Edit: As of 3/23/2020, I do not condone or support Clapdaddie anymore. He exhibits predatory behavior and should not be given a platform to possibly harass more people. The reason I will proceed to have this posted is for informational purposes only. More information on this subject can be obtained through Ava Leigh’s social medias.
That is all.
Who’s Mafia is it Anyways?
On August 27th, 2019, a simple video of a guy with an intimidating scar lip-syncing while dressed
like a dapper suit ignited a phenomenon across the popular video platform, TikTok. Colton, otherwise known as “Clapdaddie” on the app, captioned the video with a breif description of his character, JJ- informing his audience that the man is a mob boss who “runs the top casino and moves money for the mafia”(Colton,@clapdaddie). Little did he know that this video would cause many individuals to create their own “mafic oc” (the term “oc” is shorthand for original character) who either work for or are against JJ).
Despite its participants calling this group a “mafia”, there has been no recorded case of JJ’s mafia family committing any crimes in reality. Briefly, parents feared this group actually had affiliations with the real mafia, but the irrational assumption was dismissed as they remembered that some of the participants are 18 years old and below. The TikTok Mafia is just a benign collection of mostly cosplayers who dress up and look tough while lip syncing to various songs.
Mafia Members
Most of my readers migrated here from my TikTok account (which I am extremely grateful for), and I have posted about my original mafia character, Emilie Paccani. When I was passionate about the character, I filled pages upon pages with her backstory and her affiliations with the other members. The TikTok Mafia sparked my creativity to a new extreme. This was the case for many others as well.
Caoimhe Morris (@caoimhemorris) is probably one of the most iconic members that joined Colton’s group. Her character, Frenchie, serves as the bodyguard for JJ while serving looks in a spaghetti strap cocktail dress, usually adorned with a fur cover-up. Inspired by Colton’s videos, she thought it would be intriguing if the beautiful woman stood next to this man of power was not some piece of eye candy- but a powerful, intimidating bodyguard. Morris’s character continues to be a large part of the story and great representation of the other powerful women in this fictional mafia.
Another notable member is Rae, an ex-nun who went on the run after ruthlessly killed all members of the church. Created by one of the fastest growing TikToker known for her hilarious, off the cuff comedy, Aisha Rae (@arbacn), her backstory fills her audience with
fear as well as laughs. The character is usually seen dressed as a priest, lip syncing to more lighthearted audios from series such as Buzzfeed Unsolved. It is definitely refreshing to see some members of this group take a break from the bloodshed and crime to make silly videos with their not-so-silly characters!
Interviewing the Members
I had the honor to interview these two wonderful women and ask them about how they feel about the TikTok Mafia and its future.
Did you expect the TikTok Mafia to become as popular as it did?
“When I started doing stuff with my character, I was just dueting someone’s video. I wasn’t trying to become popular or anything-I just really liked Colton’s content. So when the mafia tag really became popular, I was so surprised, and I actually didn’t even realize my character was really popular until Colton and a bunch of other TikTokers started following me.[…]I REALLY didn’t realize it until people started making detective videos, and people were tagging me saying “why isn’t Frenchie in this” etc etc.”(Morris)
Does the mafia follow a plot? If so, what has it been so far, and what does the future hold for these beloved criminals?
“I can only speak for my character and her side, but if we are going from the point that she met JJ. She met JJ [and] started to make all these friends that turned into family like 86, Mason, Bernice, etc. A detective that Frenchie knew from when they were young started to try and come after the whole team which caused drama like Brody helping the detective to get photos of each member,etc. Frenchie pretended to help him out so she could get JJ’s file which she successfully did until Mason stole the file and was kidnapped which lead to Frenchie getting shot in the shoulder and Bernice having to save her.”(Morris)
What are your thoughts about the current state of the TikTok Mafia? Do you think the trend is dead?
“I think it is a bit, and it had a lot of hype a couple months ago. But cosplayers are some of the most creative people on TikTok, and I’m pretty sure they’ll be able to bring it back.” (Aisha)
Many people on the app say that they would like a Netflix series featuring the mafia characters. What do you think about that idea?
“I think it’s be cool! Especially since there are so many diverse characters and unique story lines.” (Aisha)
After talking to these two booming creators, it became prevalent how much thought and work is put into these 15-60 second videos. These people, among with many others in the community, are genuine with their craft and have truly found their niche on the app!
The TikTok Mafia
During the Christmas holiday, some of the main characters of the TikTok Mafia held a large collaboration entitled “Mafia Gala”, featuring both new and current mafia members. Thus, the resurrection of the TikTok Mafia was born! The videos were filled with drama and action, and you can view the full collaboration on Ava Leigh’s YouTube channel!
The TikTok Mafia is the perfect example of trends becoming bigger than just a fad. There is a peculiar dedication these members have to this group, and the loyalty they have further proves the impact a simple 15 second video can have on a population of people. The mafia members may carry a hardened, rough visage for the videos carrying the name of the group, but under all the fake blood and fancy clothing, these people are honest content creators who have made complex, interesting stories to be enjoyed by millions.
APieceOfKate 