Two days after their video shoot, Ben J and Legacy of New Boyz sat in a classroom at Sierra Vista High School in Baldwin Park, surrounded by posters about the dangers of smoking and steroid use. They recounted how they met at Hesperia High School in San Bernardino County, where they were part of a nearly 20-member group that made Southern California gangster rap and dressed the part.
About 11 months ago, the two split off and decided to make music that they thought girls would like. "They buy music and men just listen," said Ben J, who wore a red leather jacket reminiscent of Michael Jackson's in the video for "Thriller."
Picking up on the growing popularity of jerkin', they made a song called "I Jerk." When it didn't take off, they came back with "You're a Jerk," which caught the attention of DJ Carisma, who brought it to Power 106.
"I play at a lot of high schools and I'm around kids a lot. Everybody kept asking for this song and it was strictly because of their MySpace," she said. "I went to [DJs] E-Man and Felli Fel and said, 'How could we not be playing this? This is the hottest song in L.A.' "
"You're a Jerk" is now one of the station's most requested songs and is getting about 60 spins a week.
In February, the duo began appearing at Power 106's basketball fundraisers for local high schools. At halftime they performed "You're a Jerk" while roaming the court with cordless mikes, then they'd play in the game's second half (changing into shorts from zebra-striped pants) and finish with an autograph session.
As the school year went on and New Boyz's popularity grew, the crowds' response became more fanatical. During the Sierra Vista game, school officials decided that there wasn't enough security, so the postgame autograph session was canceled. As New Boyz left the court at the end of the game, students swarmed the pair, thrusting pens in their faces and flashing digital cameras. Ben J and Legacy ended up throwing their T-shirts into the mob, partially as a distraction to get away.
After they were mobbed a second time trying to leave the school, a girl in checkered red and white shorts crowed to anyone who'd listen, "I touched their butts, I touched their bodies, they're so sexy." Farther down the yard, another girl who hadn't been so lucky miserably said to her friends, "I wish we were there. I wish everything could be rewinded back."
