The Washington Capitals had two very special guests in the tunnel ahead of their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday. And no, they were not players.
Juicy J, the man behind the famous “Bandz A Make Her Dance” song, and his older brother, fellow rapper Project Pat, joined the Caps as they prepared to head out onto the ice at Capital One Arena for warmups. Alex Ovechkin and Jakob Chychrun did their usual shoulder shimmy as the popular 2012 hip hop track played in the background, and Juicy J provided a casual live version just feet away.
Both Juicy J and Project Pat wore the custom Capitals black Screaming Eagle jerseys they received from the team ahead of Project Pat’s show at Karma DC Live Music Venue in Northeast this weekend.
“Ovi!” Project Pat said when he saw the Caps captain come around the corner into the tunnel.
“What’s up, man,” Juicy J said before dapping Ovechkin up. “Bandz a make her dance.”
After Ovechkin and Chychrun finished their dance, the rest of the Capitals marched out to the ice, giving a fist bump to the rappers as they passed them.
“After this, we’re going to the strip club,” Juicy J said. “Alright, where’s my stick at?”
The Academy Award-winning artist then grabbed one of the Capitals’ extra sticks from their stick rack. “Alright, see y’all out there, man,” he said.
At a stoppage in play during the first period, the Capitals acknowledged the two rappers on the jumbotron.
“This is dope,” Juicy J told the Capitals’ Taryn Bray. “I ain’t never been to a game like this. It’s something new for me and I love it. It’s amazing.
“I was watching my timeline maybe like a month ago and just seeing the Capitals singing ‘Bandz A Make Her Dance.’ I thought it was like an AI or something – people take AI all the time, and they put pictures with music. But it kept going and going. I was like, ‘Hol’ up a second, what’s going on? Somebody likes my song.'”
Juicy J later described how he’d never been introduced to hockey until now and believes the Caps have brought newfound life to his almost 13-year-old song.
“I feel like they brought the song back – even more popular than it was five or six years ago,” he said. “I’m so surprised – TikTok went crazy. People started calling me, ‘Hey man, there’s a hockey team, Capitals, they love your music.
“They say [Ovechkin] is the Michael Jordan of hockey, and like I said, this is my first time at a hockey game, so I don’t know anybody in hockey. So, I was just like, ‘Holy shit,’ so I just started doing research and started seeing it blowing up on TikTok, my phone’s ringing, and here I am.”
Being up close and personal to see how the Caps prepare for games also gave the Grammy-nominated artist an appreciation for how they get their bodies ready for hard-hitting action.
“I’ve seen it on TV, and I’ve seen them fighting and stuff, but being right there and seeing all the armor, stuff they have on their bodies, and how tall they are,” Juicy J said. “I was like, ‘You motherjumpers are huge. I guess you gotta be that big to skate and fight on some ice and win the game.
“It’s cool to see what people have to go through to get ready for the game and stuff like that. I’m glad they’re playing ‘Bandz A Make Her Dance’ for inspiration, I appreciate that.”
Ovechkin initially started calling Chychrun by the nickname “Bandz” after the defenseman went helmetless for warmups ahead of an October 17 game against the Dallas Stars.
Chychrun wears an elastic headband to keep his long hair out of his eyes, the genesis of the season-long ritual.
Chychrun has even made it his new goal song at Capital One Arena. There is no word on if those in attendance will get a live performance from Juicy J if Chychrun were to light the lamp against the Blue Jackets.
