Fans of Twitch and Kick streamer xQc are calling him "DJ Toenail" every time he hops on the digital audio workstation FL Studio to make a beat.

For many viewers, the nickname fits xQc's signature sound, which is chaotic. The beats even make the streamer break character in the late hours of his livestream's runtime. He seems to be thinking, "Why did I spend so much time on this?" while his chat spams "DJ TOENAIL" in all caps.

The legend of DJ Toenail – xQc's attempt at headlining Coachella one day – goes back further than one might expect. His clips are going viral on TikTok right now, but that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Curious about when the DJ Toenail meme started and why xQc is even making beats? Let's explain.

Who Is Streamer 'xQc?'

For starters, xQc (Félix Lengyel) is a Canadian streamer who was first known as a professional Overwatch player. Alongside his esports career, xQc began livestreaming on Twitch when he was 19.

He's amassed a large following over the years and has sparked numerous memes. His clapping GIF is one of his most well-known, which gained notable spread back in 2020.

xQc has also caused some controversy during his years in the internet limelight, like when he received viral backlash in 2023 from internet users who were fed up with his reaction content. His frequent gambling streams in 2021 also spread disdain for him among the wider web.

Where Did 'DJ Toenail' Come From?

In 2022, xQc decided that he was going to learn FL Studio, a popular music software among DJs and producers. He streamed his first session in front of an audience on Twitch. The decision was ripe for embarrassment. Anyone who's ever made a beat for the first time knows this.

It was going well for the first two hours, and then he wanted to make his own track. He didn't have any beginner's luck and the song he churned out was arguably hilariously half-baked.

At one point, a user named Grexedor spammed, "DJ Toenail," in the chat with the CatJAM emote. The nickname instantly stuck.

What Are Some 'DJ Toenail' Memes?

DJ Toenail has resurfaced recently because xQc started streaming his FL Studio sessions once again in mid-2025. People are looking back and compiling all of his best beats, producing hilarious "Top 5" rankings.

In some clips, xQc says that the track is "fire."

His chat, however, often disagrees.

Now, the running joke is about ironically hyping up DJ Toenail. One popular TikTok edit shows Darwin from The Amazing World of Gumball jamming out to one of the beats, embodying the mindset of each meme enjoyer who wants to give DJ Toenail a chance at a "Top 40" hit, all in the name of irony.

"How WE'RE dancing to that DJ Toenail this summer," one viral video stated with authority, humorously roping everyone into the DJ Toenail bandwagon.

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7500259509319814422

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7494477837466897695

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7499155702049639726

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7499318193148841262

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For the full history of DJ Toenail, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's entry for even more information.