If you've scrolled through TikTok or Instagram lately, you might've seen a group of red-robed figures summoning a spikey-headed demon to the sound of a hypnotic, nonsense acapella chant.

This is the "Shoebody Bop," a surreal animated meme that's part cult ritual and part absurdist comedy.

Originally a 2022 sequel to a viral animation called "Something Terribly Offensive," the clip has resurfaced as part of a new green-screen trend. But how did this bizarre head-butting saga go from niche YouTube oddity to meme virality? Let’s break it down.

Where Did The Shoebody Bop Video Come From?

The Shoebody Bop is the brainchild of YouTuber The Minute Hour and animator Drue Langlois, who previously collaborated on the 2018 cult hit "Something Terribly Offensive," a video in which a man reacts to an unheard insult by endlessly head-butting another customer at the bank.

The 2022 sequel escalates the premise, comprised of a blue-robed "priest" standing in a river, mechanically head-butting white-robed victims delivered by attendants, while a chorus chants the titular nonsense phrase. The animation’s deadpan violence and Adult Swim-esque surrealism made it an instant favorite on YouTube.

But the video’s path to virality was not exactly linear. After The Minute Hour unlisted the original videos in early 2025 during a channel rebrand to "GAMER.CHURCH," Langlois reposted it in January 2025. It's this second life that catapulted the clip into meme history.

How Was The 'Shoebody Bop' Used In Memes?

The clip's resurgence began with speed-up edits, like @shoebody_bop_daily's Instagram posts, which trimmed the original 90-second animation into a 15-second earworm, and green-screen trends that isolated its most iconic moment: the red-robed cultists summoning their spikey demon.

By March 2025, this segment became shorthand for "calling in reinforcements" across meme culture, with creators weaponizing its eerie vibe for everything from gaming jokes to blue-collar humor. TikToker @synthosarcade spliced the demon’s arrival into a clip mocking joking about the "rituals you gotta do so the Marvel Rivals gods bless you with a win," gathering over 300,000 likes.

@synthosarcade #Meme #Funny #MarvelRivals #Gaming #Trend #Viral #Fyp ♬ original sound – Synthos Arcade

Meanwhile, Instagram’s @barnbuiltcrew repurposed the ritual to celebrate DIY grit, captioning their edit "Me and the boys casting a spell to make sure the engine rebuild holds," a post that resonated with over 360,000 viewers.

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For the full history of the Shoebody Bop, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.