Nems is an underground New York rapper who you probably know from the viral “bing bong” phrase he famously coined on Sidetalk. It’s hard to imagine you wouldn’t be familiar, after Joe Biden and The Jonas Brothers posted a video with the TikTok chart-topping sound. Yes, even the president of the United States is hip to Nems. As if that isn’t enough to impress, Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow, Olivia Rodrigo, Avril Lavigne and Anitta all have made their own videos to the sound - along with millions of other TikTok users.
After scoring Sidetalk their biggest viral moment yet, he’s continued to serve a role as a host for the platform. If you look at the numbers Sidetalk was putting up throughout 2021, that’s quite the feat. It’s been months, and New Yorkers (along with the rest of the world) can’t stop saying “bing bong”. For those who live in the city, it’s easy to pick up that the phrase is an imitation of the sound the subway makes when the train doors are closing. Even the New York Knicks have implemented “bing bong” into their gameday routine, which has become a staple of Knicks’ fans' experience at home games. To add more fuel to the fire, Diddy asked Nems to host REVOLT’s celebrity basketball tournament, The Crew League, which of course he said yes to.
For a rapper to make such a wave with just his personality and thorough understanding of his home city is a rarity. Most people who know Nems from his punchline still have plenty to learn about the rapper, and they’re in for a pleasant surprise. You know someone really has a buzz when they’ve got the full support of their city. Even celebrity promoter and club host Felix Abdul has become a fan of this local talent gone viral. The top tier club promoter caters to A-listers like 50 Cent and even he said, “If you don't know about Bing- Bong, you're not a New Yorker!” If anybody would know, it’d be an over the top nightclub VIP host with a nick name as distinct as Felix. “The Sultan” Abdul, who has recently become a Nems fan, just like everybody else in New Yorkis hip to Nems, whether they know it or not.
All of this is wildly impressive, but arguably the most eye-opening dimension of Nems’ brand is his devotion to his community. The other person who gained acclaim for the introduction of “bing bong” is TJ, a (formerly) homeless man who is most known for referring to the president as “Byron”. In the time since the viral video, Nems was sure to take care of TJ, raising $30,000 on GoFundMe to land him an apartment and start his road to sobriety. This is the side of Nems that makes him like nobody we’ve ever seen. Usually when people get their ‘ticket’ to fame, their full focus is on themselves. However, in Nems’ case, the first order of business was ensuring TJ was taken care of.
We’ve become Nems superfans within the past few months, and we’re not alone. If you aren’t hip yet, then you’ve got some work to do. Take a deeper look at Nems and his incomparable come-up in the link below.