logo
Nepo babies humble brag about status and generational wealth in viral 'holy airball' TikTok trend - and guess who their famous parents really are?

Nepo babies humble brag about status and generational wealth in viral 'holy airball' TikTok trend - and guess who their famous parents really are?

Daily Mail​2 days ago

Nepo babies have really been in the hot seat over the last year - and now rather than rebuffing the identity, they are bragging about it.
In a new online trend, the offspring of the rich and famous are making their celebrity-heir status known thanks to the basketball term 'air ball' - a missed basket.
Among the nepo babies jumping on the trend are Ava Phillippe, the daughter of Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, Francesca Scorsese and Jackson 5 star Randy Jackson's daughter Zoë.
But perhaps winning the trend is Alianna Thiam - given that her dad Akon sings on the track being overlaid on the clips, Soul Survivor.
The clips show the nepo babies turn the joke on you for making an 'airball' - a very wrong, and seriously underestimated, assumption about what their parents do for work.
From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop.
Taking to TikTok, Senegalese-American singer Akon's daughter Alianna shared a picture of himself with the caption: 'Told him my dad was in the music industry.'
In the next slide, Alianna could be seen taking a mirror selfie in a lavish apartment as she added a caption with her hypothetical date's response: 'He said "Oh like a manager?"'
In a mic drop moment, Alianna's final slide is a sweet picture of her hugging her famous father. Holyfknairball was hashtagged to call out the date's conversational missed basket.
Meanwhile Reese's daughter Ava shared a selfie writing: 'I told him my mom's a lawyer. '
The next snap showed Ava and her mum on the set of the iconic film Legally Blonde, with the hypothetical person's very incorrect response mistakenly assuming she means an actual lawyer.
The caption on the clip reads 'He said "Oh what firm does she work at?",' and the third slide is the movie poster of Legally Blonde with 'air ball' written over the top.
'Her law degree may not be real... but she did go to Stanford for a bit,' Ava captioned the post.
Next up was American Idol judge Randy Jackson's daughter Zoë who put her own spin on the trend by leaving it ambiguous as to what kind of judge he is.
'Her law degree may not be real... but she did go to Stanford for a bit,' Ava captioned the post
'I told him my dad was a judge,' she said in the first clip, writing in the second: 'He said "Cool! At which court"' She then added a snap of her dad on the talent show.
'It's gonna be a YES for me Dawg,' Zoë captioned her take.
And Academy Award-winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese's daughter Francesca also got in on the action - saying she was 'told to do this trend'.
'I told him "My dad is a filmmaker". He said "Oh nice like for commercials or something?",' before dropping a photo of the iconic director.
The term nepo baby was coined by a Twitter user in 2022 who was shocked to learn their favourite actress had famous parents.
It sparked a fierce debate on whether the children of the rich and famous have been getting an unfair leg up.
But the nepo baby path to fame doesn't always run smooth, with many forced to try their hand at several showbiz careers until they find one that sticks.
In stark contrast to the air ball trend, some celebrity offspring have taken issue with being branded as such, with TV presenting duo Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan's daughter Chloe going as far as to call the phrase a 'dirty word'.
Phoenix Brown, the daughter of Spice Girl Mel B, also recently slammed the 'febrile and poisonous' debate around nepo babies' success in the entertainment industry.
She made headlines when she hosted an art exhibition only for it to be a ruse as part of a documentary on nepo babies.
'It's gonna be a YES for me Dawg,' Zoë captioned her take
Daughter of Spice Girl Mel B, Phoenix Brown, 25, is fronting Channel 4 documentary Born in the Limelight - Nepo Babies: Untold, which first aired in October, and returns to screens again next Thursday.
In the documentary Phoenix pretends to reinvent herself as an artist, using her mother's name to stage an exhibition. She sells a painting for £2,000 - but an experts admits that without her famous name it would only be worth £30.
But despite admitting that having Mel B as her mum has 'opened doors', Phoenix warns that the levels of 'hate' for nepo babies has never been so high following public obsession with the concept.
Meanwhile Brooklyn Beckham's rise to nepo baby success comes after years of being the butt off the joke as he tried to launch various showbiz careers.
The eldest child of David and Victoria Beckham has taken jibes in the past over his career changes, having first tried to follow in his footballer father's steps before becoming an aspiring photographer and trying his hand at becoming a chef.
In 2017, the then-aspiring photographer released a book named What I See. While in 2020, he was also said to have signed to a major modelling agency, after receiving criticism over his photography.
Speaking to Grazia in November, Brooklyn addressed the nepo baby criticism, as he said: 'Obviously I am one. But I couldn't help how I was born, at all.'
While he understands why the public can feel irked by nepo babies, Brooklyn said he tries to ignore the 'rubbish' people say rather than dwell on it.
He added: 'There's always going to be people that say rubbish. But as long as you do something that makes you happy and you're kind to people, that's all that matters. I'm always gonna get it, no matter what I do. And I'm fine with that. It makes me work harder, because I'm like, I'm gonna prove these people wrong.'
When Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban 's daughter Sunday Rose, 16, made her catwalk debut for MiuMiu it didn't get quite the breathless reception the brand was expecting.
The teenager's 'stomping' went viral on social media, with people critiquing her style and saying that she looked like a 'petulant child'.
Her country singer father Keith, 57, jumped to her defence, and told People Magazine he is 'very proud' of his teen daughter but wants to protect her.
Kate Moss's half-sister Lottie has also declared she is 'sick of people blaming nepotism for why they aren't rich and famous or successful'.
Lottie signed with Storm Management when she was just 14 years old and threw herself into modelling, but decided to quit photoshoots for OnlyFans in 2021.
Amid a storm of nepo baby criticism in 2022, Lottie said: 'I'm so sick of people blaming nepotism for why they aren't rich and famous or successful - obviously it's not fair that people who come from famous families are getting a leg up because of that but guess what?
'Life isn't fair - if you put your mind to something you can accomplish anything! So instead of being negative about other people's success go and try and create your own!'
And while it was always her ambition to follow in her parents Richard and Judy's footsteps and go into television, Chloe Madeley revealed she 'hates' being branded a nepo baby - and went as far as to describe it as a 'dirty word'.
Speaking to Olivia Attwood on the latest episode of her podcast, So Wrong It's Right, Chloe said she finds it hard when people criticise her for being a child of nepotism.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Shakira's world tour in turmoil after singer cancels SIX shows... leaving fans outraged
Shakira's world tour in turmoil after singer cancels SIX shows... leaving fans outraged

