"By the way, I've been trying to label the type of clapping that is done in this Soul Stirrers - I'm A Pilgrim film clip [for instance at .053 and thereabout] when the singer hits his hands one time and then two times afterwards kinda fast.

Is this off-beat clapping, or double time clapping?

I know that I should know the difference, but I don't.

Help! Thanks in advance."

**
2. Reply
Unknown, November 18, 2015 at 12:38 PM
"This is called the low - county clap. That's how we do it in South Carolina."

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TWEETS ABOUT LOW COUNTRY CLAPPING/DOUBLE CLAPPING
These are some tweets from that discussion thread. These selected tweets don't include GIFs (very short video clips that are attached to some of these tweets. I also haven't added any explanations for words in those tweets.)

I've numbered these tweets for referencing purposes only. However, these numbers don't necessarily correspond with the order that these tweets were published.

https://twitter.com/ironnfire/status/1439569348012777475?lang=en

1. Chicken&Trees, Sep 19, 2021 

"Double clap straight outta Charleston, SC…you gotta be born with a clap like that, not just something you pick up".
-snip-
This is the quote that accompanies this google search link. The tweet and its attached GIF isn't shown in that tweeter feed. However, "ironfire" is the person who people in this tweet feed are responding to. 

**
2. Fred

@F_man8326

·

Sep 19, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

"This a low country staple."

 
**
3. ʙʀᴀᴛᴛʏ ʙʏ ɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ.

@hiipetunia

Sep 19, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

"That double clap takes the praise up 3 notches so quick".

**
4. Lady Wipe-Me-Down 💫

@Hey__Nichole

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

"This is when church getting good!!!"

**
5. MsJoyce

@joyshel5

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

"That's the Mothers Board beat! They can dance to that!! Get it y'all!!!"

**
6. Q*A*S*T*O*R

@qastor

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

"My parents are from Rock Hill but I grew up in the Low Country! This may be an SC State wide" thing!

**
7. Shanda

@tshanda26

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

"Take me back home"

**
8. Cliff Daniels

@cliffdaniels

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

"Nothing like that low country clap"

**
9. Janetwackson

@quietlionness

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

"<--- from New Jersey, but I got it! Alright now!"

**
10. Lady Wipe-Me-Down 💫

@Hey__Nichole

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

"This is when church getting good!!!"

**
11.  Karen Priester, MD

@Dr_Priester

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

 and

@solomonmissouri

"Universal band clap gene. Central Pennsylvania here.  Put a tambourine in them hands and we about to have Church"

**
12. G. Oglesby

@oglesby_23

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@Dr_Priester

@ironnfire

 and

@solomonmissouri

*chuuuchhh! Lol"

 
**
13. KameraGworl 📸

@_southernqueenn

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@That_virgowomen

 and

@ironnfire

"Bayyyyybeeeeeeeee that’s that good clap😂😂😂"

**
14. 🦁🤙🏾Respect Your Roots✊🏾🦁

@Iceman_0693

Sep 21, 2021

Replying to

@DiazAndytwelve1

@sxmdx

 and

@ironnfire

"That is an Afro-Caribbean beat at it's core. The "double clap" has roots in Africa as a complement to the drums and chants."

**
15. IamLegend 🇺🇸

@DarkSideAdvcate

Sep 21, 2021

Replying to

@Iceman_0693

@DiazAndytwelve1

 and 2 others

"False! It’s a Native black American church thing..stop the lies"

**
16. Ryan-O'Neil

@RyanONeilmusic

Sep 21, 2021

Replying to

@DarkSideAdvcate

@Iceman_0693

 and 3 others

"Guys. It’s not disparaging to notice and point out where music of the African diaspora is similar and different. It’s a beautiful tapestry"....

**
17. !UVWV🇹🇹

@Robo_kushu

Sep 21, 2021

Replying to

@RyanONeilmusic

@DarkSideAdvcate

 and 4 others

"Most likely because the Carolinas is where most of gullah/geechee people live and they share a lot of culture with Caribbean people including language"

**
18. Leslie D. Callahan

@fifthpastor

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

"I love this sound. It reminds me of growing up in apostolic temple"

**
19.I See Ya

@MusikShift

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

 and

@LeHackJames

"Sometimes one clap high and one low, Skills."

