Hambone was famously adopted and adapted in the 1950s by rhythm & blues singer Bo Diddley for his "Bo Diddley beat", which was copied by many rock musicians.

Who invented Hamboning?

Hambone was created by enslaved Africans in North America. Forbidden to use their drums, slaves found ways to make rhythms with tambourines, bones, and body music such as hand clapping and body and thigh slapping, also called “Pattin' Juba.”

Where did the hambone dance come from?

Black History and Hambone

Scholars generally agree that patting juba, or playing “hambone,” has its roots in Africa with traditional drumming and hand clapping used for social dancing. Because the drum was used as both a method of communication and as a vehicle for communal gathering, dancing.