# 9 10 21 > 9 + 10 = 21 is a 2013 Vine video meme featuring a young boy confidently answering "What's 9 + 10?" with the incorrect punchline "21. "9 + 10 = 21" is a viral meme originating from a 2013 Vine video in which a young boy confidently answers the math problem "What's 9 + 10?" with "21" instead of the correct answer, 19[1]. The clip spread rapidly through Vine remixes, YouTube compilations, and music mashups before experiencing a massive resurgence in September 2021, when the calendar date 9/10/21 aligned with the meme's punchline[3]. It's one of the most iconic Vine-era memes and a staple of early 2010s internet humor. ## Origin The original Vine was uploaded on June 22, 2013, by users @DREHUPEMSU and @WESTROSECRAN[1]. The short clip featured what appears to be an older person filming a younger boy, asking him the simple math question. Within its lifetime on Vine, the post pulled in over 30 million loops, 707,000 likes, and 605,000 revines[4]. The child in the video, whose real identity was never publicly confirmed, became known online simply as "The 21 Kid"[4]. The raw, unpolished quality of the clip gave it a feeling of genuine candid humor rather than a scripted skit[2]. - **Platform:** Vine - **Creator:** @DREHUPEMSU / @WESTROSECRAN (original Vine posters) - **Date:** 2013 ## Overview The meme centers on a short Vine clip where an off-camera person tells a young boy "you stupid." When the boy protests, he's asked to prove otherwise by solving a basic math problem: "What's 9 + 10?" The boy answers "21" with complete confidence, prompting the questioner to repeat: "You stupid"[4]. The humor comes from the kid's unshakable certainty in his wrong answer and the blunt punchline[2]. The audio clip, the phrase "21," and still frames from the video all became independently memeable, spreading far beyond Vine to become a universal internet joke about getting something obviously wrong[5]. ## How It Spread The first notable remix on Vine came from user BRUH, which racked up over 7.14 million loops, 185,000 likes, and 145,000 revines[4]. The soundbite "21" became a standalone punchline within the Vine community, dropped into countless other skits as the answer to any question[2]. After the original Vine was deleted, the video was re-uploaded to YouTube on July 7, 2014, by Alondra Morelos, and again on July 9 by YouTuber Shadow Subscribe[4]. By December 2014, those uploads had collected 5.7 million and 3.7 million views respectively[4]. On August 29, 2014, YouTube user SwiftStar352 uploaded a trap remix blending the "21" audio with Bobby Shmurda's hit "Hot Nigga," which reached 14.6 million views before being taken down[4]. On October 13, 2014, the parody site Huzlers published a fake article claiming "The 21 Kid" had gone missing, complete with a fabricated goodbye note[1]. The hoax fooled enough people that discussions popped up on message boards like IGN[4]. The original Vine poster responded with a video featuring a photo of the kid, confirming he was fine[1]. Years later, on October 3, 2020, YouTuber WavyWebSurf posted a deep-dive into the hoax that pulled over 3.7 million views[4]. The meme saw a major resurgence in summer 2019, with new edits flooding Twitter, iFunny, and Instagram[1]. On April 4, 2019, a "Not Funny, Didn't Laugh" edit using a still from the Vine was uploaded to YouTube[4]. On July 1, Twitter user @Timotainment posted a version featuring Donkey Kong, gaining over 413,000 views and 46,100 likes in a month[4]. ## How to Use The meme typically works in a few ways: 1. **The audio drop**: Use the "21" soundbite as a punchline in video edits. Someone asks a question with an obvious answer, and the clip plays "21" instead. 2. **The text format**: Post "9 + 10 = 21" or just "21" as a response to someone getting something obviously wrong. It signals confident incorrectness. 3. **The reaction image**: Use a still frame of the kid from the Vine as a reaction to bad math, flawed logic, or anyone being wrong with total conviction[5]. 4. **The calendar reference**: On September 10 of any year ending in 21, post memes linking the date to the original clip[3]. ## Cultural Impact The meme broke out of internet spaces in several ways. The September 10, 2021, "Judgement Day" event turned a single Vine clip into a coordinated internet holiday, with the hashtag #nineten21 trending on Twitter and meme pages across platforms participating in synchronized celebrations[4]. The meme is frequently cited as one of the defining clips of the Vine era, alongside "Why you always lyin'" and "Do it for the Vine"[2]. The 2020 WavyWebSurf video investigating the Huzlers hoax introduced the meme's backstory to a YouTube audience years after Vine's shutdown, collecting over 3.7 million views[4]. The meme is popular especially within the gaming community and among Millennials and Gen Z audiences between ages 12 and 30[5]. ## Fun Facts - The Huzlers hoax article about the "21 Kid" going missing in October 2014 was convincing enough to spark real concern on gaming forums like IGN[4]. - UK users joked on September 10, 2021, that they were safe from "Judgement Day" because the British date format (10/9/21) doesn't match the meme[3]. - The original Vine was deleted at some point, but the audio and video lived on through YouTube re-uploads and Vine compilations[4]. - On September 10, 2021, many social media users changed their profile pictures to the 21 Kid as a coordinated tribute[4]. - The meme's audio crossed at least four major platforms in its lifetime: Vine, YouTube, Twitter/Instagram, and TikTok[2]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is 9 + 10 = 21? It's a viral meme based on a 2013 Vine video where a young boy confidently answers the math problem "What's 9 + 10?" with "21" instead of the correct answer, 19[1]. ### Where did 9 + 10 = 21 come from? The original Vine was posted on June 22, 2013, by users @DREHUPEMSU and @WESTROSECRAN. It showed a boy being asked a simple math question and answering incorrectly[1]. ### What does 9 + 10 = 21 mean? The meme is used to joke about confident incorrectness. Saying "21" signals that someone is completely wrong but totally sure of themselves[5]. ### How do you use the 9 + 10 = 21 meme? You can use the audio as a punchline in video edits, post "21" as a reply to someone being wrong, or share a still frame from the Vine as a reaction image[2]. ### Is 9 + 10 = 21 still popular? The meme is a classic of the Vine era. It saw its biggest resurgence on September 10, 2021, when the date 9/10/21 aligned with its punchline, and it's still recognized widely online[3]. ### Who is the 21 Kid? The child's real identity was never publicly confirmed. He's known simply as "The 21 Kid" online[4]. ### What happened with the Huzlers hoax? In October 2014, the parody site Huzlers published a fake article claiming the 21 Kid had gone missing. It fooled many people before the original Vine poster confirmed the kid was safe[1]. ### Why was September 10, 2021, called "Judgement Day"? The date 9/10/21 contains the same numbers as the meme (9 + 10 = 21). Social media users jokingly treated it as an apocalyptic event[3]. ### What was the @twentyonecount Twitter account? A Twitter account that started in January 2021, posting daily countdowns to September 10, 2021. It gained over 98,000 followers before the big day[4]. ### Did the meme get music remixes? Yes. The most popular was a trap mashup with Bobby Shmurda's "Hot Nigga" by SwiftStar352, which hit 14.6 million views on YouTube before being taken down[4]. ## References 1. [9+10 – Meaning, Origin, Usage]() 2. [A Full History of the '9 + 10 = 21' Internet Meme]() 3. [9/10/21 meme explained: What is happening today?]() 4. [9 + 10 = 21 - Know Your Meme]() 5. [Internet meme]() 6. [9 + 10 = 21 - Urban Dictionary]() 7. ["9 + 10 = 21": Memes, Explanation, Meaning, Definiton - Bedeutung Online]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/9-10-21 Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library