One of YouTube's earliest stars rose to fame with his high-energy gaming videos, catchphrases and musical parodies all before the year 2010.

Toby Turner, better known by his moniker Tobuscus, once commanded millions of subscribers across his three YouTube channels. From viral video remixes to mobile games, Turner built an entertainment empire that seemed unstoppable in the early 2010s.

But his career trajectory drastically changed after an ex-girlfriend levied some serious allegations against him in 2016.

So what has the once-ubiquitous content creator been up to since his fall from grace? Here's a look at the rise, fall and current life of one of YouTube's most recognizable personalities from the platform's so-called "golden era."

Who Is Toby Turner and How Did He First Become Famous?

Before internet stardom hinged on brand deals and crypto scams, there was Toby Turner, a kid from Niceville, Florida with a camera and the gift of yap.

Born in 1985 and raised in a family that couldn't exactly bankroll a film school education, Turner got his start thanks to a loan his mom took out so he could buy a camera. That camera, plus a freshly minted telecommunication degree from the University of Florida (UF), led Turner to YouTube way back in 2006.

His first real brush with viral fame came in 2007 with a video remixing the infamous Don’t Tase Me, Bro! incident, a chaotic moment at a John Kerry Q&A where fellow UF student Andrew Meyer got tasered by campus police.

Turner turned Meyer’s screams into a hip-hop track and posted it to his channel. The video blew up (in pre-Twitter viral terms), caught MTV’s attention and even prompted Turner to say he wanted to share the merch profits with Meyer. It was arguably tasteless, timely and very 2007.

By 2009, Turner had migrated to Los Angeles and picked up work with big-name content creators like Philip DeFranco, first co-hosting a gaming review series called "Like Totally Awesome" and then launching "CuteWinFail," a show that riffed on viral clips.

What's Toby Turner's Most Lasting Viral Moment?

Tobuscus' most impactful internet contribution was probably "I Can Swing My Sword." The song was released during a golden age of YouTube comedy remixes, with Turner being among its most recognizable bards.

Released on April 11th, 2012, the song was a Minecraft themed parody animated by Gonzossm and starring Turner as a diamond-sword-wielding miner.

The video racked up over 86 million views by 2020, becoming one of Turner's most enduring uploads, and even earned an RIAA Gold certification.

Then, in 2024, the track saw an ironic Gen Z revival on TikTok, with users repurposing the audio for everything from cosplay memes to Minecraft nostalgia edits.

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7402620874983066911

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7403640629223361825

The song has become such a sticking point for Toby Turner (given the sharp "fall off" he experienced in his later career) that he became insistent that the track was directly referenced in the 2025 film A Minecraft Movie.

In early April 2025, Turner posted a video of himself walking out of the movie theater, 5 O'clock shadow and all, recounting how he swore he heard Jack Black as Steve say, "Son of a biscuit," but passed out from excitement before he heard him say, "I can swing my sword."

you are looking at a guy who just got REFERENCED IN THE MINECRAFT MOVIE pic.twitter.com/A30CU9XsqA

— Toby Turner (@TobyTurner) April 5, 2025

In Toby Turner's mind, "son of a biscuit" was a direct quote from another viral parody song from over a decade ago, "Nugget in a Biscuit." The video is a riveting piece of YouTube history about a chicken nugget placed inside a biscuit dipped in mashed potatoes and barbeque sauce.

So did the Minecraft movie seriously reference Tobuscus bangers from 2011? Unfortunately for Turner, it did not. The only Minecraft YouTuber given a shoutout in the film was the late Technoblade.

How Did Toby Turner Create His YouTube Empire?

The name Tobuscus, according to Turner lore, was a goofy nickname from a friend during a stage play. But as Turner grew up, "Tobuscus" became a three-channel empire: Tobuscus (comedy and music), TobyTurner (daily vlogs) and TobyGames (Let's Plays and the like).

He was also a frequent Jacksfilms collaborator, making parodies like "Take Off Your Clothes (Like Scarlett Johansson)" and "Razors in Your Apple (On Halloween)" that satirized pop culture and Halloween hysteria.

He crossed into mainstream projects too. Turner appeared in Wayne Brady’s "Whistle While I Work It" video and starred in the branded mini-series Terminator Genisys: The YouTube Chronicles alongside Lilly Singh, Epic Lloyd and, yes, the Terminator himself.

Toby Turner slowly cultivated a wild-eyed, fast-talking and PG-13 persona that made him a favorite for brand collabs, working on campaigns for NBC, Disney and Pop-Tarts, hosted segments for MTV, Comedy Central and VH1, and even getting nominated for a Streamy Award in 2012.

Tobuscus in his prime wasn't just YouTube famous, he was YouTube foundational.

What Was The Beginning Of The End For Toby Turner?

Everything changed in April 2016 when his ex-girlfriend April Fletcher (also known as AprilEfff) posted a lengthy Tumblr blog accusing Turner of emotional manipulation, drug abuse and non-consensual behavior. It quickly made the rounds, amplified by YouTubers like Keemstar and Amelia Talon, who echoed concerns about Turner’s alleged substance use.

While other exes like Jaclyn Glenn, Olga Kay and Melanie Murphy publicly said Turner wasn’t violent with them, they confirmed that he was emotionally toxic, unfaithful and purportedly struggling with drugs.

Philip DeFranco even weighed in with a now-archived video, saying he also believed Turner needed help with substance abuse.

The impact on his career was immediate and severe. Turner's viewership plummeted across all three channels, sponsors quickly distanced themselves and collaborative opportunities dried up.

His role in the Annoying Orange TV series became one of his last mainstream entertainment appearances as Hollywood and the broader YouTube community began to pull away.

What Is Toby Turner Up To These Days, And Where Can I Find Him Online?

After several years of maintaining a lower profile, Toby Turner resurfaced with a controversial pivot in 2022 when he collaborated with Kyle Rittenhouse on social media, surprising many of his long-time followers with this unexpected political alignment.

The video, full of conservative memes and awkward vibes, prompted headlines like "A Tobuscus and Kyle Rittenhouse Collab Video Has Many Proclaiming Toby Turner Fell Off."

Turner's still up and running on the internet, regularly using his Twitter / X account (@TobyTurner), his Instagram and his various YouTube channels, the most active of which include TobyTuner and Tobuscus.

Most of Toby Turner's content these days is vlogs in which he drives around town and talks about libertarianism, oscillating between rants about censorship and doing nostalgic dives into his old videos.

Turner doesn't seem focused on making the kind of high-production-value content that grew his audience anymore, but he still has a steady stream of viewers tuning into his occasional upload and still boasts millions of followers across his channels.

From YouTube legend to meme relic to occasional right-wing content creator, Toby Turner’s journey is a case study in the highs and lows of online fame. If nothing else, at least he'll always have that sword.

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For the full history of Tobuscus, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information. To see the rest of our "Where Are They Now" series, you can find them all here. Stay tuned for next week's editorial!

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