Bo Diddley beat

[10] It is also akin to the rhythmic pattern known as "shave and a haircut, two bits",[11] that has been linked to Yoruba drumming from West Africa.

A folk tradition called "hambone", a style used by street performers who play out the beat by slapping and patting their arms, legs, chest, and cheeks while chanting rhymes has also been suggested.

"[13] Bo Diddley employed maracas, a percussion instrument used in Caribbean and Latin music, as a basic component of the sound.

[11] Jerome Green was the maraca player on Diddley's early records, initially using the instrument as a more portable alternative to a drum set.

In a 2005 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, he said that he came up with the beat after listening to gospel music in church when he was twelve years old.