** THE HARLEM SHAKE & “RENEGADE” DANCE CHALLENGE**
When strolling through the Social Web, whether realizing it or not, you have encountered some from a meme. Memes are everywhere, taking over all social media platforms and becoming a vehicle for users to participate online and interact with one another. Memes not only can be identified as a popular image with a comical caption, but also the memetic culture has expanded to include viral dance challenges and various internet trends. A term coined by Richard Dawkins, a “meme” contains three distinct characteristics as a viral phenomenon and can be classified as a prime example of the expressive nature and capitalistic power of user-generated content online. These three characteristics are replicability, fecundity, and longevity and all of these attributes are present within a popular and successful meme. By definition, replicability is a meme’s ability to “hook” an online user and force him/her to participate by generating their own version of the meme. Then, the action of modifying and transmitting a meme from person to another is fecundity. The last memetic characteristic is longevity, in which a meme has the ability to linger or stay current in one’s memory. The purpose of memes differ based on their content and message, causing memes to be examples of distinct perspectives as studied in our course. The characterization of being a “meme” encompasses a wide range of media, but memetic culture is simply taking over the Internet one step at a time.
In accordance with the viral phenomenon of The Harlem Shake, this specific meme demonstrates McDowell’s perspective regarding memes expansive ability to monetize user-generated content. In his case study entitled “Monetizing a Meme: A Case Study on The Harlem Shake,” McDowell provides an extensive analysis of the Harlem Shake meme, how it became so immensely successful, and how this challenge has allowed for individuals to generate revenue. Characterized as an “internet dance craze,” the Harlem Shake became a pop culture phenomenon, evoking immense monetary success for the rights owners of the musical accompaniment (1). At its core, The Harlem Shake meme is simply a video of individuals having a dance party full of pure craziness as the track hits the lyrics, “do the Harlem Shake” (1). Due to this meme’s effortless ability to be replicated, its pure fun nature, and its catchy and memorable beat, the Harlem Shake dance challenge successfully spread and continuously was reproduced around the world. Therefore, this meme included Dawkins three memetic characteristics: replicability, fecundity, and longevity. This meme still appears today, causing individuals, like myself, to have an immediate foolish and crazy reaction when the song is played anywhere. The apparent popularization of the meme allowed for Baauer and Mad Decent, the composers of the musical accompaniment, to earn tons of revenue and profit from the track (1). The Harlem Shake meme provoked rising streams on Youtube and online streaming services, an increase in sales on platforms like iTunes, and led to subsequent stardom for the composers (1). The combination of streaming sales and Youtube’s copyright profit-sharing system of Content ID monetized The Harlem Shake meme. The question of copyright infringement though and authorship has to be considered when these memes go viral, specifically in regards to the monetary benefits for this phenomenon.
The popularization and monetization of the Harlem Shake meme can be compared to the present “Renegade” dance challenge that appears on a newly viral social media platform TikTok. Originally choreographed by teen Jalaiah Harmon, this meme has dominated the internet throughout the Social Web. Harmon’s creation got remade, modified, and reposted, so that her own authorship was lost and questioned. Therefore, Harmon desired credit for the viral nature of “Renegade’s” dance challenge, but others took ownership and capitalized on the dance’s success (2). The song behind the dance challenge is entitled “Lottery (Renegade)” by K Camp (2). Due to this popularization, K Camp has received increased stardom and revenue through downloads and streams. On the other hand, a TikTok star, Charli D’Amelio, has been deemed the originator for this dance challenge. Therefore, K Camp and Charli D’Amelio have been capitalizing on Harmon’s dance, profiting from her user-generated content (3). As discussed in the New York Times article, “virality means income,” relating back to the McDowell’s perspective that memes have the expressive capacity to monetize user-generated content (3 &1). Charli D’ Amelio realized the viral potential of Harmon’s dance, copied it, and posted it on her TikTok account. Due to “Renegade’s” characteristics of replicability, fecundity, and longevity, Harmon’s dance became a viral phenomenon. This dance challenge helped Charli D’ Amelio receive a boost in followers, opened the door to brand deals, and media opportunities (3). The “Renegade” meme continues to be reproduced and transmitted, leaving the creator, Jalaiah Harmon, in the dust.
This discussion of memes like The Harlem Shake and “Renegade” not only showcases memes potential monetary capacity, but also raise questions regarding copyright and ownership. Is it right to make profit on other people’s own creations? Should Baauer be the sole profiter of this meme’s economic success? Should Charli D’Amelio make profit over Jaliah Harmon’s original dance? Songs like “The Harlem Shake” and “Lottery (Renegade)” have become famous due to the memes global expansion and success. Therefore, Baauer and Charli D’Amelio did not author these memes, rather it was a third-party like Filthy Frank or Jalaiah Harmon. These memes are an “authorless collective creation,” in which amateurs are attempting to create a “semi-professional music video” as a way to participate in popular culture today (1). In other words, “dances are virtually impossible to legally claim as one’s own,” allowing for a few individuals to profit from the work of many (3). This debate over copyright infringement, the monetization of other’s user-generated content and labor connects to the problem with digital sharecropping. Simply, digital sharecropping relates to the main idea that meme producers do not realize the extent to which others are profiting off of their content. In other words, the “sharecroppers are generally happy because their interest lies in self-expression or socializing, not in making money” (4). The Social Web is a monopoly with digital sharecropping are the forefront for outlets like Youtube to capitalize on “sharecroppers” participation and user-generated content.
WORKS CITED
- McDowell, Zachary. “Zachary McDowell.” Culture Digitally, 24 Oct. 2014, culturedigitally.org/2014/10/monetizing-a-meme-a-case-study-on-the-harlem-shake/.
- Jean-Philippe, McKenzie. “Never Heard of the ‘Renegade’ Challenge on TikTok? You’re Not Alone.” Oprah Magazine, Oprah Magazine, 20 Feb. 2020, http://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/a30626080/what-is-the-renegade-challenge-tiktok/.
- Lorenz, Taylor. “The Original Renegade.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 13 Feb. 2020, http://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/13/style/the-original-renegade.html.
- Nick, et al. “Digital Sharecropping.” ROUGH TYPE, 26 Aug. 2016, http://www.roughtype.com/?p=634.
