TikTok is an app that is wildly popular with students at San Luis Obispo High School. that allows creators to make money off of their looks and their ability to create entertaining videos. However, in the past few months these creators have grown to show viewers that maybe they were not ready for the responsibility of being an influencer for the next coming generation. 

Hype House is a brand that was created in late 2019, it is a collaboration of 20 to 30 creators living together to make a “content” house. Although, recently these creators crossed the line when they invited a rapper into their home knowing he had just gotten out of jail for a very serious crime.

Rapper 6ix9ine, who was a past Gang member and has multiple sexual assault allegations, was proven guilty of child rape in early 2019, he was in jail for about 8 months and then let out on bail, these tiktok creators sought the opportunity of views and invited him for “Clickbait”. This disturbing fact has disrupted many minds on the app and in our student community.

Expressions has connected with current San Luis Obispo students Junior Tiffany Remmenga, Junior Malena Stenvall, and past student at SLOHS Junior Sacha Carlson to converse on the issue with Hype House members right now.

  Expressions: Do you feel that inviting a past child rapist into a house that is supposed to be inspiring a smart choice for publicizing his influencer house?

  Junior Sacha Carlson: I think it’s wrong to invite anyone with the past that he has into a house that is supposed to be an exciting and inspiring environment for content that kids are watching. I think it’s a bad move by the influencers to be surrounded by people like that.

  Junior Tiffany Remmenga: No not at all, I mean obviously bringing a child rapist into that house is a horrible message to their younger fans, but also the fact that they did not address it makes it even worse.

  Junior Malena Stenvall: I do not think it was a smart choice AT ALL, but it did bring the house a lot of press and attention which they always want. I don’t think the house fully understands how much influence it has, causing it to make many reckless and stupid decisions including this one.

  Expressions: What are some reasons you find this rapper to be unfit to be an influencer, or why do you feel it is fitting for him to have an influencer role?

  Remmenga: I mean no cause first of all, any child predator should not have a position where they are idolized.

  Carlson: I don’t think 6ix9ine is fit to be an influencer, and it shows here that the hype house members are also not fit, the whole purpose of an influencer is to inspire and create good things for other people to watch or listen to, Based on his past, he wouldn’t have a positive effect on people.

  Stenvall: The rapper does not deserve to have any type of influence over anyone, much less young people on the internet. He is a known child rapist and for him to be given a platform is disgusting. cancel culture is a dangerous thing, but when someone is literally a child rapist and clearly not a good human being, they should not deserve a platform in any way, shape, or form

  Expressions: Do you think there is a good excuse for these influencers to think it’s okay to grind on this rapper?

  Remmenga: There isn’t one, the fact that they thought grinding sexually on a RAPIST was probably one of the stupidest moves an influencer could make.

  Stenvall:  I truly cannot think of one good excuse for them to be grinding on him. they may be in their late teens and early twenties, but most of their followings are minors and to see this type of behavior is gross. These influencers make decisions like this all the time and are never truly held accountable, as they half ass an apology that they were forced to make.  they definitely knew it would get them press and they were paid by the rapper to post the videos, but it still doesn’t excuse their actions!

  Expressions: Do you think this man should be out of jail, let alone a huge internet sensation even after his crimes?

  Carlson: I still don’t understand how he is out of jail. I don’t think he should be in the spotlight anyway.

   The power that these TikTokers have is absolutely insane. they need to use it for the benefit of others, not for meeting famous people who have pasts that should have left them in jail for life.