You’ve probably seen it. You’re scrolling through a comment section on X or TikTok, looking for a serious debate, and suddenly—BAM—there it is. The black dudes kissing meme hits your screen like a brick. It’s one of those internet artifacts that feels completely chaotic if you aren't "in" on it.
The internet is weird. Truly.
If you’ve ever wondered why your feed is suddenly full of affectionate men when you were just trying to read about a movie trailer, you aren't alone. This isn't just a random act of horniness or a glitch in the algorithm. It’s a specific brand of digital psychological warfare.
The actual origin of the black dudes kissing meme
Memes don't just appear out of thin air, though it feels that way sometimes. This specific trend, often referred to by the slang term "Thugshaker" in certain darker corners of the web like 4chan or Discord, has roots that are honestly pretty uncomfortable. It started within niche communities that used hyper-masculine, often homoerotic imagery of Black men to "troll" or shock people.
It’s a bizarre intersection of aesthetics. You have these videos that look like they’re going to be a typical "tough guy" edit, and then it pivots.
Why Black men specifically? There’s a long, messy history of the internet fetishizing or caricaturing Black masculinity. In this case, the meme creators took adult content—specifically from creators like Dreamybull (Perrell Laquarius Brown)—and weaponized it. They turned it into "bait-and-switch" content.
You think you're watching a cooking tutorial? Nope. Black dudes kissing.
You think it's a Minecraft speedrun? Wrong again.
The "Hoodirony" explosion and why it stuck
By 2022 and 2023, this stuff moved out of the basement of the internet and into the mainstream. It fell under the umbrella of "Hood Irony." This is a genre of memes characterized by low-quality visuals, nonsensical captions, and a complete rejection of traditional humor.
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It’s fast. It’s loud. It makes your brain itch.
The black dudes kissing meme became the ultimate "shut up" button. If someone was posting something cringe, or if a "normie" entered a group chat they weren't supposed to be in, the regulars would flood the chat with these images. It’s a visual flashbang. It’s designed to make the recipient feel awkward or confused enough to leave the conversation.
Honestly, the sheer volume of this content is staggering. On platforms like Telegram, there are entire channels dedicated to nothing but archiving these clips. It's a subculture that feeds on the reaction of the "uninitiated." If you get mad, they win. If you get confused, they win.
Breaking down the bait-and-switch
The most common version of this involves a "bait" video. Usually, it’s something like:
- An anime girl dancing to a catchy song.
- A "Sigma" male edit with phonk music.
- A high-speed car chase or military footage.
Just as the beat drops, the video cuts to a clip of the meme. It’s a digital Rickroll, but way more aggressive. It exploits the viewer's expectation. We are conditioned to wait for the "payoff" in a video, and the payoff here is intentionally jarring.
Is it actually homophobic or just chaotic?
This is where things get complicated. If you ask a Gen Z kid using the black dudes kissing meme, they’ll probably tell you it’s "ironic." They aren't necessarily making fun of gay people; they’re using the idea of shock to derail a conversation.
But we can't ignore the layers here. There is a definite element of "othering." Using Black queer bodies as a punchline or a tool for "ironic" shock value carries a lot of baggage. Some critics, like those who analyze digital blackface or the commodification of Black bodies, argue that these memes reduce actual people to mere props for a joke.
On the flip side, some creators within the LGBTQ+ community have tried to reclaim the imagery, though it’s an uphill battle when the primary use is to "troll" people. It’s a mess of intentions.
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How the "Thugshaker" became a literal national security issue
Believe it or not, this meme actually ended up in the news for reasons that have nothing to do with humor. In 2023, Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, leaked classified Pentagon documents.
Where did he leak them? A Discord server called "Thug Shaker Central."
Yes, really.
The name of the server was a direct reference to the black dudes kissing meme culture. It showed how these niche, seemingly "dumb" internet jokes can become the foundation for real-world communities. These weren't just kids posting memes; they were people sharing top-secret intelligence while surrounding themselves with the aesthetics of "Hood Irony."
It was a wake-up call for a lot of people. It proved that you can't just dismiss "weird internet stuff" as harmless. The aesthetics of a subculture often signal deeper shared values or, at the very least, a shared isolation from the mainstream.
Why it won't die (and what's next)
Memes usually have a shelf life of about two weeks. This one? It’s been years.
The reason the black dudes kissing meme persists is because it’s a perfect "gatekeeping" tool. As long as there are people who are easily shocked or offended by male-on-male affection, the meme remains an effective weapon for trolls. It’s the ultimate "vibe check."
However, we are seeing a shift. The meme is starting to "deep-fry." It’s becoming so distorted and layered with other jokes that the original "shock" is wearing off. When everyone expects the bait-and-switch, it stops being a switch. It just becomes the content.
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What to do when you encounter it
If you’re a parent, a creator, or just a person who doesn't want this in your history, here is the reality: you can't really block it entirely. The "bait" is designed to bypass filters.
The best move? Don't react.
The entire economy of this meme is based on the "WTF" factor. If you give it a "WTF," you’re fueling the fire. Treat it like a pop-up ad from 1999. Close the tab and move on.
Actionable insights for the digital landscape
Navigating these subcultures requires a bit of savvy. Here is how to handle the "ironic" shock culture that birthed this trend.
Understand the "Bait" architecture
Learn to recognize the signs of a bait video. High-energy "Sigma" edits or overly "kawaii" anime clips that seem slightly out of place are almost always leading to a switch. If the account posting has a generic name or a meme-heavy profile, it's a trap.
Audit your community spaces
If you run a Discord or a Telegram group, these memes are a sign of "raiding" or "trolling" culture. Use bots that can scan for specific frame signatures if you want to keep your space professional. Most modern moderation tools can now detect the most common "Thugshaker" clips by their metadata or visual hashes.
Separate the humor from the harm
It’s okay to find the absurdity of internet culture funny, but stay aware of the context. Using these memes in public or professional settings isn't just "edgy"—it can be seen as harassment or a violation of TOS on almost every major platform. The "it’s just a joke" defense rarely holds up when the content is derived from non-consensual adult imagery.
Monitor the evolution
Internet humor is moving toward "Post-Irony." This means the next version of this meme won't look like this. It might be even more subtle. Staying informed on sites like Know Your Meme or following tech reporters who cover digital subcultures is the only way to not feel like an alien when the next "switch" happens.
The internet isn't going to get less weird. If anything, the black dudes kissing meme is a template for the future of digital interaction: loud, confusing, and designed to keep "outsiders" exactly where they belong—outside.