# Built Different "Built Different" is a catchphrase and TikTok trend where people ironically claim they possess superhuman abilities or could single-handedly change the course of history. The phrase originated in sports culture around 2015 as a sincere compliment, but by mid-2020, TikTokers flipped it into a comedic format where creators boast about absurdly impossible feats while listing fake credentials. ## Origin The earliest known use of "built different" traces back to a March 8, 2015 tweet from American comedian Kevin Hart[2]. From there, the phrase caught on in the sports world as a way to hype up exceptional athletes. NBA player Hassan Whiteside used it in an April 29, 2016 tweet to describe Miami Heat teammate Dwyane Wade's performance during the 2016 NBA Eastern Conference Finals[2]. The first ironic twist came from Twitter user isafrommars on April 28, 2019, in a tweet that picked up almost 80,000 likes over the following year[2]. On July 3, 2019, Twitter user YesImRhymeSkeme retweeted a Movie Details post calling Disney "built different" for assembling old recordings of Mr. Potato Head's late voice actor for Toy Story 4. That retweet blew up to over 760,000 likes and 110,000 retweets[2]. - **Platform:** Twitter (phrase origin), TikTok (meme format) - **Creator:** Kevin Hart (earliest known use of phrase), woahryann (earliest known TikTok format) - **Date:** 2015 (phrase), 2020 (meme trend) ## Overview "Built Different" started as a straightforward compliment in sports and fitness circles, used to say someone operates on another level compared to their peers. The phrase implies a person is fundamentally constructed in a way that sets them apart. On Urban Dictionary, definitions range from being "on a completely different plane of existence" to outperforming "societal norms and expectations to an almost superhuman level"[3]. The meme version took this concept and cranked it to absurd extremes. In the TikTok format, creators film themselves confidently claiming they could have prevented major historical tragedies or solved impossible problems, often set to hard-hitting music. Comment sections would then rate the person's fictional abilities using a standardized list of descriptors, with "Built: Different" as the top-tier label[2]. ## How It Spread The phrase made its leap to TikTok in early July 2020. On July 9, TikToker woahryann uploaded what appears to be the earliest Built Different TikTok video, joking about how he would personally stop the TikTok ban[2]. The video was set to AzChike's "Burn Rubber Again" Remix feat. ALMIGHTYSUSPECT and pulled in over 197,700 likes within a month[2]. The format snowballed through late July. On July 27, TikToker braden.bruv posted a video under the hashtag #builtdifferent claiming he could have prevented Lincoln's assassination, earning over 23,500 likes in two weeks[2]. Two days later, aj.king02 added a twist by including fake credentials in the video text, and that version racked up over 89,400 likes in 13 days[2]. The same day, michaelpaster posted another popular take that hit over 142,900 likes in under two weeks[2]. As the trend rolled into August 2020, the comment sections developed their own meta-game. Viewers would rate each creator using a checklist of descriptors, and "Built: Different" sat at the top as the ultimate compliment[2]. StayHipp covered the trend as it picked up steam across the platform[1]. ## How to Use The Built Different format typically follows a simple recipe: 1. Film yourself looking confident, usually with dramatic lighting or a tough-guy pose 2. Add text claiming you could have prevented or solved a famous historical disaster, crisis, or impossible situation 3. Optionally list absurd "credentials" or qualifications (the more ridiculous, the better) 4. Set the video to a hard bass track or hype music 5. In the comment section, viewers rate the creator with descriptors like "Built: Different," "Built: Not Like Other Girls," or "Built: Ford Tough" ## Cultural Impact Built Different crossed over from TikTok into broader internet slang fairly quickly. The phrase became a go-to caption on Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit for anyone doing something impressive or, more often, something impressively stupid. Sports commentators and gaming streamers adopted it as genuine praise, while meme pages used it almost exclusively for ironic purposes. The phrase also picked up traction as marketing language. Brands and influencers started using "built different" in product descriptions and social media bios, usually playing on the meme's mix of genuine hype and self-aware absurdity. ## Fun Facts - Kevin Hart's 2015 tweet is the earliest documented use of the exact phrase "built different," though similar expressions existed in Black sports culture before that[2]. - The Mr. Potato Head / Disney retweet is one of the highest-engagement tweets associated with the phrase, with over 760,000 likes[2]. - The TikTok trend's peak coincided with fears about a potential TikTok ban in the US, which became one of the first "Built Different" video topics[2]. - Urban Dictionary entries for the phrase lean heavily into the hyperbolic humor, with one definition involving a courtroom scenario where a judge dismisses charges because the defendant is "just built different"[3]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Built Different? "Built Different" is a phrase meaning someone is uniquely superior or operates on another level. It started as a sincere sports compliment and became an ironic TikTok trend in mid-2020 where creators claim superhuman abilities[2]. ### Where did Built Different come from? The phrase first appeared in a March 8, 2015 tweet by comedian Kevin Hart and spread through sports culture before TikTokers turned it into an ironic meme format in July 2020[2]. ### What does Built Different mean? It means someone is fundamentally better or tougher than everyone else. Used sincerely, it's high praise. Used ironically (which is more common in meme context), it's a joke about claiming impossible feats[3]. ### How do you use Built Different? Film a TikTok claiming you could solve an impossible situation, add fake credentials, and set it to hype music. Alternatively, just caption any post with "built different" when someone (including yourself) does something impressive or absurd[2]. ### Is Built Different still popular? The TikTok video trend peaked in July-August 2020, but the phrase itself is still widely used as internet slang across platforms[2]. ### Who started the Built Different TikTok trend? TikToker woahryann posted the earliest known Built Different format video on July 9, 2020, joking about stopping the TikTok ban[2]. ### What song is used in Built Different TikToks? The original trend used AzChike's "Burn Rubber Again" Remix feat. ALMIGHTYSUSPECT, though later videos used various hype and bass-heavy tracks[2]. ### What are the Built Different comment descriptors? Viewers would rate TikTokers in the comments with labels like "Built: Different," "Built: Ford Tough," and other humorous variations ranking the creator's fictional toughness[2]. ### How did sports culture influence the Built Different meme? The phrase was genuine sports slang before becoming a meme. NBA player Hassan Whiteside used it to describe Dwyane Wade in 2016, and it was common in basketball and football circles as sincere praise[2]. ### What's the difference between sincere and ironic Built Different? Sincere usage compliments real athletic or personal achievement. Ironic usage (the meme version) involves claiming you could have stopped the Titanic from sinking or prevented a historical assassination[2][3]. ## References 1. [StayHipp: Culture, Internet Trends, Social Media & News - stayhipp.com]() 2. [Built Different - Know Your Meme]() 3. [Meme]() 4. [Built Different - Urban Dictionary]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/built-different Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library