Low Taper Fade Meme Explained: Meaning, Origin, Meme Song And How It Went Viral
One haircut. One name. One legendary line. That’s all it took for the internet to spiral into chaos when Twitch viewers first heard: “Imagine if Ninja got a low taper fade.”
The Low Taper Fade meme was born from a single throwaway lyric during a freestyle by hyperpop artist ericdoa, and it instantly tapped into something absurdly perfect for 2024’s remix-happy meme culture.
The meme combines a crispy, Gen Z-favorite haircut with a pop culture icon (Ninja, of all people), making it ripe for TikTok slideshows, AI voiceovers, cartoon edits, and fan art so stylized it belongs in a barbershop gallery. It’s dumb, it’s brilliant, it’s everything the modern meme economy loves.
Here’s how a joke became one of the internet’s funniest viral obsessions.
What Is the Low Taper Fade Meme?
The Low Taper Fade Meme refers to a viral internet trend centered around the absurd yet catchy phrase: “Imagine if Ninja got a low taper fade.”
This meme combines a specific hairstyle reference with an iconic internet figure—Ninja, the Fortnite streamer—resulting in a humorous and remixable phrase that spread widely across TikTok, Twitch, and meme communities in 2024.
Though originally nonsensical, the meme evolved into a broader cultural joke that highlights the internet’s obsession with stylized personas, ironic visual edits, and exaggerated “main character” behavior.
When was the original low taper fade meme?
The “Imagine If Ninja Got a Low Taper Fade” meme (or Low Taper Fade Meme) originated from a Twitch livestream by hyperpop artist ericdoa on January 5, 2024. During an emotional freestyle, ericdoa spontaneously sang the line, “Imagine if Ninja got a low taper fade,” referencing the popular streamer Richard Tyler “Ninja” Blevins.
The livestream was later uploaded to his YouTube channel on January 6th, where the now-viral clip can be found at the 25:35 timestamp. Within just six days, the video attracted over 4,000 views.
What Is the Low Taper Fade Meme Song?
The Low Taper Fade meme song is not an official song, but rather a freestyle lyric sung spontaneously by hyperpop artist ericdoa during a Twitch livestream on January 5, 2024. While singing over a mellow instrumental, ericdoa improvised the now-iconic line: “Imagine if Ninja got a low taper fade.”
This unscripted line was part of a longer emotional freestyle. The moment was clipped from the stream and posted to YouTube on January 6, 2024, where it appears at the 25:35 mark.
However, it didn’t go viral until it was reuploaded to TikTok as a sound. From there, it quickly became known as the “Low Taper Fade” meme audio.
How Did the “Low Taper Fade” Meme Go Viral?
After artist ericdoa freestyled the phrase “Imagine if Ninja got a low taper fade” during a Twitch stream on January 5th, the clip was uploaded to YouTube on January 6th. But its true breakout came through TikTok, where the audio rapidly caught fire.
On January 11th, 2024, TikToker @aamxrr posted a humorous video falsely claiming the song was by Frank Ocean, which went viral—earning over 240,000 views in a single day.
The same day, user @sahhyameiii uploaded a slideshow of Ninja photos transitioning into a man with a fade, gaining 400,000+ views within 24 hours.
Building on this momentum, TikToker @.evocator posted a similar slideshow, this time with a photoshopped image of Ninja with a low taper fade, drawing 46,000 views in one day.
On the same day, this unexpected lyric quickly gained traction after being reposted on TikTok by the account @ericdoaclips, leading to a surge of videos and memes envisioning Ninja with the haircut.
@ericdoaclips Ericdoa ponders what famous twitch streamer “ninja” might look like with a low taper fade during his twitch performance #ericdoaclips #ericdoa #twitchclips #liveperformance #funny #viral #fyp
The meme’s popularity was further amplified when Ninja himself embraced the joke, eventually getting the haircut and sharing it on his social media platforms.
The meme took a major leap on January 12th, when user @latenightgamenight posted a Fortnite-themed clip using the meme audio. In the video, a player approaches a wall that reads: “Ninja with a low taper fade solves all world problems.”
This video earned over 679,000 views in less than a day.
@latenightgamenight Ninja do it bro 2024 gotta start off nice and clean💈#fortnite #fortniteclips #fortnitememes #fortniteninja #fortniteninjaskin #lowtaperfade
Later that day, Ninja himself entered the conversation, posting a TikTok reacting to a “low taper fade” meme with the caption: “I’M DOING IT TODAY! ALL FOR YOU CHAT.”
His video gained over 212,000 views in under 24 hours.
Then, on January 13th, Ninja fully embraced the meme: he got an actual low taper fade and posted a TikTok video showing off the haircut, set to ericdoa’s original sound. The post instantly exploded, surpassing 5.4 million views in just three days.