Daily Mail​

time22 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Shakira's world tour in turmoil after singer cancels SIX shows... leaving fans outraged

Shakira is currently in hot water with her fans after cancelling a sixth show on her sold-out Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran world tour. Reasons for the multiple cancellations have included hospitalization, safety issues, and technical difficulties. The Colombian singer, 48, recently axed three shows in three days, with the most recent being for a WorldPride show in Washington, DC. Around 5pm EST on Friday, the venue posted a statement reading, 'Due to complications with the previous show in Boston, Shakira's full tour production cannot be transported to Washington, D.C. in time for her scheduled performance at Nationals Park on Saturday, May 31.' Shakira also issued a statement of her own, telling TMZ, 'I have been counting the days, excited to be reunited with my fans in both Washington and Boston, and my team and I have made every effort to make it happen, but it doesn't depend on any one of us right now, and I am devastated that these shows were just not possible this time.' She added, 'I promise that I will do everything in my power to be with you as soon as I can.' It comes after the Hips Don't Lie hitmaker had to cancel two back-to-back shows scheduled for Thursday and Friday at Boston's Fenway Park. The cancellations were due to city inspectors identifying 'structural elements that were not up to standard,' according to TMZ. Fans online haven't taken kindly to the cancellations, with many flooding Shakira's Instagram account with angry comments. 'I traveled with my family from Pittsburgh, took time off work, and paid for an Airbnb — all for this one special occasion. This was supposed to be my daughter's birthday gift,' complained one. 'I've waited 30 years to see you. You wait less than 24 hours to cancel a sold out crowd in Washington DC. I thought highly of you and hoped you had the courtesy to not let your most devoted fans down. I'm heart broken. Lots of people traveled and took time off to see you. This is just gut wrenching,' wrote another. A third commented, 'Terrible! Never again! Second cancellation… first because the venues weren't big enough. Now because they can't bring equipment?! I guess those hips do lie.' A fourth wrote, 'Go out with the musicians and just sing! Without any show if it is impossible to do. I was at a concert where there were problems and the musician just took the pianist and made a concert. Don't leave people at the door. You are rich, and people save up for a trip to you and spend their last money and weekends. There is some kind of empathy. I am honestly in such shock.' Shakira officially kicked off the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran world tour in Brazil back in February. Despite the string of issues, the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour has become highest grossing Latin American concert by a female artist Less than a month into the tour, the star postponed a total of four shows in Latin America – one for medical reasons and three due stage production issues. After postponing two back-to-back shows in Chile, Shakira attempted to make it up to her fans by delivering an impromptu performance of Antología from her hotel balcony, where hundreds had gathered to catch a glimpse of the star. She also issued a statement, blaming production problems. 'When an artist travels to a country, their production and team become directly dependent on the local producers,' she explained. 'My staff and I trusted at all times that the production company hired by the local promoter would follow to the letter the specifications that were diligently provided by us so that a show of the magnitude of this one could take place.' She also rescheduled a number of North American dates last year, citing the need to upgrade venues from arenas to stadiums to meet demands. Despite the string of issues, the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour has become highest grossing Latin American concert by a female artist, surpassing Karol G's Mañana Será Bonito tour. Her Mexican and South American shows have already grossed a staggering $130 million with just 21 shows. As reported by Billboard, Shakira's is the only Latin tour to reach Top 10 of the 2025 midyear Boxscore Report, ranking number two globally. It falls behind Coldplay, who earned $142 million with 1.3 million people turning up for 20 shows between October 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025.

