Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is known for his elaborate touchdown celebrations. From doing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” dance to hitting “The Whip” way back in his rookie year, OBJ has always had a flare for the dramatics once he gets into the end zone.
As Beckham gets comfortable in his new situation in Baltimore, he continues to get more acclimated to his surroundings and the cultural norms that come with it. From the food to the music scene, Baltimore is unique in its own right. Beckham is taking it all in as he looks to honor his new home in NFL end zones.
What Is the Park Heights Strut?
Simply put, the Park Heights Strut is a dance that has quickly gone viral on social media. However, the moves OBJ busted out on Sundays have been around Baltimore for quite some time.
How to ingratiate yourself with Baltimore: not only pull out the Park Heights Strut as your first #Ravens TD celebration, but NAIL the Park Heights Strut. Just as you’d expect OBJ would. pic.twitter.com/HsbpUoX8Xn
— Bobby Trosset (@bobbybaltimoree) November 5, 2023
The dance is an homage to Baltimore during the late 1990s and early 2000s. And much like anything these days, once it gains traction online, specifically on TikTok, it can sweep a generation of people right up.
It seems everyone is just a few swipes away from the dance popping up on their feeds.
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The move for OBJ is just a sign of respect, as he is eternally grateful to the team and city that has embraced him with open arms.
“There’s so much that I want to do for this team, organization, and also the city of Baltimore,” he said. “They’ve embraced me and the culture.”
Who Invented the Park Heights Strut?
While the dance is unique to Baltimore, there isn’t one singular person to credit with the creation of the dance.
It’s explained as a two-step that would add flare over the years, passed down from generation to generation, with each person and age group adding and tweaking the strut with their sense of style and movement.
While there isn’t a singular person to thank, OBJ is taking every chance he can get to highlight his new home. And with every touchdown he scores — and every two-step he unvails — he is making Baltimore proud.
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