You know the sound. It’s that sharp, rhythmic pop pop pop that seems to sync perfectly with everything from a chef chopping onions to a cat batting at a laser pointer. It’s everywhere. If you’ve spent more than ten minutes scrolling through TikTok or Instagram Reels lately, you’ve heard it. But the "pop pop pop guy" isn't just a random noise generator. He’s a real person whose specific brand of vocal percussion turned into a global auditory shorthand for "satisfying" or "fast."
His name is Abebe Zewdie.
Honestly, it’s kind of wild how a few seconds of a human making clicking sounds with his mouth can dominate the digital zeitgeist for years. We aren't talking about a flash-in-the-pan trend here. This sound has legs. It’s been remixed, slowed down, sped up, and layered over literally millions of videos. Most people don't even know his name. They just know the sound.
The Origin of the Pop Pop Pop Guy
Abebe Zewdie didn't set out to become a meme. He's an Ethiopian-American creator who originally posted the clip as a demonstration of his unique talent. The "pop" isn't a digital effect. It's not a drum machine. It's 100% vocal.
He basically uses his lips and tongue to create a high-pressure air release that sounds remarkably like a bubble wrap or a cork being pulled from a bottle. It’s crisp. It’s loud. And most importantly, it’s incredibly rhythmic. When he first uploaded the video of himself doing the "pop pop pop" sequence, he was just sharing a skill.
Then the internet did what the internet does.
Creators started using the audio for ASMR videos. Then it moved into the "life hack" community. If you were showing a tutorial on how to organize a pantry, you didn’t need music; you needed Abebe’s pops to sync with every container hitting the shelf. It became a tool. A piece of digital furniture that everyone started using because it worked better than anything else.
Why This Specific Sound Went Nuclear
Why him? Why not any other beatboxer?
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There’s a psychological component to why the pop pop pop guy audio works so well. It taps into our love for "oddly satisfying" content. The frequency of the pop sits in a range that feels rewarding to the human ear. It's clean. There’s no "mud" in the audio.
- It’s short.
- It’s repetitive but not annoying.
- It fits any visual beat.
Think about the way we consume content now. We have zero attention span. If a video doesn't grab us in the first two seconds, we're gone. The pop-pop-pop rhythm creates an instant hook. It tells your brain, "Hey, something is happening in time with this sound, keep watching."
A lot of creators use it to mask poor editing, too. If your cuts are a little messy, throwing a sharp sound effect over the transition makes the whole thing feel intentional and professional. It's basically the "duct tape" of social media video editing.
The Evolution into "The Pop Pop Pop Guy" Meme
Eventually, the sound became more famous than the face. Abebe started seeing his own voice everywhere. He’s leaning into it now, which is great to see. Usually, when someone becomes a "sound," they get left behind. The internet uses the asset and forgets the human.
But Abebe has maintained a presence. He posts videos interacting with the fans who recognize him. He’s become a bit of a legend in the beatboxing and vocal percussion communities. It’s a niche skill, sure, but he’s the undisputed king of that specific sound.
The Controversy of "Stealing" Sounds
We have to talk about the "Original Audio" problem.
If you look at the pop pop pop guy sound on TikTok, you’ll see thousands of versions of it. Many of them are labeled "Original Audio - [Random User Name]." This is one of the biggest frustrations for creators like Abebe. Someone takes his video, strips the audio, re-uploads it, and suddenly they are the ones getting the credit in the metadata.
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It’s a weird quirk of the platform. It makes it hard for the original artist to monetize their fame. While brands are using his "pops" to sell everything from sneakers to software, Abebe isn't necessarily getting a royalty check for every use. That’s just the reality of the viral economy right now. It's messy.
How to Do the Pop Pop Pop Sound (If You Can)
People try to mimic him all the time. It’s harder than it looks.
Most people just make a "smacking" sound with their lips. That’s not it. To get that Abebe Zewdie clarity, you have to create a vacuum behind your lips using your tongue and then "flick" the air out. It’s a pressurized release.
- Step 1: Purse your lips tightly.
- Step 2: Use the back of your tongue to seal off the air in the front of your mouth.
- Step 3: Build up pressure.
- Step 4: Release the lips suddenly while keeping the jaw relatively still.
If you sound like a wet fish hitting a sidewalk, you’re doing it wrong. It should sound like a champagne bottle. Most people give up after five minutes because it actually kind of hurts your face if you do it too much.
The Cultural Impact of the Pop Pop Pop Guy
Beyond just being a "funny sound," this trend highlights how globalized our humor has become. You can go to a village in rural India or a high-rise in Manhattan, show someone a video with that audio, and they’ll get the vibe. It’s a non-verbal language.
It also changed how we think about sound design for social media. Before the pop pop pop guy, people used songs. Now, people use "textures." We want sounds that feel tactile. We want to feel the video through our speakers.
What’s Next for Abebe?
Abebe continues to create content. He hasn't disappeared into the "where are they now" bin of internet history. He’s active on TikTok and Instagram, often showcasing other vocal tricks.
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The longevity of the pop pop pop guy is actually pretty impressive. Most memes die within a month. This sound has been circulating in various forms for years. It’s become a "standard" sound effect, almost like the Wilhelm Scream of the TikTok generation.
Actionable Insights for Using Viral Sounds
If you’re a creator or a business trying to leverage sounds like the pop pop pop guy, you need a strategy. Don't just slap it on a video because it's popular.
Match the Tempo
The pops have a specific BPM (beats per minute). If your visual cuts don't match the pops exactly, the video will feel "off." It creates a sensory dissonance that makes people scroll past. Use a video editor like CapCut to match your keyframes to the spikes in the audio waveform.
Credit the Source
Whenever possible, tag the original creator. In this case, that’s Abebe Zewdie. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it also helps with the "algorithm" because it links your video to the official "hub" of that trend.
Avoid Overuse
We are reaching a saturation point with the pop pop pop guy sound. If you use it today, it needs to be clever. Use it for something unexpected. Don't just use it for a "restocking my fridge" video—that’s been done ten million times. Use it for a transition in a fitness video or to sync with a basketball player’s dribbling.
Stay Authentic
The reason Abebe’s sound worked is that it was authentic. He wasn't trying to be a meme; he was just being himself. When you use viral sounds, try to keep that same energy. If it feels forced, your audience will smell it a mile away.
The era of the "pop pop pop guy" taught us that the smallest details—a sound, a look, a gesture—can become the most significant parts of our digital culture. It’s about the "human" element in the machine. Abebe's mouth sounds are more relatable than a billion-dollar marketing campaign because they feel real. They feel like something you’d do to annoy your sibling, and that’s why we love it.
Next time you hear that sharp "pop" on your feed, remember there’s a guy named Abebe who practiced that for years before it became the soundtrack to your scrolling.