Harvard seeks end to US funding cuts, says national security, public health research in peril
Harvard seeks end to US funding cuts, says national security, public health research in peril

Reuters

time26 minutes ago

  • Reuters

Harvard seeks end to US funding cuts, says national security, public health research in peril

WILMINGTON, Delaware, June 2 (Reuters) - Harvard University asked a federal judge on Monday to issue a summary judgment ruling to unfreeze $2.5 billion in funding blocked by President Donald Trump's administration, which Harvard said was illegal. Harvard's filing in the U.S. District Court in Boston said that it had received 957 orders since April 14 to freeze funding for research pertaining to national security threats, cancer and infectious diseases and more since the country's oldest and wealthiest school rejected a White House list of demands. Trump has said he is trying to force change at Harvard - and other top-level universities across the U.S. - because in his view they have been captured by leftist "woke" thought and become bastions of antisemitism. The Trump administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment. U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs has set arguments for July 21 on Harvard's motion for summary judgment, which is a request for a judge to decide a dispute without a trial to determine material facts. Harvard sued the Trump administration in April, alleging the funding freeze violated the school's right to free speech and was arbitrary and capricious. In Monday's court filing, Harvard detailed the terminated grants, including $88 million for research into pediatric HIV, $12 million for increasing Defense Department awareness of emerging biological threats and $8 million to better understand dark energy. The school said ending the funding would destroy ongoing research into cancer treatments, infectious disease and Parkinson's. The Trump administration has opened numerous investigations into Harvard. Some are looking at threats against Jewish students and faculty after pro-Palestinian protests broke out following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and subsequent Israeli military actions in Gaza. Other investigations are probing whether Harvard discriminates based on sex and gender, along with the school's ties to foreign governments and international students. The Trump administration revoked Harvard's ability to enroll international students last month, which a judge temporarily blocked after Harvard sued in a separate case. Harvard and other universities say Trump's attacks are threats to freedom of speech and freedom of academics, as well as threats to the schools' very existence.

Tulsa plans $105m in reparations for America's 'hidden' massacre
Tulsa plans $105m in reparations for America's 'hidden' massacre

BBC News

time33 minutes ago

  • BBC News

Tulsa plans $105m in reparations for America's 'hidden' massacre

"The Tulsa Race Massacre has been a stain on our city's history... hidden from history books," Nichols said. That tragedy, he said, was compounded by economic harms that followed, namely the building of a highway "to choke off economic vitality", "perpetual underinvestment" and "intentional acts of redlining", where black people were denied home and property loans. "Now it's time to take the next big steps to restore," Nichols said. The plan is called Road to Repair and its funds will be managed by the Greenwood Trust. It seeks to have $105m in assets either secured or committed by 1 June, some of which would also go into a legacy fund for the trust to acquire and develop land. Nichols said the proposal would not require city council approval. The council would, however, authorise the transfer of any city property to the trust, which he said was very likely. The Greenwood Trust borrows its name from Tulsa's Greenwood District, a once-prosperous black neighbourhood with an economy so thriving that it was dubbed Black Wall Street. That all changed in May 1921, when a white mob burned it to the ground, destroying more than 1,000 homes and structures in less than 24 hours. An estimated 300 black residents were killed and many more injured. The event "robbed Tulsa of an economic future that would have rivalled anywhere else in the world", Nichols said in a phone interview. For decades the story of the massacre was largely erased from history, but it was thrust into the spotlight in 2020 when then-President Donald Trump announced he would hold an election rally in Tulsa on 19 June, or Juneteenth, the day commemorating the end of slavery. He rescheduled the rally and his successor, Joe Biden, declared Juneteenth a national holiday. The Tulsa reparations will be made as Trump, now back in the White House, is ending diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices in the US government and many major companies are abandoning or reducing their diversity initiatives. Tulsa's package is also the first large-scale plan that commits funds to addressing the impact of a specific racially motivated attack. Evanston, Illinois, just outside of Chicago, became the first city to make reparations available to its black residents in 2021, by offering qualified households money for expenses such as home repairs and down payments. Americans have long been divided over directly addressing past acts of racism, such as slavery, through paying reparations. In May, Maryland Governor Wes Moore - the state's first black governor - said he would veto a measure to create a commission for studying reparations in his state. Meanwhile, California last year apologised for past discrimination against black Americans and approved some reparations initiatives, but did not offer direct financial payments. The last two known survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre, Lessie Benningfield Randle and Viola Ford Fletcher, lost a long court battle seeking reparations last summer.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store