What Is The 'Just Give Me My Money' Trend? The Viral TikTok Prank Explained

TikTok's latest "Just give me my money" prank trend has become a viral phenomenon in a matter of days with several friends and family members getting deceived, including actor Will Smith, who's involvement in the trend helped boost its popularity after his co-stars set him up.

The trend has captivated users with its simple and hilarious premise, turning into an easy light-hearted prank that everyone can partake in. Here's everything you need to know about where is the "just give me my money" trend from and how to join it.

What is The Just Give Me My Money Trend?

The "Just give me my money" TikTok trend revolves around gathering at least two people in a line or circle, taking turns shouting the phrase “Just give me my money” in an exaggerated and filled with gestures-manner. The twist comes when a chosen victim delivers the line only to be met with a loud and awkward silence instead of the expected cheers (seen below, left).

The blend of humor, simplicity and funny reactions from the ones involved in the prank makes it engaging for others to watch the thousands of videos posted in less than a week since the trend went viral. For example, on August 2nd, TikTok user @ivannamunoz5 did the prank with her family (seen below, right), amassing more than 14 million plays in just four days.

Who Created The Just Give Me My Money Trend?

The origin of the trend is a mix of other viral memes and even references to a 2000s movie. The most likely beginning of the trend dates back to January 2021. During a livestream with rapper DreamDoll, Kai Cenat introduced the phrase "Just give me my money" to the rapper, which resembles a scene from the 2002 film Paid in Full. In the movie, the phrase is repeated several times, being the core idea of the trend (seen below, left).

American streamer Lacy alleged he and streamer Stableronaldo were the ones who coined "just give me my money" as a prank in early August 2024. He posted a video on his TikTok (seen below, right) detailing the chronological order of how they started the prank.

How To Join The Just Give Me My Money TikTok Trend?

The way the "Just give me my money" TikTok trend works is fairly easy and accessible, unlike some trends that require elaborate plans, tools and specific skills to perform. To participate, gather a small group of friends and a single victim who is unaware of the rules and likely one who hasn't watched any of the viral videos related to the prank on social media. Each person will take turns saying "Just give me my money" and will be rewarded with cheers and an enthusiastic round of applause from the group, except the victim. TikTok user @thetomscanlon explains how to do the trend here:

For the full history of the "Just give me my money" trend, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.