@ninja I’M DOING IT TODAY! ALL FOR YOU CHAT #lowtaperfade #ninjalowtaperfade
This sequence of viral events—from freestyle to remix to real-world transformation—cemented the meme as a defining internet moment.
The meme succeeded not just because of its absurd humor, but because it invited participation: remixers, gamers, meme editors, and even Ninja himself contributed to its explosion.
Humorous Variations of the Low Taper Fade Meme
The meme has 3 main variations, including: “Imagine if [X] Got a Low Taper Fade” Meme Format, Edits Featuring Celebrities, Cartoons, and Anime Characters and “Low Taper Fade Art” as an Internet Micro-Trend.
“Imagine if [X] Got a Low Taper Fade” Meme Format
One of the most popular formats spawned from the meme is the “Imagine if [X] got a low taper fade” structure. After the original line about Ninja went viral, users began replacing his name with other celebrities, fictional characters, and even abstract concepts. For example:
- “Imagine if Goku got a low taper fade”
- “Imagine if Jesus got a low taper fade”
- “Imagine if the Mona Lisa had a low taper fade”
This variation became a template for absurd hypothetical edits, often accompanied by photoshopped images or AI-generated visuals. It reflects a common Gen Z meme pattern: remixing a single phrase into countless surreal reinterpretations.
Edits Featuring Celebrities, Cartoons, and Anime Characters
As the meme spread, creators began editing the low taper fade haircut onto famous figures—both real and fictional. TikTok and Reddit were flooded with:
- Photoshopped celebrities like MrBeast, Kanye West, Elon Musk
- Cartoon characters like SpongeBob, Peter Griffin, or Homer Simpson
- Anime icons such as Goku, Levi Ackerman, and even Pikachu
These edits usually exaggerate the fade for comedic effect, often paired with captions like “He can’t be stopped now” or “Bro got the fade and became unstoppable.” The contrast between the character’s original design and their overly stylized haircut creates instant visual comedy.
“Low Taper Fade Art” as an Internet Micro-Trend
Beyond quick memes, a micro-art trend known as “Low Taper Fade Art” emerged, where digital artists began creating fully-rendered fan art of various characters with the iconic haircut. These artworks range from hyper-realistic portraits to surrealist memes, and are often shared on platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and r/memeeconomy.
Some popular styles include:
- Barber-style posters showing anime characters with fades
- Futuristic edits combining the haircut with AI aesthetics
- Mashups blending traditional art (e.g. Van Gogh’s self-portrait) with urban barbershop culture
This trend demonstrates how a simple meme can evolve into a cross-platform creative movement, blending humor, irony, and visual design.
Source: trailer8k
FAQs About the Low Taper Fade Meme
What Is A Low Taper Fade Haircut?
A low taper fade is a popular hairstyle in which the hair gradually fades from a longer top into shorter sides and neckline, starting just above the ears. Known for being clean and versatile, it’s commonly seen in hip-hop culture and modern barbershop trends.
In the context of this meme, however, the haircut becomes symbolic—it’s no longer just a hairstyle but a template for internet humor, representing “trying to look cool,” hypermasculine swagger, or even the concept of ironic transformation.
Why is “low taper fade” a meme?
It became a meme after artist ericdoa sang the phrase “Imagine if Ninja got a low taper fade” during a Twitch freestyle in January 2024. The line was random, oddly specific, and easy to remix—making it perfect for viral meme culture.
Is the low taper fade meme still popular?
Yes. As of mid-2025, the meme still circulates across TikTok, Reddit, and meme art communities, especially in remixed formats like “Imagine if [X] got a low taper fade” and parody edits of anime or celebrities.
When was the original low taper fade meme?
The meme originated on January 5, 2024, during a livestream by ericdoa. It went viral just days later, with Ninja himself embracing the trend and getting the haircut on January 13, 2024.
What is the “low taper fade” thing?
It refers to both a popular hairstyle—a clean fade starting low near the neckline—and a meme built around the phrase “Imagine if Ninja got a low taper fade,” which exploded online for its surreal humor.
How old is the low taper fade meme?
As of 2025, the meme is a little over one year old, having first appeared in January 2024.
Conclusion
The Low Taper Fade meme isn’t just a trend—it’s a snapshot of how internet culture now works: fast, weird, collaborative, and endlessly remixable. What began as an offhand freestyle lyric turned into a community-powered visual language, mutating from a single Twitch stream into a cross-platform movement involving TikTok editors, digital artists, and even Ninja himself.
Its staying power comes from how easily the format adapts—whether you’re giving anime characters a fresh fade or reimagining historical icons at the barbershop.
As of 2025, it’s still alive and well, proof that sometimes the dumbest ideas are the ones that stick hardest. In a generation fluent in irony, AI edits, and post-ironic swagger, the Low Taper Fade isn’t just a haircut—it’s a cultural cut.
