Black TikTok creators go on ‘strike’ over white appropriation of dance routines

In a truly American tradition (see the plot of cinematic classic Bring It On), white TikTok users have been stealing Black creators’ content.

This largely refers to dance routines, which they have been claiming as their own, then profiting from, while failing to give credit to the original masterminds.

That was, until the release of Megan Thee Stallion’s new track ‘Thot Shit’ changed everything.

Somehow, not one Black creator stepped up to choreograph a dance to the song, leaving white users scrambling to find their next viral routine, according to pop culture site AV Club.

The phenomenon has resulted in streams of Black content creators calling for a ‘Thot Shit’ strike.

“For all my melanated brothers and sisters of the African diaspora, we are on strike,” TikTok’s Capkenknuckles said in a video captioned “We are TIRED.” 

“We’re not making a dance for ‘Thot Shit.’ Sorry. We’re just gonna let them keep flailing.”

Here’s how other social media users have responded:

Since TikTok’s launch, millions of dances have gone viral on the platform, with numerous white influencers appropriating the moves. This has propelled many of them to fame, while leaving the original creators of the routines condemned to obscurity.

One especially notable example is the case of ‘Renegade,’ when a 2020 New York Times profile revealed that the viral TikTok dance set to K Camp’s ‘Lottery’ was actually created by Jalaiah Harmon — a Black 14-year-old living in Atlanta — and not any of the white influencers made famous via her choreography.

Jalaiah still goes widely uncredited for the now infamous dance.

In 2021, TikTok dancer Addison Rae — the highest paid creator on the app — appeared on The Tonight Show, performing and“teaching” host Jimmy Fallon how to perform several dances initially choreographed by Black creators, still without crediting them.

Both were criticised for the oversight, which Fallon attempted to remedy by having the actual creators appear on the show via Zoom as well as providing proper credit via YouTube caption.

Still, Addison Rae is a TikTok-made-millionaire while the creators of the dances off which she got famous are, well, not.

(See the parallels to Bring It On?!)

Hopefully, TikTok will quickly learn to credit Black creators appropriately.

Until then, we look forward to seeing what else users manage to come up with now that their main source of “inspiration” is on strike.