Im A Snake
Also known as: Slithery Little Sneaky Snake · I'm a Slippery Snake
"I'm a Snake" is a viral video meme from 2010 featuring a man in a novelty snake hat delivering a deadpan monologue about being a snake. YouTuber MattKeck uploaded the original clip on August 22, 2010, and it picked up serious traction after airing on Tosh.0 in early 20112. The audio became a go-to sound for animal videos and parodies, eventually making its way to TikTok where it found a second life as a reusable sound clip.
Overview
The meme centers on a short YouTube video where MattKeck sits in front of a camera wearing an orange and yellow snake hat with fangs and a tongue draped over his forehead. Staring blankly into the lens, he delivers a rambling, slightly lisped monologue: "I'm a snake. I'm a slithery little sneaky snake. I'm so slithery and sneaky cause I'm a snake. Slithering in your garden, catching me a mouse. Look into my eyes, jungle book, I'm a slippery hypnotist snake..."1. The humor comes from the total commitment to the bit. There's no punchline, no wink at the camera. Just a guy in a snake hat insisting he's a snake.
The audio clip became the real engine of the meme. People layer it over footage of cats, dogs, or anything snake-like, and the monotone delivery works as both a goofy voiceover and an oddly compelling piece of absurdist comedy.
MattKeck uploaded the original "I'm A Snake" video to his YouTube channel on August 22, 20101. The video is simple: MattKeck sits in what appears to be a bedroom, wearing a plush snake hat that sits on top of his head. He looks directly into the camera and speaks in a flat, slightly lisped voice about being a snake, weaving in references to slithering through gardens, catching mice, and hypnotizing people like Kaa from The Jungle Book. The video has since accumulated over 28 million views, 193,000 likes, and 13,000 dislikes on YouTube1.
Origin & Background
How It Spread
Media
How to Use This Meme
The most common way people use "I'm a Snake" is as an audio overlay. Take footage of a pet, person, or object moving in a vaguely snake-like way, then layer the original audio on top. Cats slinking across floors, dogs squirming through grass, or even people army-crawling tend to work well with the clip.
The catchphrase also works as a standalone text reference. Typing "I'm a slithery little sneaky snake" in comments or chat is typically used when someone is being sneaky, deceptive, or just doing something low-key shady. On TikTok, the sound is used directly through the platform's duet and stitch features, letting creators lip-sync or react alongside the audio.
For parodies, the format follows MattKeck's template: wear a novelty animal hat, stare at the camera, and describe being that animal in a flat, committed voice. The "I'm a Spider!" parody established this formula early on.
Cultural Impact
Fun Facts
MattKeck's original video sat at a modest view count until the Tosh.0 appearance blew it up in January 2011.
The monologue includes a Jungle Book reference ("look into my eyes, jungle book") comparing himself to Kaa, the hypnotic python from the Disney film.
Urban Dictionary has a separate, unrelated entry for "I'm Friggin' Snake" that describes a Metal Gear Solid play style where someone runs through every room blasting enemies instead of using stealth.
The TikTok sound name "immaslipperysnakiesnake" is itself a mashup of catchphrases from the video.
Derivatives & Variations
"I'm a Spider!"
— A 2011 parody by YouTuber Victor & Dave Nelms-Acord, using a spider hat and the same deadpan delivery style. Over 237,000 views[1].
Caddy Plays song remix
— A December 2013 musical remix that turned the monologue into an auto-tuned song, reaching 353,000+ views[1].
TikTok animal videos
— Hundreds of clips pairing the audio with pets acting snake-like, with mayanflo's cat video being the most popular at 574,000+ likes[1].
Gaming references
— Players in games like Battlefield reference the meme while crawling or using stealth mechanics[1].
Frequently Asked Questions
References (4)
- 1Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eaterencyclopedia
- 2I'm a Snake - Urban Dictionarydictionary
- 3I'm a Snake - Know Your Memeencyclopedia
- 4Urban Dictionary: I'm a snakedictionary