Welcome to Atlanta, Where the Viral Internet Is Born

Black creators make the viral hits, but struggle to command the same attention and money as White creators in Los Angeles

Taylor Lorenz has made reporting on internet culture for the New York Times an enviable gig. She’s covered the petty dramas of L.A.-based influencers and their work-live situations in mega-mansions across the Southland, and the deals these predominately White creators bring to their respective collab houses, even under quarantine.

But Black influencers and creators in Atlanta have long been a juggernaut of the industry, responsible for some of the biggest viral hits of recent memory, including the Renegade, “Old Town Road,” and memorable trending challenges on TikTok. But not only have these creators not gotten the same attention as their White counterparts in L.A., but they’re also not making nearly as much money. “Despite creating and driving many of the internet’s biggest trends, Black creators receive fewer brand deals and are consistently paid less than their white peers,” writes Lorenz.

Lorenz profiles several collab houses in Atlanta where the young entrepreneurs are fighting for funding and representation, while White creators co-opt their work:

Creators of color have seen this sort of discrimination from brands for years. Accounts like @InfluencerPayGap call attention to the pay disparities between Black and white influencers. Black…