Is Jake Paul the New “Punk as Fuck?”

From everyday bro to punk rock icon.
It seems each time I try, punk rock becomes harder to define. A wise man once said “Punk rock is like art.” I’m referring to punk rock aficionado and personal superhero Dan Ozzi, of course. In 2013, he published an article aptly called “Miley Cyrus Is Punk As Fuck.” It’s a good read about how the pop star had become more daring than most of the punk acts that were active at the time.
With all the buzz around YouTube personality Jake Paul over the last few days, I can’t help but be reminded of Dan’s thesis. At first I thought of the notion in jest; the sort of ironic premise you’d see in a Hard Times article. But the more I thought about it, the more the question had to be asked: Is Jake Paul the new popular sensation that’s also punk as fuck? Since Miley sold out, she had to pass the torch to someone.
Jake Paul rose to fame on the Vine platform during its prime. From there he landed a sweet gig on the Disney Channel just like our girl Miley. After Vine folded, Jake and his brother Logan were able to survive the transition over to YouTube.
He nudged himself into the mainstream spotlight on March 30 when he released his music video for “It’s Everyday Bro.” However, the scrutiny around Jake began on July 17 when news station KTLA aired a story about how Jake’s crazy antics had been upsetting his neighbors. It involves him setting furniture on fire and pulling stunts you would find on a poor man’s Jackass.
After watching that video most people would see some spoiled rich kid making poor decisions in the public eye, a la Justin Bieber. I’ll admit on the surface, punk would be the last thing you’d think of when looking at Jake.
A young, rich Disney Channel alum from suburban Ohio with good looks and a seemingly endless bankroll hardly screams ‘smash the state.’ Let’s dig a little deeper through the news piece and you’ll find he has the makings to be the next Avril Lavigne.
First off, the dude is into more vintage trends than your local record store hipster. In the video, after he refers to his fans as “Jake Paulers”, he proceeds to dab. That meme was so cool back in 2015, but then it quickly lived out its life span to be declared a dead meme by the end of 2016.
The more out of style the better, though, because right after the dabbing he then executes a classic “what are those” meme referring to the reporter’s shoes. He’s keeping the spirit of past memes alive. Just like a modern-day pop-punk band peddling their album on cassette, Jake knows what his fans want.
We all know that punk isn’t just trends though. It’s also about bucking societies rules that are shoved down your throat! Check out the video around the 2-minute mark and you’ll see Jake breaking down the walls as he climbs atop a news van.
Seriously, that part is so ridiculous it’s parallel to this clip from “The Young Ones.”
But don’t think the P-Dawg, as I call him, has just been sponging off of the scene like a leech. He also contributes. Check out the music video for his smash hit, “It’s Everyday Bro”.
Oh man, that is shitty-awesome. Not only did I learn that England is a city, but also that this song has been steadily hanging in the top 10 most disliked videos on YouTube. Hated and proud couldn’t be more fitting here.
But tell me, what could make a person more punk than producing shitty music? Just put on any Crass album and you’ll see where I’m coming from. If that’s not your bag of tea just listen to ANYTHING put out by Sid Vicious and he’s the punkest dude ever. The people at Hot Topic told me so.
Jake Paul definitely hasn’t forgotten the struggle or the streets either. He rolls with a massive crew called Team 10 and his neighbors have been quoted, stating Jake has created a “War Zone”. I knew deep down he was a big RayBeez fan.
So after looking over all this information in the proper context it’s almost impossible not to think Jake Paul is punk as fuck. What other person do you know that is incredibly popular, makes shitty music, and doesn’t care how many people hate him? Is he the second coming of GG Allin?
Just like Miley, He can’t stop. He won’t stop. With his army of Paulers, there’s no ebbing his flow. I can only hope he’ll give mercy on the smaller bands in the scene that are trying to carve out their little space. But chances are Jake Paul will release 2 albums and then fade into obscurity like any credible 2000s hardcore band.
