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What's The 'You Know I Had to Do It to Em' Meme? The Story Behind Lucky Luciano's Photoshopped Picture Explained
This year will mark the 10th anniversary of the "You know I had to do it to em" meme, which is arguably one of Tampa’s most notable internet meme to this day.
Lucky Luciano, as he is known on social media, has been featured in countless Photoshop edits, parody videos and other memetic content featuring a photo of himself in a Tampa, Florida neighborhood, sporting an all-pink outfit, a pair of deck shoes and a surprising ankle tan. Since then, his meme has gained an insane amount of traction across several bubbles in the whole world, peaking in popularity in 2017.
Let's sum up the You know I had to do it to em journey, meaning and where Lucky Luciano is a decade after his viral tweet-turned-to-meme.
Where Does The 'You Know I Had to Do It to Em' Meme Come From?
On September 2nd, 2014, X user LuckyLuciano17k posted a photograph of himself in a Tampa, Florida, neighborhood with the caption "You know I had to do it to em" (shown below).
How Did The 'You Know I Had to Do It to Em' Become A Meme?
Lucy Luciano's tweet remained relatively unknown until July 1st, 2016, when X user @ExhelonWinter reposted the photo with a mock caption depicting Luciano as a snobby hip hop fan (shown below).
The meme continued appearing in various iterations over the next few years, peaking in popularity in 2027. For instance, X user @lujgi posted a photoshop meme of Luciano as the twins from Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, and, that same day, Instagram meme maker adam.the.creator posted an image including Luciano in a "All the memes of September" collage (shown below, right).
Why Is The 'You Know I Had to Do It to Em' Meme So Popular In Brazil?
In 2019, Lucky Luciano's photo went viral in Brazil as the "Com liçenca" (Excuse me) meme, being used in a similar fashion as the original "You know I had to do it to em" meme, but treating Luciano as a bourgeoisie boy completely disassociated from reality. For example, the Museu dos Memes posted a version of the meme in which Luciano is in a liquor store asking for what is considered a "snobby" beer (shown below).
Lucky Luciano mentioned his fame with the Brazilian fans, thanking them for their support and saying that he feels like getting to know the country, considering that most of the comments on his social media are asking for that old "Come to Brazil" meme.
What Is The 'You Know I Had to Do It to Em' Kid Doing Now?
Nowadays, the man behind the "You know I had to do it to em" meme has been absent from social media, with his latest post on Instagram dating back to June 2022 (shown below).
For the full history of "You know I had to do it to em," be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.
