Before They Were Famous

“Viva La Bama” tended to have a specific theme, mission, or challenge that would be explored throughout the length of each episode. The show wasn’t quite a cultural phenomenon, but it had a dedicated fanbase all around the world and was popular enough to last five seasons. But after the show went off the air in August of 2005, the fans of this series were left without their daily fix of stars like Ryan Dunn, not to mention Bam and his father Phil, his mother April, and his unforgettable Uncle, Don Vito. So, now that it’s been over 15-years since we last checked in with a lot of these individuals, how about we find out what they’ve been up to?

Known as not only a Rapper, but also a singer and actor, KYLE is obviously a whole lot of things – and at the very top of that list is happy. Sure, his journey to the top of the rap game hasn’t always been simple. Hell, it hasn’t always been pleasant either, but KYLE understands that in order to truly succeed in this world, you have to keep meeting everything that comes your way with a brave face and a smile. KYLE first seized the spotlight in 2017 after dropping his Lil Yachty collab, “iSpy” and from that point forward he’d continue to win over new fans with his wholesome personality and warm grin. Today, KYLE is fresh off the release of his fifth studio project titled “It’s Not So Bad” and on this new 11-track project, he’s unleashed a new version of himself known as “R&B Kyle”. Know why Kyle decided to expand his horizons to a new genre of music? Then be sure to drop those pearls of wisdom down below. As for the rest of you, stay tuned for that answer and more on our latest edition of Where Are They Now!

Ayo and Teo are two brothers from the State of Michigan who started uploading videos of themselves dancing to social media and within the span of just two years had launched a career as two of hip-hop’s youngest and brightest. Over the opening years of their career, they’d not only dance with Usher on-stage at the BET awards but in his music video for “No Limit” as well. Before long, Vogue would even be naming this pair one of the 100 most creative and riveting voices in both fashion and culture. Now, these two are hosting their own dancing series while also dropping some of the hottest tracks around. Do you guys know why they chose to popularize the use of face masks long before anyone else? If so, let us know down below before we get to it in the story! As for the rest of you, stay tuned to our newest episode of Where Are They Now!

On the Bright Side of Fame, way back when at the dawning of this current millennium, three words would change the course of reality television forever. When “Jackass” first debuted on MTV in the year 2000, no one had ever seen anything else quite like it. Not only was it rude, crude, and full of attitude, but it would also go on to become a global phenomenon, birthing stars like Steve-O, Johnny Knoxville, and Bam Margera. Three seasons of television, countless spin-offs, and numerous feature films later -- “Jackass” is still with us today and set to unleash their newest movie, “Jackass Forever”. But if you’ve been keeping an ear to the ground in anticipation of this upcoming release then you probably already know the big news – despite having been a mainstay of the series from the very beginning, star Bam Margera was fired during the production of the upcoming film. To be honest, it would become just the latest in a long line of controversies for this wild and crazy dude. Because on the Dark Side of Fame is a different story altogether and Bam’s been flirting with the shadows for nearly as long as he’s been a regular fixture on our television screens. Whether it’s his struggles with addiction, frequent arrests, or even suing his friends, Bam has always had to battle with a host of personal demons. So, what was the final straw that broke the camel’s back and why did Bam’s good friends all decide enough was enough, firing him from the one thing that meant so much to him? Keep watching our newest episode of Dark Side of Fame to find out!

In the summer of 1996, a Swedish fantasy author hired an astrological specialist to predict the future career for his newborn baby. As the Tarot cards laid out their secrets, they revealed something unexpected – the child would one day become a world-famous singer. Considering no one else in the family had any musical talent whatsoever, it seemed like a long shot. But the kid’s father decided to tell his son what the cards has said on his 18th Birthday. Only the thing is -- that kid would grow up to become the rapper Yung Lean and beat his father to it. Thanks to emotional beats and some truly emo-inspired lyrics, this European export would go viral in the early 2010s at the age of 16 with songs like “Ginseng Strip 2002” and “Hurt”. Upon his arrival on the scene, many people were left asking questions like: who the hell is this kid? And just when it seemed clear that Yung Lean was going to shut all his critics up, tragedy struck and his career was thrown into turmoil. Think you know what happened that landed him in a psych ward? Then leave your answers below before we get to it on our newest episode of Where Are They Now!

