On Strike

Why it’s tools down for Black creators on TikTok

June 29, 2021

Would you go to the new YouTube Theater? YouTube will be opening a 6,000 seat theater at LA’s Hollywood Park this summer to host a variety of live entertainment including concerts, stand-up comedy, award shows, esports competitions, and community events featuring YouTube creators. Today Alice is unpacking the biggest creators and trends of the week. Enjoy ✌🏻✌🏽.

In Today’s Issue 💬

→ Breaking down why Black TikTok creators are on strike

→ How TikTok helped one artist escape homelessness

→ Why dental hygiene content is taking off on YouTube

The Last Dance For Black Creators On TikTok

Why TikTok’s Black creators are striking over Megan Thee Stallion’s new song

Source: Today Show / Getty

Last week, Black TikTok creators announced a strike to protest against the appropriation of their dances on the app. The strike was inspired, in part, by 21-year-old creator Erick Louis after he posted a TikTok soundtracked to Megan Thee Stallion’s “Thot S**t”, with the statement “this app would be nothing without Black people.” 

The video has amassed more than 130k likes and almost half a million views. Erick’s original video has since sparked wider conversations about the contributions Black creators make towards choreographing trends, often without credit or compensation.

Where’s The Credit? 

Black creators on TikTok have been responsible for some of the biggest trends in the platform’s history. 2019’s breakout TikTok hit “Lottery” by K Camp, which now soundtracks 22.4 million videos, was popularized thanks to a dance made by then 14-year-old Jalaiah Harmon.  Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae were invited to perform the dance at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, which sparked outrage online until Jalaiah was also invited to share the spotlight at the event. 

Bryan Sanon, creator of the recent 100 Racks Challenge, said “It’s not fair two or three people or a Hype House gets all this recognition and money from things other people created.”

Our Take

The creator strike is part of a wider conversation around uncredited content that disproportionately affects underrepresented creators. But this is about more than just getting credit; platforms should be investing in Black creators from the jump and providing the same access to opportunity that is regularly afforded to white creators participating in the same trends. While creative industries are rife with content-stealing and plagiarism, it’s important to recognize the contributions made by people of color to platforms that generate billions of dollars in revenue and subsequently impact the entertainment space.

Ending Homelessness One TikTok At A Time

How one artist went from homeless to $50,000 in 4 hours thanks to TikTok

Source: Richard Hutchins Studio

This week, our “For You” pages were awash with the story of Richard Hutchins, a 62-year-old artist who has experienced homeless for the past 6 years in Los Angeles. His story was shared thanks to Charlie Rocket, a Grammy award-winning music mogul turned Nike athlete and his 2.7 million TikTok followers. Charlie set up a store for Richard to sell his artwork, which generated more than $50k in its first 4 hours and was even shared by Shopify.

By The Numbers

$2,225 → The price of Richard’s one-of-a-kind NFT that’s being sold in collaboration with digital artist Matt Pentilla

$100,000 → The sales Richard generated in 5 days

$3,000 → The price of a painting purchased by TV Host and comedian Steve Harvey, who also experienced homelessness

Our Take

Aside from being a feel-good story that restores faith in humanity, Richard’s viral story on TikTok acts as a brilliant example of the real-world influence and impact of the platform’s unrivaled distribution, both as a vehicle for storytelling and path to monetization. It’s also a great reminder that on TikTok, anyone can blow up at any time.

Dental Digest Signs With Night Media

How Anthony Baroud gained 3.5 million YouTube subscribers in less than a year

Anthony Baroud is the dental student shaking things up as Dental Digest on YouTube, focusing on viral dental hygiene tips and tricks that regularly pull in millions of views, totaling 1.2 billion overall. It wasn’t until March of this year that his channel really started taking off thanks to YouTube Shorts. Anthony’s first short-form video amassed 22 million views. Now, Digest Dental has signed with the same management as creators like MrBeast and ZHC.

Our Take

Anthony’s trajectory is a lesson in the power of short-form content as a career accelerator, as well as an inspiration for investing in your niche. If you’re making TikToks, Reels, or Shorts, hit reply and link your account so we can check it out!

🔥 In Other News