
obama have dih
“Obama Have Dih” If you’ve been on TikTok recently, you might have come across this pretty strange video: a low-quality animation of Barack Obama dancing in a purple suit while an Arabic song “Hadal Ahbek” plays in the background. The whole thing sounds like Obama is singing “Obama have dih” – Makes no sense at all right?, but people found it hilarious and it turned into a huge meme in 2025.

This meme combines two completely unrelated things: a 2020 Arabic pop song called “Hadal Ahbek” by Issam Alnajjar and an old dancing Obama animation from a 2014 mobile game. When someone slowed down the Arabic song, English speakers noticed it sounds like “Obama have dih” – which became the foundation for this viral trend. The song itself has over 170 million views on YouTube and was already popular in the Middle East before TikTok users discovered this connection.
The humor comes from the complete randomness of seeing a former U.S. president apparently singing nonsense words. Internet users also picked up on the fact that “dih” sounds like slang for something inappropriate, which adds another layer to the joke. KnowYourMeme notes that TikTok’s meme community particularly enjoys this type of absurd content, which explains why it caught on so quickly in July 2025.
What is the “Obama Have Dih” Meme and Where Did It Come From?
The first “Obama Have Dih” video appeared on TikTok on March 21, 2025, when user @lost_thethird posted a simple edit combining the slowed-down “Hadal Ahbek” audio with the Obama dancing animation. They captioned it “Obama Have Dih” and the video quickly gained around 400,000 views and 30,000 likes.
The Obama animation comes from a 2014 iOS game called “Talking Obama: Terrorist Hunter” (also known as Obama 2022). The game included a mini-game where players could watch Obama dance in a purple suit – an odd feature that would later become perfect meme material.
What makes this story interesting is that people had already noticed the “Obama have dih” connection years earlier. The misheard lyrics joke was floating around the internet long before 2025. In January 2021, someone shared an iMessage screenshot showing friends trying to identify a song by searching “Obama have d**k” because that’s what they thought they heard. This screenshot even made it to iFunny on January 29, 2021. A few months later, in May 2021, someone on Reddit’s r/NameThatSong asked about the “TikTok song” and had to clarify it wasn’t actually about Obama.
So when @lost_thethird combined these elements in March 2025, they were building on a joke that had been developing for years. Their video planted the seed that would eventually grow into a major viral trend.
How “Obama Have Dih” Exploded Across TikTok in July 2025
The meme exploded in July 2025 when several TikTok creators made their own versions. On July 10th, @scuploads.4 posted a sped-up, pixelated version of the Obama dancing clip with the Hadal Ahbek audio. They added a wilted rose emoji for extra “brainrot” style. This video earned over 800,000 views and 120,000 likes in two weeks.
@alvidono Exploring the Meaning
♬ original sound
Three days later, @ttortaclappa took a different approach. They used a video of Barack Obama giving a serious speech and simply overlaid the text “Obama Have Dih.” The contrast between the formal speech and the silly caption resonated with viewers – the post received over 1 million views and 230,000 likes within a week. By mid-July, “Obama have dih” had become a trending hashtag on the platform.
The trend reached mainstream status on July 19th when @lamppa99 created something completely unexpected. They combined footage of French soccer player Kylian Mbappé with Barack Obama clips and captioned it “I kinda put in Mbappé, Obama have dih.” This unusual twist connected with audiences immediately – the video earned over 2 million views and 300,000 likes in just two days.
The following day, @secretasian__6 took the meme in a musical direction by creating a guitar “brainrot” cover. They sang the misheard lyrics (“Obama have dih!”) with their own melody, and the video reached over 2 million views in 24 hours.
Each of these creators – @scuploads.4, @ttortaclappa, @lamppa99, and @secretasian__6 – generated new waves of sharing and remixes. They used the hashtag #ObamaHaveDih, which helped the meme spread beyond TikTok to Instagram Reels, Twitter, and other platforms. When popular meme accounts and influencers began reposting the content, “Obama Have Dih” achieved true viral status within days.
Why This Random Meme Became So Popular

This meme works because it combines absurd humor with nostalgic elements. The complete randomness of seeing a former president dancing to an Arabic pop song appeals to TikTok’s meme community, which enjoys unexpected combinations. KnowYourMeme explains that TikTok’s niche meme audience particularly appreciates “absurdist escalation,” making this Obama-Arabic music pairing perfect for the platform.
@cookieslayer_227 Classroom Chaos Unleashed
♬ original sound
The misheard lyrics element adds another layer of humor. English speakers recognize that “Hadal Ahbek” means “I’ll keep loving you” in Arabic, but the slowed-down version genuinely sounds like “Obama have dih” to many listeners. The internet slang interpretation of “dih” (which can mean “d**k in hand” according to Urban Dictionary) creates a playful but harmless joke that doesn’t target anyone specifically.
