What are we doing here?
I am intimately interested in memes and how they impact our lives. Everything from nation-state propaganda to silly jokes on Twitter are memes in my mind, and I want to talk to the creators of those memes and get some insight into how/why/what they are doing. With NFTs we can now capture the financial value generated by memes and although people still make memes for fun I firmly believe that this will create an entirely new asset class for the digital age. My goal is to meet, learn and evaluate memers I come across on Twitter. Maybe it’ll spark an idea for someone or it could simply just be entertaining to read. In any case, I think the journey for memes has just begun and I want a good seat for the ride.
Note on why I chose this memer
When I came up with the idea to interview memers, KML was one of the first people that came to mind for a couple of reasons. First, was that we are friends so I knew there was a high chance he’d agree to answer my questions. The second was that he consistently creates banger memes. I would go as far as to say that behind Sartoshi, he’s the best mfer memer Twitter has seen. Happy to look at anyone else you think deserves this title…though I’ll be hard to convince. Okay so for those who don’t know who KML is…what are you even doing here? JK - Thanks for stopping by. Let’s dive into KML’s bio.
WHO TF IS THIS MFER?
Here are the quick facts.
Name: Kevin Lee
Online Moniker: KML
Twitter profile: https://twitter.com/kevimlee
Confirmed mfer: #3701
IRL Profession: Marketing
Crypto Status: Whale
Bio: KML is widely considered an “OG” in the mfer community due to how long he has been associated with the project. It’s also important to note that KML has contributed quite a bit to the community outside of just entertaining people with his dank memes. These contributions include but are not limited to - hosting weekly Twitter spaces, authoring “The Unofficial Mfer FAQ”, onboarding new members, and leading discussions/efforts for our treasury and IRL gatherings.
The Meets and Potatoes
Do you remember your first encounter with memes, when did you discover this was entertainment on the internet?
This is actually a hard question to answer because I've been on the internet for a while. I would say my first encounter with memes was around when YouTube started getting popular and things went "viral" -- things like Rick Roll, Chocolate Rain, I Like Turtles, etc. To be honest, I think 'true' meme culture started with 4chan. I remember cringing when memes started going mainstream. Things like 9gag, Reddit, FuckJerry... wasn't really a fan.
Do you currently enjoy memes outside of crypto Twitter? i.e. normie memes
Straight-up regular normie memes? Not really. There are some meme accounts on IG (Instagram) that I like, but they're related to specific things like advertising/media planning, art, finance, cars, or midcentury furniture.
Of your IRL relationships, who send you the most memes?
Probably my wife, mostly relationship and dog memes.
What was the first meme you made on Twitter?
I don't remember, but definitely something mfer related. I never really made memes pre-mfer.
Which of your memes is your personal favorite?
I like the ones I made for Omnimosquitoes. Those crack me up. The cereal aisle one hit the hardest, but that was actually Sartoshi's observation just repackaged.
Did making memes click instantly or did you have to research and watch youtube videos?
I just use memes to say stuff that's on my mind. Whether it's like, oh god everyone's talking about moonbirds or whatever, etc. I just put my spin on it with a meme. Sometimes I just look at meme templates and think of what I can say with them too.
What is your go-to tool for visual meme creation?
Imgflip + Sartoshi's head png. Then I just use copy paste within the Preview tool on Mac.
How do your ideas come about? What’s the inspiration?
They're just my observations and feelings around current topics and vibes. I also see memes as a way to support mfers, a little organic marketing.
Do you have a favorite meme, what is it? What about a favorite meme artist?
I don't have a favorite meme, but Sartoshi is the goat. I watch and observe what they do. Single one line hitters. Reaction videos. I want to do more video memes, but I don't know how to repost videos with my own captions on Twitter. Can someone let me know how to do that? lol
What do you think are the elements that make a “strong” meme?
My favorite memes have an element of 'iykyk'. Something oddly specific that it makes it really relatable. But I don't take meme making too seriously.
Generally speaking, do you think memes matter or are they just for fun?
Memes definitely matter. I don't take making them seriously, but as a form of communication they are amazing. Almost up there with math and music in terms of universality and speed of impact. When you see something funny, relatable, and/or insightful it's nice.
Breezy’s Take on KML’s Thoughts on Breezy’s Initial Questions
KML’s backstory with memes interests me, he doesn’t seem to have much experience delivering jokes via the internet (even admits he didn’t like early memes) so to think that he came to NFT Twitter, hung out for a hot second, and then started making fire memes consistently is quite cool. But to be fair - he is a marketing professional so you would expect him to have some experience in crafting materials that the public would like. It’s also interesting that KML’s favorite of his own memes are the ones about Omni Mosquitoes despite others being far more popular, I like to think this indicates that KML makes memes more for himself than for others. Much genuine. Another thing I want to note is that KML uses simple and free tools to create his memes - something something “its the Indian not the arrow”.
Here’s my prediction - KML will likely earn himself OG status in the NFT space, with his mfer, IRL job, and his following in the community it is almost certain so long as he sticks around. It’s unclear if KML ever goes the full memer route and begins monetizing his skill but we can expect him to continue making fire memes.
Make sure to follow KML on Twitter here!
Next I’ll be interviewing THE motherfucker, Sartoshi. So hit that subscribe button (come on it’s free) and I’ll see you next time!
Do you make memes or know someone who does and think they deserve to be featured? Let me know on Twitter! @breezy_996