# Crying Nae Nae > Crying Nae Nae is a June 2018 emoji copypasta featuring Unicode dancers performing the Nae Nae with sad faces, paired with depressing lyrics or existential text for contrast. Crying Nae Nae is an emoji copypasta from June 2018 where Unicode characters are arranged to depict a figure performing the Nae Nae dance, but with a crying or sad face instead of a happy one. The format pairs these mournful emoji dancers with depressing lyrics, existential thoughts, or incongruously somber song quotes, creating a contrast between the upbeat dance and bleak text. It spread rapidly on Twitter over roughly two weeks before burning out as a short-lived but well-loved micro-format. ## Origin The earliest known Crying Nae Nae appeared on June 14, 2018, posted by the Twitter account Barstool Old Dominion[2]. That first version featured sad-faced emoji figures arranged in the Nae Nae pose alongside lyrics from "Africa" by Toto. The post picked up modest traction, earning more than five retweets and 30 likes within ten days[2]. - **Platform:** Twitter - **Creator:** Barstool Old Dominion (original poster) - **Date:** 2018 ## Overview The Crying Nae Nae takes the familiar emoji recreation of the Nae Nae dance and swaps the usual celebratory vibe for sadness. The emoji figures are arranged in a multi-line text block that visually mimics someone hitting the Nae Nae, but their faces show tears or distress[2]. The text surrounding them features sad song lyrics, melancholy quotes, or darkly funny existential statements, producing a comedic mismatch between a party dance and emotional devastation[1]. Recreating the Nae Nae in emoji form was already a known practice on Twitter following Silento's 2015 hit "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)," which brought the dance into the mainstream[1]. The Crying Nae Nae twist added an emotional layer that fit neatly into late-2010s internet humor, where pairing upbeat formats with depressive content was a popular comedic move. ## How It Spread The format caught on quickly once other Twitter users started swapping in their own lyrics. On June 19, 2018, user @robeeaquino posted a variation with the lyrics "Ring ring goes the telephone. There's no one home. Operator. We have a problem," pulling in over 690 retweets and 1,500 likes within a week[2]. The next day, @ufobri posted a version with the text "you ever wake up and wish you hadn't," hitting 950 retweets and 2,700 likes in under a week[2]. Then on June 23, @GGFrosteX paired the crying emoji with John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads," and that version blew up with more than 5,700 retweets and 17,000 likes in just three days[2]. Two days later, on June 25, 2018, Mashable published an article officially dubbing the format the "Crying Nae Nae," noting it had "everything a meme needs these days: emojis, suspense, and plenty of wide-ranging emotions"[1]. By that point, the format had largely run its course as a trend, though individual posts kept appearing sporadically. ## How to Use The Crying Nae Nae format typically follows a simple pattern: 1. Copy the standard emoji Nae Nae figure arrangement (a multi-line block of emoji depicting a dancing figure with arms raised). 2. Replace the happy face emoji with a crying or sad face. 3. Add sad, dramatic, or incongruously emotional text around or above the emoji figure. Song lyrics work especially well, particularly from songs that aren't typically associated with dancing. ## Cultural Impact Mashable's June 2018 coverage framed the Crying Nae Nae as a perfect distillation of internet humor at the time, combining "existential dread" with silly emoji art[1]. The format fit into a broader 2018 trend of depression memes and sad-but-funny content that was popular across Twitter and Instagram. While short-lived, it demonstrated how quickly a simple emoji remix could spread when it hit the right emotional note. ## Fun Facts - The original Crying Nae Nae used "Africa" by Toto, a song that was itself experiencing a meme renaissance in 2018[2]. - The Nae Nae emoji (without the crying) had been a common Twitter format since at least 2015[1]. - Mashable coined the name "Crying Nae Nae" in their coverage, trademarking it jokingly with a ™ symbol[1]. - The most viral single tweet used John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads," earning over 17,000 likes in three days[2]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Crying Nae Nae? Crying Nae Nae is an emoji copypasta where text characters and emoji are arranged to look like a figure performing the Nae Nae dance but with a sad or crying face, paired with melancholy lyrics or bleak statements[2]. ### Where did Crying Nae Nae come from? The first known instance was posted on June 14, 2018, by the Twitter account Barstool Old Dominion, featuring sad emoji dancers with lyrics from "Africa" by Toto[2]. ### What does Crying Nae Nae mean? It plays on the contrast between an upbeat party dance and emotional pain, fitting into the broader trend of depression humor and existential meme content popular in 2018[1]. ### How do you use Crying Nae Nae? Copy the emoji Nae Nae figure layout, swap the face for a crying emoji, and add sad or dramatic text. Song lyrics that don't match the dance vibe work best[1]. ### Is Crying Nae Nae still popular? No. The format was a short-lived Twitter trend concentrated almost entirely within two weeks of June 2018[2]. It burned bright and fast. ### What song was used in the original Crying Nae Nae? The first post featured lyrics from "Africa" by Toto, which was also a popular meme subject in 2018[2]. ### Which Crying Nae Nae tweet was the most popular? A version by Twitter user @GGFrosteX using John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" earned over 5,700 retweets and 17,000 likes in three days, making it the biggest single post in the format[2]. ### Who named the Crying Nae Nae? Mashable gave it the name in their June 25, 2018 article, noting the format didn't have an official name before that[1]. ## References 1. [Finally, a meme that combines our two main interests: crying and the Nae Nae | Mashable]() 2. [Finally, a meme that combines our two main interests: crying and the Nae Nae | Mashable]() 3. [Crying Nae Nae - Know Your Meme]() 4. [Park Ji-hoon]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/crying-nae-nae Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library