User reactions show how much people enjoy the content. Comments typically include phrases like “This is the funniest thing I’ve seen today!” or “Obama dropping bangers 😂.” These positive responses appear dozens of times on each popular video, with viewers praising the creativity and absurdity of different remixes.
The meme also appeals to multiple communities simultaneously. Fans of Arabic pop music appreciate seeing their music referenced, Obama supporters enjoy the playful use of his image, and soccer fans connected through the Mbappé variations. This cross-community appeal – spanning Arabic music fans, Obama meme enthusiasts, soccer supporters, and general meme lovers – helped the trend spread across different online spaces. The combination of nostalgic Obama imagery, catchy foreign music, and unexpected humor created something that resonated with diverse audiences who found themselves saying “Obama have dih” simply because it was entertaining.
All the Different Versions and Remixes People Made
Once “Obama Have Dih” gained popularity, creators began developing variations immediately. One common remix involved incorporating soccer star Mbappé by modifying the lyrics. Users created lines like “Kinda put it in Mbappé, Obama have dih” or “Kinda gooned to Mbappé, Obama have dih,” maintaining the original rhythm while adding the athlete’s name. The lamppa99 video mentioned earlier exemplified this approach by showing Mbappé footage with the modified caption. These Mbappé remixes used basic video editing tools or TikTok’s built-in text features, demonstrating how accessible the format was for new creators.
@wishesmadevisual From Africa – Have Dihh Trend
♬ Have Dihh Trend
Another development was the “brainrot cover” style. SecretAsian6’s guitar performance essentially created a new audio track for the meme by composing an original melody for the phrase. Other users then sampled or lip-synced to this cover version. The community expanded beyond the original audio: some creators used the slowed Hadal Ahbek track, others used the guitar cover, and some focused on text-based jokes and wordplay.
Creators also combined the meme with other TikTok trends. One video merged “Obama Have Dih” with the vine-style “yeehaw” cowboy meme. Another used a country music remix of the song. Template formats emerged where users kept the Obama dancing animation but changed the text overlay for completely different jokes. The hashtags “#dih” and “#brainrot” helped organize this content, and the audio tracks were reused constantly. Through simple editing techniques and strategic hashtag use, the basic format expanded into dozens of variations. These remixes kept the content fresh and allowed different TikTok communities – from sports fans to music parody creators – to contribute their own interpretations.
Did This Meme Actually Impact Anything Outside the Internet?
Despite its widespread online presence, “Obama Have Dih” has remained primarily within internet meme culture rather than crossing into mainstream media or political discourse. Corporate advertisements and official campaigns have not referenced the meme. It functions as an inside joke for TikTok users and meme page followers. KnowYourMeme observes that the same TikTok “niche community” has begun jokingly “mourning the ‘mainstreaming'” of their meme – expressing mock concern that it has grown from a small community joke to widespread online recognition.
@secretasian__6 Obama Have Dih sound origin
♬ sound origin
Some public figures have acknowledged the trend casually. Several Instagram influencers made jokes in July 2025 about how everyone should already know this “2026 meme.” However, Barack Obama himself has not publicly acknowledged the meme, nor has Issam Alnajjar made any official statements about it. The Jordanian singer appears to view the attention positively – one of his social media posts from summer 2025 included a cheerful caption about his song gaining global recognition on TikTok. No negative reactions or controversies have emerged from the trend.
The meme represents internet culture rather than broader social commentary. It has not generated serious debates or criticism – at most, people view it as harmless nonsense that became popular through repetition. The content has not offended Obama supporters or Arabic speakers; many Arabic speakers have actually expressed amusement at seeing their music become part of an international meme. The primary impact has been creating a sense of shared humor and community among internet users. Through millions of shares, tweets, and TikTok videos, “Obama Have Dih” demonstrates how quickly and unexpectedly internet humor can spread, even when it has no connection to real-world events or issues.
Current Status & Geography
By late July 2025, the meme continued to thrive on TikTok while expanding to Instagram Reels and Twitter. The primary audience consists of Gen Z and young Millennial users who actively follow TikTok trends. KnowYourMeme indicates that the meme originated on TikTok in the United States, where most activity has remained concentrated. However, because the song is Arabic and Obama has global recognition, variations have appeared internationally. Creators in Europe, the Middle East, and South America have begun using the same audio clips or creating translated versions. The hashtag #ObamaHaveDih contains thousands of posts, primarily in English but with some content in other languages.

The trend appeals particularly to gamers, meme enthusiasts, and users interested in ironic humor. Some political meme pages have used it lightheartedly: certain left-leaning accounts joked about a fictional “Obama 2025 campaign” embracing the song, though no official political connections exist.
No single country outside the United States has claimed ownership of the trend. It appears wherever TikTok has significant user bases. Countries including the United Kingdom, India, Brazil, and various Arab nations have shown increased meme activity, according to limited analytics reports. An Instagram trend analysis from mid-July identified clusters of #ObamaHaveDih usage in Western Europe and the Levant region. However, the phenomenon remains primarily an internet subculture trend rather than a regional obsession. It functions as a global meme within English-speaking communities and Arabic-influenced online spaces.
