Museum of Who Let Who Let the Dogs Out Out is an archive of materials organized by artist Ben Sisto during the development of Who Let Who Let the Dogs Out Out, Sisto’s decade-long examination of the legal and cultural history of a musical hook which combines the phrase “Who let the dogs out” with barking sounds in a call and response pattern—a motif widely popularized by the pop/Junkanoo group Baha Men with their smash hit Who Let the Dogs Out (S-Curve Records, 2000).

Consider Baha Men’s Who Let the Dogs Out as a .zip file—this collection is that file, uncompressed. All the samples, prior art, and ideas hidden in its DNA. On the other side of the cosmic Big Bark we find countless toys, shirts, and games—officially licensed and otherwise—that have populated our universe EVER since. To learn more, check out the Who Let the Dogs Out film, and 99% Invisible’s Whomst Among Us Let the Dogs Out podcast episode.

Toys

Wearables

"Artist Ben Sisto is the world's leading expert on "Who Let the Dogs Out," as evidenced by his collection of over 250 pieces of memorabilia and artifacts. In this multimedia presentation, he tells the stories of musicians, lawyers and fans from all around the world, shining a light on the origins of that catchy pop abomination you're ashamed you can't stop yourself from singing along to." — Time Out New York

2D (Prints, Magazines, Misc)

Records

“In short, untangling who, exactly, was actually responsible for letting the dogs out and for crafting lines like “A doggy is nuttin’ if he don’t have a bone / Oh doggy, hold ya bone, oh doggy hold it” has tied up our courts and ruined our relationships for years. And now the connective threads of that mystery will be laid bare in Sisto’s collection of ephemera, which includes everything from versions of “Who Let The Dogs Out?” performed by The Simpsons and Crazy Frog, to classic records by George Clinton and Kraftwerk that Sisto believes to be clear influences on these dogs and the way they were let out.

— A/V Club

CDs, DVDs, Video (Digital)

Cassettes, Video (Tape)

Documentary Production

A few keepsakes from the production of the Who Let the Dogs Out documentary

Miami Boom Productions

To the best of anyone’s knowledge, the first instance of “Who let the dogs out” being used as a hook in a recorded song was in “Who Let the Dogs Out” by Miami Boom Productions (1992/1993). Miami Boom previously loaned archival materials to Ben Sisto for preservation and public display, but these items remain in the duo’s possession.

In addition to a recorded demo tape, Miami Boom provided business cards, address books, radio station contact information, press-shoot photos, and performance plans—all indicating this was far from a simple bedroom demo. The group was making a dedicated effort to publicize their work and have it heard across the south.

Steve Greenberg’s Archives

S-Curve Records founder and former Baha Men manager Steve Greenberg, perhaps more than anyone, is responsible for the group’s version of Who Let the Dogs Out becoming a global smash. Greenberg—against the advice of many around him—pushed for the track’s production and worked tirelessly to unleash it onto the world.

During the production of this archive, Steve shared a bunch of original photos and documents from his personal collection for scanning and display. Below is a sampling; the originals are all with Steve today.