TikTok moves fast. One minute everyone is obsessed with a sourdough starter, and the next, a specific dance move is everywhere. But with the Nottiebop, things are way different. This isn't just some harmless "Renegade" or a catchy 15-second loop. It’s actually heavy. If you’ve spent any time on social media over the last few years, you’ve likely seen people punching the air and swinging their hips in a very specific, jerky rhythm. Most people doing it? They probably just think it’s a cool New York drill trend.
The reality is much darker. It’s honestly a bit jarring to see kids in suburban basements mimicking moves that are fundamentally tied to a real-life tragedy in Harlem.
The Nottiebop dance is actually a "diss" move. It’s not just choreography; it’s a physical taunt directed at Nottie Osama, a 14-year-old aspiring rapper whose life ended far too soon in a 2022 subway altercation. When you see someone doing that motion—mimicking the act of being stabbed—they are literally reenacting the moment a teenager died. It’s grim. It’s controversial. And even years later, it remains one of the most polarizing examples of how digital culture can accidentally (or intentionally) strip the humanity out of real-world violence.
The Tragic Origin of the Nottiebop
To understand why this dance exists, you have to look at the hyper-local world of New York City drill music. This isn't just about "vibes." It’s about territory, rivalries, and the kind of beef that plays out on Instagram Live before it ever hits the streets. In July 2022, Ethan Reyes—known to his fans and friends as Nottie Osama—was involved in a confrontation at the 137th Street-City College subway station. He didn't make it home. He was only 14.
That should have been a moment for reflection. Instead, the internet did what it does best: it turned a tragedy into a meme.
Rival rappers and their followers didn't just mourn or move on. They weaponized the event. The "Nottiebop" was born as a way to mock the deceased. The signature move—the punching motion across the body—is widely understood by those in the scene to represent the stabbing that killed Reyes. It started in music videos. It spread to local neighborhood clips. Then, the TikTok algorithm caught wind of the catchy beat accompanying the diss tracks, specifically the song "Nottiebop" by Kyle Richh, Dotty Ante, and Jenn Carter.
Suddenly, the context was gone.
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How the Algorithm Stripped Away the Meaning
It’s weird how the internet works. You have this incredibly specific, disrespectful gesture intended for a small group of rivals in Harlem. But then a "sound" goes viral. When a song trends on TikTok, people use it because it’s "fire" or because everyone else is doing the dance. Most creators participating in the Nottiebop trend had absolutely no clue who Nottie Osama was. They didn't know about the subway station. They didn't know about the grieving family.
They just liked the beat.
This creates a massive disconnect. You have influencers in Los Angeles or London doing a dance that celebrates the death of a child, completely oblivious to what their hands are actually saying. It’s a perfect example of how the "Global Village" can be incredibly insensitive. When context is removed, everything becomes just another piece of content.
Some people argue that once something goes viral, the original meaning doesn't matter anymore. They’ll say, "It’s just a dance now." But for the family of Ethan Reyes and the community in Harlem, it’s never just a dance. Imagine seeing a parody of your loved one’s final moments being performed by millions of strangers for "clout." It’s a level of digital cruelty that we haven’t quite figured out how to regulate.
The New York Drill Scene and the "Diss" Culture
We have to talk about drill music for a second. It’s a subgenre of hip-hop that is defined by its dark, atmospheric beats and, more importantly, its lyrical content. In cities like Chicago, London, and New York, drill is often a mirror of the environment. It’s gritty. It’s often antagonistic.
In the NYC scene, "smoking on" someone or creating a dance to mock a fallen rival is common. It’s part of the competitive, albeit dangerous, nature of the subculture. The Nottiebop is just one of many examples, but it became the most famous because it was so "catchy."
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- Local beef goes digital.
- A diss track is recorded with a specific dance move.
- The "vibe" of the song appeals to a general audience.
- The dance becomes a challenge.
- The original tragedy is buried under layers of content.
This cycle is dangerous. It trivializes real-world consequences. When young fans consume this music, they are often unknowingly stepping into the middle of active, violent disputes.
Why People Are Still Talking About It
You might wonder why we are still discussing this in 2026. The reason is that the Nottiebop set a precedent for how we handle "offensive" trends on social media. After the initial wave of the dance, there was a massive backlash. Educators, activists, and even other rappers started calling people out.
"Stop doing the Nottiebop" became its own movement.
This led to a fascinating (and kind of depressing) debate about digital literacy. Should you research every song you dance to? Probably. Is it realistic to expect a 12-year-old to do a deep dive into Harlem gang politics before hitting record on their phone? Maybe not. But the Nottiebop forced a conversation about empathy in the age of the algorithm. It’s a case study in why "ignorance is bliss" doesn't really work when your ignorance is causing pain to a grieving family.
The Backlash and Deletion
TikTok eventually started suppressed some of the hashtags related to the dance after the context became widely known. Community guidelines regarding the "glorification of violence" are notoriously tricky to enforce when it comes to dance moves, but the platform had to take notice because of the sheer volume of reports.
However, the internet is forever. You can still find the videos. You can still hear the tracks. The Nottiebop hasn't disappeared; it has just shifted from a mainstream trend to a symbol of "what not to do" for creators who actually care about their impact.
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Navigating the Ethics of Viral Trends
So, what should you actually do when you see a new dance trending? It’s not about being the "fun police." It’s about being a conscious consumer.
First, look at the lyrics. If a song is repeatedly mentioning names you don't recognize, they might be "deads"—rivals who have passed away. In the case of the Nottiebop, the lyrics were pretty clear if anyone had bothered to listen closely.
Second, check the comments. Usually, if a dance is "forbidden" or linked to something dark, there will be people in the comments trying to educate others. Pay attention to them.
Lastly, consider the source. Drill music, by its very nature, is often tied to real-life conflict. If a dance comes out of that scene, it’s rarely just about the movement. It’s usually a message.
Moving Forward With Digital Empathy
The Nottiebop isn't the first time this has happened, and it won't be the last. From the "Whoopty" dance to various other regional moves, the line between art and insult is incredibly thin in hip-hop. But the Nottiebop feels different because of the age of the victim and the literal nature of the choreography.
We have to do better at recognizing that there are real people behind the "sounds" we use. Ethan Reyes was a kid with a family. He wasn't just a lyric in a song or a reason to swing your arms in a TikTok video.
Next Steps for Content Consumers:
- Research the "Sound": Before participating in a viral challenge, spend thirty seconds searching the song title and "meaning" or "controversy."
- Listen to the Lyrics: If the song mentions "smoking" someone or uses specific names (like Nottie, Rah Gz, etc.), it is likely a diss track involving real-world violence.
- Prioritize Empathy Over Trends: If you find out a dance mocks a tragedy, delete your draft. No amount of views is worth contributing to the harassment of a grieving family.
- Support Positive Creators: Follow dancers and musicians who use the platform to build culture rather than tear down rivals.
The story of the Nottiebop is a reminder that our digital actions have physical echoes. We aren't just posting into a void; we are participating in a global conversation that can either uplift or deeply wound. Choose wisely.