Benedict Townsend

He actually posted the original video on Instagram, who by then had made their own rival push into short video, but it was quickly shared by another user to Vine, and from there it went stratospheric.

He actually posted the original video on Instagram, who by then had made their own rival push into short video, but it was quickly shared by another user to Vine, and from there it went stratospheric.

Tens of millions of loops on that first video and millions more on imitation posts as other users rushed to do their own take. The problem? Brandon himself had been behind the camera when he made the video. Yes, the line was his, but he appears completely anonymous in the final product. And the account that shared it on Vine belonged to someone else.

Tens of millions of loops on that first video and millions more on imitation posts as other users rushed to do their own take. The problem? Brandon himself had been behind the camera when he made the video. Yes, the line was his, but he appears completely anonymous in the final product. And the account that shared it on Vine belonged to someone else.

So while the audience adored his creation, he hardly received any credit for it. Then in 2018, Marvel cemented the memes place in pop culture history by including it in a little known indie movie by the name of Black Panther.

So while the audience adored his creation, he hardly received any credit for it. Then in 2018, Marvel cemented the memes place in pop culture history by including it in a little known indie movie by the name of Black Panther.

Okay, Mary, you might think that that was a great compliment to Brandon as the memes creator, but that's not how it felt to him, was it?

Okay, Mary, you might think that that was a great compliment to Brandon as the memes creator, but that's not how it felt to him, was it?

I get it, though, because at first you're like, okay, yeah, I made this cool thing. That's fun. And especially in this time, it's like, how do you even monetize these things? Is there an expectation of that? As he said, I've gifted the world this thing. But then it gets to a certain point where it feels like, oh, seemingly everyone is benefiting from this thing.

I get it, though, because at first you're like, okay, yeah, I made this cool thing. That's fun. And especially in this time, it's like, how do you even monetize these things? Is there an expectation of that? As he said, I've gifted the world this thing. But then it gets to a certain point where it feels like, oh, seemingly everyone is benefiting from this thing.

And in fact, people are profiting from this thing, except me, the person who made it. That would make you feel sick.

And in fact, people are profiting from this thing, except me, the person who made it. That would make you feel sick.

I mean, is it too much to ask that your name be relatively as known as the incredibly famous thing you create? Yeah. Is that too much to ask?

I mean, is it too much to ask that your name be relatively as known as the incredibly famous thing you create? Yeah. Is that too much to ask?

It's like when you say a joke too quiet and someone else in the group repeats it louder. But the person repeating it louder is the Walt Disney Corporation. Yeah.

It's like when you say a joke too quiet and someone else in the group repeats it louder. But the person repeating it louder is the Walt Disney Corporation. Yeah.

You met Jasmeet, aka Jasrain, in our last episode. To him, it's really no surprise that the mainstream is hungry to take on the language of minorities.

You met Jasmeet, aka Jasrain, in our last episode. To him, it's really no surprise that the mainstream is hungry to take on the language of minorities.

Kenny Knox grew up in the suburbs of Detroit and was in high school when he discovered Vine, about a year after the app launched. He instantly felt at home.

Kenny Knox grew up in the suburbs of Detroit and was in high school when he discovered Vine, about a year after the app launched. He instantly felt at home.