BlocBoy JB is looking to prove that he’s a superstar. This young rapper from the streets of Memphis rose to popularity after becoming an online phenomenon off the back of his “Shoot” dance from the music video of the same name. Following that up with further successes like “Rover” featuring 21 Savage and “Look Alive” alongside Drake would cement BlocBoy as a certified banger-maker. By 2018, he was appearing on XXL’s “Freshman List” and winning a BET award for the best mixtape. And yet, it would take BlocBoy a further two years before he was finally ready to release his debut studio album in 2020. Why the hold-up? And what exactly does its title “FatBoy” have to do with BlocBoy’s come-up? Think you know the answer? Then sound-off down below before we get to it in the story. As for the rest of you, stay tuned to discover the recent history of one of your favorite rappers on our newest episode of Where Are They Now!

Ever since he hit the big-time in 1994 with “Ace Venture: Pet Detective”, Jim Carrey has brought in over $3 Billion in box-office revenue. This incredible singular success is even all the more impressive when you take into consideration the border-line poverty-stricken background he emerged from. The youngest of four children, Jim would spend his teenaged years working as a janitor along with the entire rest of his family as everyone pitched in to ensure that the family could make ends meet. So, how did he go from cleaning toilets at a tire factory to becoming one of the richest celebrities on the planet? Well, if you already know the answer, leave your thoughts down below. As for the rest of you, keep watching to find out that answer and more on our latest episode of Before They Were Famous!

Modern-day New York socialite, Julia Fox, has been using her past couple of years in the spotlight to totally re-write the story of her life. This young woman was born across the ocean in Europe and only moved Stateside when she was six years old. A little over 20-years-later and she’s officially become one of the most high-profile celebrities in the country, especially after news broke that she and Kanye West were sailing the seas of romance. Since then it’s been an endless series of photo shoots, interviews, and countless nights out with her brand-new beau. Of course, for Julia, being constantly on the go is nothing new. After all, once she landed on the shores of the US, she and her father would move around constantly. By the time her teenage years were wrapping up, Julia had found numerous ways to provide for herself, including selling her own undergarments on the street as well as working a side-hustle as a dominatrix!

California-bred and Portland-based rapper YEAT has always believed himself destined for a career in music, so it’s no surprise that his sugary, auto-tuned melodies, distinctive vocals, and wild production choices have allowed him to flourish over the past few years. After dropping two albums in 2021, not to mention a truly astounding number of singles, YEAT is finally seeing the type of acknowledgment he’s long been searching for. Whether it’s Drake or Lil Yachty, ask anyone in the know and they’ll tell you YEAT is up next. But where did he come from? And how did he come up with that strange name? Think you know the answer? Then prove how big a fan of YEAT’s you are by leaving your thoughts down below before we get to it in the video. As for the rest of you, stay tuned to Before They Were Famous!

Native New Yorker, Kai Cenat knows better than to hold anything back when it comes to his comedy content. As one of the six members of YouTube comedy group AMP, he’s not only seen immense success as a collaborator but as a solo act as well. For Cenat, it’s the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Like many kids in Gen-Z, Kai grew up watching YouTubers and started regularly posting content of his own around 2018. That was when he was still at the tail-end of high school. By the time he was off to college, Cenat had a decision to make; stay in school and complete his degree or make content creation his full-time job. As you might imagine, it wasn’t that hard of a choice. Kai said good-bye to college and hello to a subscriber count in the seven-figure range. Do any of you know what college Kai dropped out of? If so, leave the name in the comments down below before we get to it! As for the rest of you, keep watching our newest episode of Before They Were Famous for that answer and a whole bunch more!