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Several internet users criticized the concertgoer for recording themselves playing chess in the front row of a MIKE concert, including X user @raptalksk who wrote, "ur standing front row while one of the best writers of our generation is performing and u decide to start clip farming like a loser… s--- disrespectful"

Several internet users criticized the concertgoer for recording themselves playing chess in the front row of a MIKE concert, including X user @omfuze who wrote, "Keep recording bro we might make the front page of reddit with this one"

Several internet users criticized the concertgoer for recording themselves playing chess in the front row of a MIKE concert, including X user @Steez_HH who wrote, "Doing this during Stop Worry! is so disrespectful. A song MIKE made dedicated to his mom, and they thought this was the time to make a tiktok?"

Several internet users criticized the concertgoer for recording themselves playing chess in the front row of a MIKE concert, including X user @happytobebald who wrote, "when you release your art &do shows you basically have no choice but to contribute to an ecosystem where white kids think Black expression is mere fodder, &therefore create their own fodder around it."

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About

MIKE Chess Mosh Pit or MIKE Chess Moshpit refers to a viral video showing TikToker @evaniano playing chess in the front row of a MIKE concert in Europe. The TikToker was seemingly making a reference to a prominent MIKE meme that shows a chess tournament labeled, "MIKE mosh pit," as if to imply that his genre of rap is for intellectuals. The TikTok was reposted to the MIKE subreddit and shared on Twitter / X, where it garnered criticism from people who likened it to the recording events on a 3DS trend and the Death Grips Propeller Hat controversy.

Origin

Fans of the American rapper MIKE often share a meme showing several people playing chess alongside text that reads, "MIKE mosh pit," as if to imply that the artist primarily caters to intellectual people.

On January 31st, 2025, X^[2] user @funnyname23 and Instagram^[1] user @durags posted the meme, gathering over 7,000 and 18,000 likes, respectively, in two months.

A meme showing a group of chess players alongside text that reads, "MIKE moshpit," as if to imply that the rapper caters to intellectual or intelligent fans. The post was also shared by X user @funnyname23

In March 2025, MIKE began his "Showbiz" tour, performing in Segrate, Italy on March 22nd.^[5]

On March 25th, Redditor^[3] /u/panos_zzzr shared a video to the subreddit /r/MIKE_ that was originally posted to TikTok by @evaniano, which showed a young man holding up a chessboard in the front row of a MIKE show and looking around as he and his friends moved pieces around the board.

On March 26th, 2025, X^[4] user @fuzzytincan shared the video as well, writing, "I hate this so much," and gathering over 13,000 likes in a day.

I hate this so much pic.twitter.com/Gf3XJA4v0I

— fuzzy… (@fuzzytincan) March 26, 2025

Spread

Several internet users weighed in on what they saw as a disrespectful and disruptive concert practice as the video garnered virality in the following days.

For instance, on March 26th, 2025, X^[6] user @Hang10Higgins wrote, "this kinda performative behaviour is at every show nowadays, almost always from young white ppl. Last few shows I've seen costumes, ppl recording w a 3ds, and ppl just holding their phones up w silly photos like minions tryna get attention. Gen Z is havin their epic bacon moment." The post gathered over 17,000 likes in a day.

Several internet users criticised the concertgoer for recording themselves playing chess in the front row of a MIKE concert, with X user @Hang10Higgins saying, "this kinda performative behaviour is at every show nowadays, almost always from young white ppl. Last few shows I've seen costumes, ppl recording w a 3ds, and ppl just holding their phones up w silly photos like minions tryna get attention. Gen Z is havin their epic bacon moment."

Also on March 26th, X^[7] user @crackcobain__ quoted the video and wrote, "#They come in our spaces and wanna be the main character," gathering over 30,000 likes in a day.

Several internet users criticized the concertgoer for recording themselves playing chess in the front row of a MIKE concert, with X user @crackcobain__ writing, "#They come in our spaces and wanna be the main character."

Music review YouTuber^[8] Anthony Fantano weighed in on the controversy on March 26th, writing, "if you go to a performance, show some respect and pay attention to the artist you paid to see. that’s it. that’s all you gotta do." The post gathered over 11,000 likes in a day.

Several internet users criticized the concertgoer for recording themselves playing chess in the front row of a MIKE concert, including YouTuber "theneedledrop":https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/people/anthony-fantano.

Later on March 26th, 2025, X^[9] user @odivse shared a post that read, "them ppls playin chess while bro up there rapping bout the black experience #ImNoticing," gathering over 75,000 likes in a day.

Various Examples

Search Interest

Unavailable.

External References

^[1] Instagram – durags

^[2] Twitter / X – funnyname23

^[3] Reddit – /r/MIKE_

^[4] Twitter / X – fuzzytincan

^[5] Bandsintown – MIKE

^[6] Twitter / X – Hang10Higgins

^[7] Twitter / X – crackcobain__

^[8] Twitter / X – theneedledrop

^[9] Twitter / X – odivse

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MIKE Chess Mosh Pit