What is 'Let's Go Brandon' challenge? Here's why TikTok thinks trend is a way to bully Biden
By now, the majority of America has become aware of the 'Let's go Brandon' song courtesy of TikTok. The MC Loza Alexander song has hit #1 on the iTunes hip-hop charts and even before it did, the track had already inspired a number of TikTok videos, adding to its virality. The #LetsGoBrandonChallenge has thousands of videos on TikTok and counting and the trend has gained over 500,000 likes on the platform in a matter of few days. However, the trend is being viewed as a method to harass and bully Joe Biden and TikTok is threatening to ban it from appearing on its platform altogether.
Speaking of TikTok trends, there are a number of them that have claimed many lives but the banning bit wasn't heard about until now. For instance, the 'slap a teacher' trend, which basically asks a student to walk up to their teacher or school staff member and slap them and run before they can face the repercussions. A Louisiana girl punched a disabled teacher to be a part of this trend. According to the shocking video, 18-year-old Larianna Jackson of Covington High School suddenly attacked the teacher and continued punching her in the face till she fell to the ground. Another trend that gained popularity was the strangulation challenge and a Memphis boy aged 9 died after participating in it.
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What is the Let's Go Brandon challenge on TikTok?
Before being made into a song that later turned to a TikTok trend, Let's Go Brandon was just a phrase. It all started when Nascar racer Brandon Brown won his first Xfinity race and during his first post-race interview, fans could be heard chanting from the stands. The chants seemed to say "F**k Joe Biden" in protest of his presidency but the reporter said the chants said, "Let's Go Brandon", see the video below. According to another report, some college friends showed up to a football game after pre-gaming and started a "F**k Joe Biden' chant in the arena. Let's Go Brandon turned into a meme and it was all over social media following which Loza Alexander made it into a chart-topping track.
Then came the TikTok challenge which requires no complicated pelvis-thrusting or air-punching dance steps. Anyone can do it and all one needs is the track running in the background on which the participant can do a dance for 30 to 60 seconds. The trend has seen participation from students, to influencers, as well as a nurse who did the challenge. She was forced out of the hospital she worked at, not because of the challenge but because she refused to comply with the vaccine mandate.
A nurse is escorted out of her job at a hospital for not taking the vaccine pic.twitter.com/ZwrzaeJ7S6
— Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) October 12, 2021