On October 8, 2025, Kool & the Gang co-founder and namesake Robert Earl “Kool” Bell will celebrate his 75th lap around the sun. In celebration of this occasion, the Australian DJ and producer Young Franco has shared a remix of Kool & the Gang’s classic “Get Down On It.”
“Get Down On It” originally appeared on the group’s 1981 album Something Special. The single was a hit in the U.S., reaching the Top 10 of Billboard Hot 100. “Get Down On It” went on to become a massive hit in the U.K., peaking at No.3.
In 2015, Bell’s brother and Kool co-founder Ronald told Rolling Stone how “Get Down On It” was inspired by Bob Marley. “A friend of mine came to me and said, ‘Hey, you like reggae music?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I like reggae, but I don’t listen to it a whole lot.’ He said, ‘You need to listen to Bob Marley,’” Bell recalled. “I had this track,—I knew that I had something—so I played it at rehearsal one day, and started playing [sings reggae melody] and J.T. said, ‘Hey! What’s that ya playing?’ He started singing on the top, and from there we wrote ‘Get Down on It.’”
Kool & the Gang are on tour currently in the midst of a global tour, which sees them touch down in Europe, the United States, and Canada. Ronald Bell, born Khalis Bayyan, passed away in September 2020.
Earlier this year, Young Franco released his debut studio album, It’s Franky Baby. The 10-track album is a compilation of disco, rap, punk and dance music. The album includes collaborations with Pell (“Juice”), Master Peace (“Wake Up”), Muroki (“Sunrise”) and more. The DJ has described the album as “a reflection of everything and everyone that has shaped me – my influences, my friends, and the artists I’ve been lucky enough to collaborate with. It blends the sounds and voices that inspire me, capturing the energy of the people I love and the creative journey we’ve shared. It’s a mix of the many genres I’m drawn to, fusing into one big pan.”
Listen to the Young Franco remix of Kool and the Gang’s “Get Down On It” now.