**
20. Jo | Creator ⚡ Destroyer

@jodigital1

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

 and

@BlackPowerBA

"The double clapping will have you at thr alta repenting!"

**
21. Jo | Creator ⚡ Destroyer

@jodigital1

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

 and

@BlackPowerBA

"From California and we gets down. Issa BA thang 😏"

**
22.  a.k.a. Rufus Buck

@RufusWingfield

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

"I think it’s actually a triple clap."

**

23. big LEXYS 👑

@theQweenlex

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

"Ya hand be red up"

**
24. Karter.

@karterrrrrrrr

Sep 21, 2021

Replying to

@theQweenlex

"for true!!! 😂"

**
25. ICE - EM 🥶

@TrackModeDon

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

 and

@CarolinaConect

"Everything started in the chuck. Charleston the motherland of America lmao"

**
26. Carolina Connect

@CarolinaConect

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@TrackModeDon

 and

@ironnfire

"You laughing but you telling the truth. The lowcountry of SC and GA is really the mother land of African American culture"

**
27. Dr. Sabrina E. Dent

@PROVERBSKIDS

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

"Thank you for sharing this video. It brought me so much joy and find memories of my childhood. 💗👏🏾 #BlackChurch #PreachersKid"

**
28. Bobby M'Baku’s ✊🏾

@Bobbysworld2021

Sep 20, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

 and

@ReignOfApril

"Reminds me of going to church with my grandma. She’s from the Gullah Geechee area but lived in N. Charleston. I couldn’t understand them all the time w/ that dialect but the church clap was real. You messed that up and people would be looking at you like.."

**
29. Jalisa Whitley

@JalisaNichole

Sep 21, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

"I know a COGIC clap when I hear one. Took me back!"

**
30. KayWatFlem

@KarenWatsonFle1

Sep 21, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

"Downtown Charleston to be exact, New Holmes Street Baptist between Fishburne n Nunan…double clap all day! #BHS #ClassOf85"

**
31. And that's on Chawls 🔜 Dreamcon 2023

@swolebizness

Sep 21, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

"Reminds me of my grandmother's church in Charleston. Emmanuel Baptist Church on James Island was so much fun when I was a kid. RIP Rev. White"

**
32. Queen Antifa

@SausageFierce

Sep 21, 2021

Replying to

@Ayyemanchillout

 and

@ironnfire

"My great great Grandma brought it from Mississippi to New Jersey and had Calvary Baptist lit"

**
33. J Lewis Alston

@JLewisAlston1

Sep 21, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire
"That’s how you know The Spirit is Good, when the double clap comes out"

** 

34. FREE

@FREE33584637

Sep 21, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

 and

@miles_k

"Called, Soul Clap😉"

**
35.  QUEEN LAYAH ♏️🦂

@loveablelayah

Sep 21, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire
"I knew this clap sound familiar 😂😂 my grandma who was born a & raised in Charleston SC claps just like that lol"

**
36. bro. obidiah

@justfacts____

Sep 21, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

 and

@4theculture____

"Our African roots are so deep."

**
37. Warren

@Warren_DHK

Sep 21, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

 and

@4theculture____

"Yt people confused about why they aint clapping on the 1 and 3 😂"

**
38. la muerta ⚔️🧜🏽‍♀️🇩🇴

@Bossieta_Bonita

Sep 21, 2021

Replying to

@ironnfire

 and

@heydenzell

"I saw nothing special or sign"ificant about this clapping lol literally EVERYONE With rhythm can clap like that. 🤦🏾‍♀️🤷🏾‍♀️🥴

**
39. Kaila Jay

@kailajames8388

Sep 21, 2021

Replying to

@Bossieta_Bonita

@ironnfire

 and

@heydenzell

"Flag twitter never sees anything special about black Americans even as you all copy it"

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