How Rae Sremmurd’s ‘Black Beatles’ Froze the Internet: A Look Back
The story behind how one viral challenge turned a rap hit into a cultural phenomenon.
Back in 2016, the internet went completely still. Literally. People froze in place mid-dance, mid-pose, mid-bite-of-a-sandwich—and all while one song played in the background: Rae Sremmurd’s “Black Beatles.” Suddenly, a rap song about rockstar life became the official soundtrack to the viral Mannequin Challenge, and no one saw it coming.
What Even Was the Mannequin Challenge?
Before TikTok was ruling the trend world, challenges often took over the internet without any planning. The Mannequin Challenge was one of them. The idea? A group of people stay completely frozen in place like mannequins, while a camera moves around them. Bonus points for creative setups—like classrooms mid-chaos or football players caught in “action.”
But the key ingredient to almost every version? Rae Sremmurd’s hypnotic, slow-rolling hit “Black Beatles.”
How the Song Got Pulled Into the Freeze Frame
No one at Rae Sremmurd’s label could’ve predicted it. The song, released in September 2016 and featuring Gucci Mane, was already doing fine. But when Rae Sremmurd performed “Black Beatles” at one of their concerts, the duo suddenly froze on stage—starting their version of the Mannequin Challenge live, with the crowd joining in.
That video hit social media, and just like that, the song and the challenge were married.
Celebs Jumped In—And So Did the Charts
Suddenly, everyone was doing it. Paul McCartney, one of the actual Beatles (which the song’s title references), even posted his own challenge, captioning it “#MannequinChallenge #BlackBeatles.”
Then it got even bigger: sports teams, classrooms, movie sets, did their own versions. The combo of internet fame and celebrity support pushed “Black Beatles” straight to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed at No. 1 for seven weeks.
Accidental Virality = Legendary Status
“Black Beatles” wasn’t written for a viral challenge. It wasn’t crafted for TikTok (which didn’t even exist yet). But thanks to some unexpected timing, a frozen internet, and a performance twist, Rae Sremmurd turned a strong single into a cultural time capsule.