People Behind the Meme – Key creators and contributors
Several content creators and communities drove the development of “Obama Have Dih.” The initial creator was TikTok user @lost_thethird, who posted the original March 2025 edit. After it gained traction, key contributors included @scuploads.4 (sped-up Obama edit), @ttortaclappa (speech-caption version), @lamppa99 (Mbappé remix), and @secretasian__6 (guitar cover). Each of these creators achieved hundreds of thousands to millions of views on their signature videos. Their TikTok profiles became reference points for the trend – searching hashtags like #obama or #obamahavedih reveals countless duets and response videos.
Beyond individual creators, the broader TikTok meme community (often using the “#brainrot” hashtag) supported the trend’s growth. Meme-focused accounts such as @memes, @internetfunny, and various political humor pages began reposting “Obama Have Dih” content. Music fans also participated: Issam Alnajjar’s official social media accounts acknowledged the meme in July, indirectly recognizing its reach. The visual artist and influencer Druski appeared in some parody versions (KnowYourMeme notes that later brainrot videos featured Druski alongside Obama and Mbappé content).
These participants – individual TikTok creators, meme-focused accounts, and the connected fanbase – sustained the meme through late July 2025. Without their continued engagement, “Obama Have Dih” would have remained a single viral moment. Through consistent posting and commenting, they helped it evolve and maintain relevance.
What Happens Next? – Future predictions and outlook
The future of “Obama Have Dih” remains uncertain, as internet trends can be unpredictable. Based on typical meme patterns, it will likely either fade gradually or transform into something new over the coming months. Research on viral content suggests that memes often experience rapid growth followed by equally rapid decline unless new elements maintain interest. Since this meme achieved significant attention very quickly, it may reach its peak soon. By fall 2025, we might see reduced activity as users move toward newer trends.
However, the meme could also persist in modified forms. Some viral content becomes part of internet culture’s permanent collection, appearing in nostalgia posts and reference compilations years later. Online discussions already mention potential variations like “Obama Have Doi” or other wordplay adaptations. It might also inspire similar content if creators discover other foreign songs that sound like English phrases when combined with Obama imagery. Currently, the trend’s momentum exists primarily within TikTok’s meme communities. If it resurfaces later, it will likely be as part of a larger compilation or mixed with other viral trends.
At this point in July 2025, the meme has established its place in internet history as a notable moment of shared humor. It might appear in future YouTube compilation videos or late-night television references, or it might gradually disappear from active use. Whether “Obama Have Dih” becomes a lasting piece of meme culture or simply a brief viral moment will depend on how internet communities choose to remember and reference it in the months ahead.
Various Examples
@man.united903 Manchester.United edit – Obama have dih 💔
♬ original sound
@m4gic_man Mbappé + Obama Have Dih mix
♬ Have Dih remix
Trending & Sounds Obama Have Dih Trend
@africancheta Obama have dih 😟 #viral
♬ original sound
@.ae.brahim Kinda Gooned To Mbappe.. | Obama Have Dih
♬ Obama Have Dih
Quick Summary – Main points and takeaways
- Unusual Origins: Obama Have Dih began when someone combined a slowed-down section of the Arabic song “Hadal Ahbek” (Issam Alnajjar, 2020) with a 2014 Obama dancing animation. English speakers heard “Obama have dih” in the Arabic lyrics, creating the foundation for the joke.
- Rapid Growth: Multiple TikTok videos went viral in July 2025. @scuploads.4’s sped-up version reached approximately 800,000 views, while @lamppa99’s Mbappé edit achieved roughly 2 million views. These posts and others generated millions of total views and extensive sharing across platforms.
- Appeal Through Absurdity: The meme’s success comes from its complete randomness. It combines Barack Obama with soccer star Mbappé and plays on internet slang where “dih” can reference inappropriate content (Urban Dictionary), making the phrase both silly and memorable. Users found this combination entertaining, leading to thousands of comments and response videos.
- Numerous Variations: Creators quickly developed spin-offs. Popular versions include “Kindly put it in Mbappé, Obama have dih” and “Kinda gooned to Mbappé, Obama have dih.” Musicians created covers (such as SecretAsian6’s guitar version), and users adapted the format for other jokes. The template was accessible enough for widespread remixing using basic editing tools.
- Online Presence: By late July 2025, the trend remained active on TikTok (originating in the US) and had spread globally through social media. It has not appeared in official media or political contexts. Users treat it as harmless entertainment. Currently, it exists primarily within TikTok “brainrot” communities and meme compilation content.
- Uncertain Future: Research indicates that viral memes typically grow quickly but often decline just as rapidly unless new content sustains them. “Obama Have Dih” may decrease in popularity after its July peak, or it could evolve through additional remixes and references. It may remain a memorable July 2025 internet moment that future users encounter in meme retrospective videos.