You’ve seen him. That grainy, low-quality image of a man with an impossibly wide, sinister grin, eyes darting to the side like he just got away with something truly heinous. It’s the evil black guy meme, and honestly, it’s one of those internet artifacts that feels like it’s been around since the dawn of dial-up. People use it to signal "nefarious" intent over the smallest, most relatable inconveniences.
It's weird. Internet culture has this obsession with taking a single, static expression and turning it into a universal language. One minute you're just looking at a photo of a guy smiling, and the next, it's the international symbol for "I just ate the last slice of pizza and I'm not even sorry." But where did it actually come from?
The reality is a bit more grounded than the creepypasta vibes the image gives off. The man in the photo is actually an actor and comedian named Creston Funk, and the image itself isn't a candid shot from a horror movie or a police lineup. It’s a headshot. Specifically, it’s a shot from a series of stock-style photos and comedic skits.
The Origin Story of the Evil Black Guy Meme
The internet is a messy place for attribution. For a long time, people just called it the "Evil Black Guy" or the "Scary Grinning Man." It cropped up on 4chan and early Reddit threads as a reaction image. It wasn't until internet historians—yes, those actually exist—and platforms like Know Your Meme started digging that the identity of the man was solidified.
💡 You might also like: Why Sia’s You've Been Loved Lyrics Hit So Hard Right Now
Creston Funk is a performer who leaned into a very specific brand of expressive, high-energy comedy. The photo that became the evil black guy meme was essentially a masterclass in facial contortion. It captures that precise moment between a laugh and a threat. It’s the eyebrows. They’re arched in a way that suggests he knows something you don’t.
Most memes die in a week. This one didn't. Why? Because it’s visually loud. Even if you’re scrolling at 100 miles per hour, that face stops you. It’s uncomfortable. It’s funny. It’s "cursed," as the kids say.
Why Digital Culture Latched On
Context is everything. Or, in this case, the total lack of it. Because the original photo didn't come with a caption or a movie trailer, the internet was free to project whatever they wanted onto it. Usually, that meant "The intrusive thoughts won."
Think about the "Me when..." format.
- Me when I see a "Do Not Touch" sign.
- Me when I hear my sibling getting yelled at for something I actually did.
- Me when the teacher says "I'll wait" and I keep talking.
The evil black guy meme works because it represents the tiny, harmless villain inside all of us. It’s not about real evil. It’s about the mischievous glee of being a bit of a nuisance.
The Evolution into "Cursed" Territory
Around 2019 and 2020, meme culture shifted. We moved away from the "Impact font" memes of the 2010s and into something weirder. This is when the evil black guy meme got a second life. It started appearing in deep-fried videos, distorted with bass-boosted audio, or edited into "analog horror" style clips.
It’s a phenomenon called "de-contextualization." By stripping away the comedy roots of Creston Funk's performance, the internet turned him into an urban legend. He became a "sleep demon." He became the guy standing at the end of the hallway in a blurry TikTok.
Honestly, it’s a bit unfair to the guy. Creston is a creator. He makes content. But once an image hits the 4chan/Reddit pipeline, the creator loses control. He’s no longer an actor; he’s a "template."
The Psychology of the Grin
There’s a reason this specific face sticks in the brain. Psychologically, humans are wired to detect threats through facial expressions. An "aggressive" smile—one where the teeth are shown but the eyes don't crinkle (a non-Duchenne smile)—sets off alarm bells.
👉 See also: Bill Maher HBO Special: What Most People Get Wrong
The evil black guy meme hits that "uncanny valley" sweet spot. It looks human, but the expression is just exaggerated enough to feel predatory. We laugh because the brain is trying to resolve the tension between "that looks scary" and "this is a joke about eating cookies."
Misconceptions and the "Deep Web" Myth
If you spend five minutes on YouTube looking for this meme, you’ll find videos claiming the image was found on a "deleted hard drive" or that it’s a "police sketch of a serial killer."
None of that is true.
It’s just a guy being funny for a camera. The "scary" backstory is a layered fiction created by the community to make the meme more interesting. It’s basically digital folklore. In the same way that people made up "Slender Man," people made up a dark history for the evil black guy meme.
It’s important to separate the art from the "creepypasta." Creston Funk has even acknowledged the meme's existence, leaning into the joke on his own social media channels. It’s a rare case where the person behind the face is actually in on the gag.
How to Use the Meme Without Being Cringe
If you’re going to use the evil black guy meme in 2026, you have to be self-aware. The "Me when" format is a bit dated. Today, it’s mostly used in "shitposting" circles where the humor is derived from how weird or distorted the image is.
- Don't just post the image with a basic caption. That's 2016 energy.
- Do use it for hyper-specific, niche situations.
- Don't lean into the "scary" myths—everyone knows it's a skit now.
Actionable Insights for Creators
Understanding the evil black guy meme is a lesson in digital longevity. If you’re a content creator or a marketer, there are actually a few things to learn from why this worked.
- Expression beats quality. You don't need a 4K camera to make something iconic. The grainy, high-contrast look of the original photo actually helped it become a meme because it felt "real" and "raw."
- Ambiguity is a superpower. Because Creston's expression could mean "I'm about to prank you" or "I'm about to ruin your life," it fits a thousand different scenarios.
- Respect the source. If you’re using someone's likeness, especially a person of color who has been turned into a "scary" caricature, it’s worth knowing the human behind it. Creston Funk is a person, not just a "monster" for a TikTok jump scare.
To really get the most out of meme culture, stop looking for the "new" thing and look at why the "old" things stick. The evil black guy meme stayed relevant because it tapped into a universal human emotion: the joy of being a little bit bad.
Check out Creston Funk’s actual work to see the performance in context. It’s a lot less scary and a lot more impressive when you see the acting skills required to pull that face on command.
Understanding the "why" behind a meme makes you a better digital citizen. It keeps you from falling for fake "dark history" videos and lets you appreciate the weird, wonderful way that human expressions can unite the internet—even if it's through a slightly terrifying grin.