There’s this meme during which the phrase “TOOL mosh pits” is emblazoned throughout a photograph of males in fits taking part in chess. Get it? As a result of Software’s model of steel is, like, mental? A teenage aspiring rapper in Italy thought it could be humorous to tug off one thing comparable at a MIKE live performance, however MIKE and a great chunk of his fan base didn’t very like it.
In a since-deleted TikTok video posted by consumer @.evaniano, a white teenager might be seen holding a chess board within the entrance row of MIKE’s present final Saturday at Circolo Magnolia in Milan. The video features a textual content overlay studying “MIKE Moshpit.” Once more, the thought was apparently to convey the extra-brainy high quality of MIKE’s fan base, however that’s not how MIKE acquired it. To him, it felt like a joke at his personal expense and the expense of his tradition — an affordable bit delivered throughout a second of significant inventive expression.
A viral tweet together with the TikTok video, captioned “I hate this a lot,” gained a lot traction on X dot com over the previous week that the child from the video deleted his authentic TikTok meme and posted an apology. The child wrote that it wasn’t his intention to mock MIKE and that he paid for a ticket to the present as a result of he’s a giant fan. “I’d prefer to make issues as clear as attainable: after I posted the video, the drawbacks it could have have been far past my consideration,” he wrote. “We come from fully completely different cultures, and being a 16 years-old man from Italy makes it exhausting for me to really perceive what this might’ve meant to lots of people.”
Right here’s the complete apology:
I’d prefer to clear up some issues about what occurred at MIKE’s live performance in Milan, as a result of it turns on the market’s been an enormous misunderstanding about my intentions.
Firstly, I owe an apology to the person himself, who had an astounding efficiency and had a improbable method of retaining us engaged.
It wasn’t my intention to offend or disrespect MIKE in any method, the act of taking part in chess throughout a MIKE live performance was a reference to a meme that had gone viral on socials a few yr in the past, and I used to be positive MIKE would’ve acknowledged it.
I paid for the ticket to the live performance simply so I might benefit from the present and genuinely have a good time, MIKE is certainly one of my favourite artists so it could make no sense to only pull as much as mock him.
I’d prefer to make issues as clear as attainable: after I posted the video, the drawbacks it could have have been far past my consideration. We come from fully completely different cultures, and being a 16 years-old man from Italy makes it exhausting for me to really perceive what this might’ve meant to lots of people.
I really feel sorry for all of the followers which have felt offended.
It was only a pleasant joke in my eyes however it turned out to be perceived as a giant derogatory angle in the direction of the artist and his tradition.
I take full accountability for this, I now acknowledge the unfavorable facet of the act, and I can say I’ve discovered an vital life lesson.
I’ll ask you to be human and respect my privateness,
Thanks.
Now, in a collection of tweets, MIKE has weighed in, expressing mild disdain for the ordeal and appreciation for his fan base. His message:
Yea fk dem lil Italian youngsters Imfaooo, I advised them wassup after I completed performing cease fear however I wasn’t bout cease rapping cus they was bein nerds
Additionally I wasn’t gon self-discipline no 16 yr olds Imaoo that’s they dad and mom job
However simply to reiterate, that shit shouldn’t be cool. Memes r humorous and stuff /however one thing, no less than one factor in yo life gotta be sacred so u kno when to stfu n see when any person is bein fr
I might by no means repay yall 4 how sum yal b standing on enterprise behind me mmm that shit imply the world 2 me all the time, tear worthy
Take a look at the video, the apology, and MIKE’s response under.
I hate this a lot pic.twitter.com/Gf3XJA4v0I
— fuzzy… (@fuzzytincan) March 26, 2025