In the words of Captain Sinbad, “It’s unsettling to see the person you could relate to become unrelatable.”
This quote hits deep. Perhaps deeper than ever intended, seeing as it comes directly from a video he created which satirizes Sneako, a YouTuber originally known for his relatability and well-documented personal development.
At one point in my life, I was enamored by the content Sneako produced. It was as if I found myself relating to every word he said, and even when he touched a subject irrelevant to my situation, I still held on to every word dearly.
As of 2023, I simply don’t feel the same anymore. Though it could be attributed to Sneako’s leap into the growing ‘RedPill’ movement on YouTube (or perhaps his growing ego boosted by fame past the point of relatability), it may also be because I’ve begun to truly live my own life. A life that no longer coincides with Sneako’s beliefs.
And that’s okay, that’s how things should be.
Sneako never made videos so that people would agree with them, I just happened to find him during a point in our lives where our opinions aligned.
In all honesty, I can’t imagine a world in which I force myself to relate to the things Sneako says now. A world where I intentionally sacrifice my ideals in exchange for the comfort of familiarity.
Not only can I not imagine myself doing this for Sneako, I can’t imagine doing it for any person, place, or thing.
Why should I alter the core of my being so that I relate to an old friend better?
Why would I refuse to listen to new artists because I enjoy the memories brought to me by an old artist?
How could I sacrifice my passion in exchange for fame?
It just doesn’t feel right.
No matter how much endearment we may hold for something (or someone), there are pitfalls to clinging on in hopes of maintaining. An easier way of understanding this may be by viewing the careers of celebrities who’ve clung onto their five minutes of fame.
In the modern era, anyone can become famous.
While an ease of accessibility to creative tools often leads to a flood of meaningless content, truly talented people occasionally shine through and contribute something meaningful that shifts the landscape of a field or genre. The oversaturation phenomenon is most evident in content creators who soar to fame for a specific gimmick–be it mimicking an ‘NPC’, making a repetitive joke, or desperately attempting to capitalize on popularity in an unconventional (and occasionally embarrassing) manner.
Consider the case of Jake Paul–a Vine celebrity, YouTuber, actor, and most intriguingly, a professional boxer.
With his tenure on Disney Channel’s Bizzardvark coming to an end, Paul figured it was time to up the ante on YouTube. The once lovable, golden boy of YouTube was forced to evolve his image–if he wanted to remain relevant, that is. So it began: house parties, celebrity boxing, internet beefs, and, inevitably, rap music. I’m not one to knock somebody’s hustle, but it’s best to acknowledge things for what they are: a scheme, or multiple schemes, to stay relevant. People love to hate Jake Paul, and Jake Paul loves to receive hate.
I understand why people do it, though. Sometimes you just have to make a name for yourself, and at the end of the day, controversy brings attention. Humans are just naturally drawn to it, and none of us really know why.
Look at Dillon Brooks and the Memphis Grizzlies. Pregame dances, trash talking, ridiculous outfits, and more are what lead to nationally televised games, not their 11-game win streak.
When Brooks signed an $86M contract with the Rockets, memories of challenging LeBron and rebranding himself as “Dillon the Villain” were far more important to fans than his making the NBA All-Defensive team last season.
I don’t blame him–the internet moves fast, and at the peak of every modern celebrity’s fame, there’s only one thing occupying their minds: How to become bigger.
Yet, diversification isn’t a sign of desperation. On numerous occasions, fans have witnessed their favorite artists and creators leverage their established platform as a means to pursue their true interests, like YouTuber-turned-artist Joji. Using a career to catapult into another.
In similar situations, creators and artists are commonly held back by their fans, ultimately being confronted by a challenge: pursue a passion, and potentially alienate fans, or remain complacent and do something that they gain no joy from.
This can be most commonly heard from the fans of a director or musician, as their art usually reflects their state of being at the time. When an artist evolves, it can be one of the most beautiful things to witness, because they show us a side of themselves we have yet to see, while simultaneously giving us a deeper view into their thoughts. On the other hand, it’s sometimes horrifying to watch as you lose a connection with someone you felt connected to.
The truth is that people shouldn’t be forced to pick and choose between their interests, as long as they authentically invest in their passions rather than using them as a scheme. Take Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, for example. He began as an actor, but is now an established musician, comedian, producer, director, and more. Glover’s journey didn’t begin as a calculated scheme to increase his following, but rather as a means of pursuing his passions. When others sense even the slightest hint of shared passion, they tend to gravitate toward a creator.
Last-ditch attempts at retaining popularity are bad, but stagnancy to appease a crowd is worse. Relevance is not something that should be attempted to be controlled.
After reaching the top, creators often prioritize expansion in a new field over authenticity. This disjointed approach can often lead to audiences, both new and old, feeling a disconnect with their work. The purest and appreciated form of art is that which is fueled by passion.
The best way to view growth is similar to the process of gardening. While some plants may grow, others may die. Either way, whatever happens will make way for new life.
Take Andre 3000’s career as an example. 1/2 of Outkast, Andre 3000 is widely thought to be one of the greatest rappers of all time, as he’s helped define multiple subgenres, pushed boundaries, and left an everlasting mark on pop culture. On Friday, November 17th, he released his first (and extremely long-awaited) album.
New Blue Sun, an 87-minute, all-instrumental, wind instrument album, completely uprooted fan expectations.
Who wouldn’t want to hear one of the greatest rappers of all time rap?
Andre 3000 himself.
3000 simply didn’t relate to rap music in his current state of being, and felt that creating a rap album would be extremely inauthentic.
As he’s aged and evolved, so has his connection with what was once the single most important thing in his life. The passion and appreciation never faded, but his relationship is forever altered.
After reaching the top, creators often prioritize expansion in a new field over authenticity.
This disjointed approach can often lead to audiences, both new and old, feeling a disconnect with their work. The most pure and appreciated form of art is that which is fueled by passion.
Both sides of this coin can be observed through Kanye West and his fans. Ye, known for his ever-evolving sound, has released music that not all fans were quite yet ready for. The public’s reception to 808s & Heartbreaks for example, was initially critical of Kanye’s usage of autotune–a sound that would later become frequent in hip-hop. In retrospect, it was a comfort thing (as is the negative reception to most risk-taking things). 808s was far different from anything he had previously made, leaving the majority of his fans lost, therefore leaving them angry. This reception could have easily impacted Kanye’s approach to music, but instead, it fueled him to continue pushing boundaries and living with the result.
On the other hand, Kanye’s fans, like most other die-hard fans, find it difficult to separate the art from the artist in the face of controversy. Viral memes such as “He made graduation” (a meme referring to fans excusing Kanye’s behavior because of their respect and admiration of his work), though comedic, are good representations of what truly happens. In reality, when we find ourselves at a crossroads of disagreeing with someone, but wanting to defend them out of obligation, it’s time to let go.
I get the joke, though, it’s pretty funny…and he did make graduation.
Although Sneako was just my example, becoming a familiar stranger with something once adored has happened to I, along with every other growing individual on Earth, at some point in our lives. We’ve all witnessed a deep connection fade away, but the true test of passion and character is how we handle it. Be it a family member, friend, or even a celebrity that we found ourselves relating so closely to, the similarities we once shared are always subject to change.
Delivered by Cullen Avent
