Look, if you spent any time on the internet in the late 2010s, you couldn't escape the "Big and Chunky" song. It was everywhere. You’d be scrolling through your feed and suddenly—BAM—there’s a massive, bass-voiced hippo emerging from the water in slow motion.
We need to talk about Moto Moto and Gloria.
When Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa hit theaters in 2008, it gave us one of the strangest, funniest, and strangely most debated "situationships" in animation history. On one side, we have Gloria, the confident, no-nonsense hippo from New York City (voiced by the legendary Jada Pinkett Smith). On the other, we have Moto Moto, the local African heartthrob voiced by will.i.am.
It was a match made in... well, not quite heaven. Maybe a very shallow puddle.
The Watering Hole Dynamics
Basically, the plot of the second movie involves the New York zoo crew crash-landing in Africa. For Gloria, this is a chance to finally "get back to her roots." She’s looking for love, and she finds it in the form of Moto Moto.
Honestly, the name says it all. In Swahili, "moto" means "fire" or "hot." So his name is literally "Hot Hot." Talk about confidence.
The scene where they meet is burned into the collective memory of Gen Z. Moto Moto swims up, the beat drops, and he starts his signature internal monologue/song: "I like 'em big, I like 'em chunky..." It’s hilarious. It’s iconic. But if you actually look at the dialogue, you start to realize why this relationship was never going to work out in the long run.
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Why Moto Moto Was Kind of the Worst (But Great for Memes)
Moto Moto is the quintessential "gym bro" of the animal kingdom. He’s obsessed with aesthetics. Specifically, Gloria's aesthetics.
When they go on their first date, Gloria tries to have a real conversation. She talks about her life, her dreams, the fact that she’s from a completely different continent. And what does Moto Moto do? He just stares at her and says, "Goodness, girl... you huge."
He doesn’t care about her personality. He doesn’t care that she’s a smart, capable leader. To him, she’s just "plumpy."
- Moto Moto's Love Language: Physical attributes. That’s it.
- Gloria's Search: She wanted someone who saw her as more than just a "breeding program" participant.
- The Melman Factor: While Gloria is off with the local hunk, her lifelong friend Melman (the hypochondriac giraffe) is losing his mind with jealousy.
This is where the movie gets surprisingly deep for a kids' flick. It explores the difference between infatuation and actual love. Moto Moto loves what Gloria looks like; Melman loves who Gloria is.
The Viral Afterlife of the "Big and Chunky" Meme
You've probably wondered why a character with only about four or five minutes of total screen time is still relevant almost 20 years later.
It’s the vibe. Moto Moto represents a specific type of hyper-masculine confidence that is just ripe for parody. The internet took that slow-motion water entrance and turned it into a symbol of "Peak Male Performance."
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There was a massive resurgence of Moto Moto content on TikTok and YouTube around 2019. Creators would edit his song over everything from Avengers scenes to horror movies. It turned into a "cursed" meme—something so weird it becomes funny again.
But even beyond the jokes, people kind of respect the character’s honesty. He knows what he likes. He’s not pretending to be an intellectual. He’s just a dude (well, a hippo) who appreciates a certain physique and isn't afraid to sing about it.
The Breakup We All Saw Coming
By the end of the film, Gloria realizes that Moto Moto is as deep as a thimble.
There’s a pivotal moment where she asks him why he likes her, and he literally can't name a single personality trait. He just repeats the same compliments about her size. That’s the "ick" moment. It’s the realization many of us have had in dating: being "hot" only gets you so far.
She eventually chooses Melman, which, if you think about the biology, is a very confusing choice for the Madagascar writers to make. A giraffe and a hippo? That's a logistical nightmare.
But narratively? It makes sense. Melman knew her favorite things, her fears, and her history. Moto Moto just knew she was "hefty."
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What We Can Learn From Moto Moto and Gloria
Believe it or not, there's a legitimate lesson in this bizarre animated subplot.
Gloria’s journey is about self-worth. She goes into the African wild thinking she needs to find a "manly" hippo to be complete. She finds the "perfect" specimen on paper, but he’s a total airhead.
It teaches kids (and reminds adults) that:
- Flattery isn't the same thing as affection.
- Physical attraction is a great start, but it’s a terrible foundation.
- Sometimes the person who actually cares about you has been standing right next to you the whole time (even if they have a six-foot-long neck).
Moto Moto didn't return for Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted. Most fans assume he just stayed at the watering hole, waiting for the next "chunky" hippo to walk by. He wasn't a villain; he was just a phase.
Next time you hear that heavy bassline and see a CGI hippo rising from the depths, remember: Gloria was right to move on.
What to do next:
If you're feeling nostalgic, go back and watch the "Big and Chunky" scene on YouTube. Pay close attention to the background hippos' reactions—their comedic timing is actually better than the main dialogue. Then, if you're really curious about the voice work, check out the behind-the-scenes footage of will.i.am in the recording booth. It's clear he was having the time of his life with those deep, "Barry White" inspired vocal takes.