The Black TikToker who coined a viral phrase has called out brands and creators who used the sound without crediting her
- Mikhaela Jennings is a Black TikToker who created the viral "girls that get it, get it" sound.
- Jennings has repeatedly called out creators and brands using it without crediting her.
A Black TikToker has spoken out against creators and brands who have used her viral sound without crediting her, calling them "disrespectful."
Mikhaela Jennings, who goes by @KhaeNotBae on TikTok, has 460,000 followers and is known for posting short comedic videos sharing her opinion about TV shows and trends. In November 2021, she posted a TikTok in response to people who criticized her new hairstyle, and used the phrase, "The girls that get it, get it; the girls who don't, don't."
The sound has since been reused in 71,000 videos as part of a TikTok trend where women share divisive beauty and fashion choices. Variations of the phrase have been used by brands including Boohoo, LinkedIn, Outback Steakhouse, and Oreo.
Jennings told Refinery 29's Katherine Singh that she's asked some brands which have used her phrase to compensate her, but they have been reluctant to do so.
Some creators re-recorded the phrase using their own voices, and their videos received more views than Jenning's original clip, which has 3.3 million views. Many of these TikToks did not credit Jennings as the creator of the trend in the video description or comments section.
In an interview posted by Complex on Twitter in February, Jennings said seeing non-Black creators use her sound was "eerie" because she didn't expect the sound to circulate beyond the Black community, which her content is geared towards. She said she feels people expect her to be grateful that her sound is used, but she thinks it's "very disrespectful."
Jennings, who also coined the phrase, "I know you girls like to tussle," which became a viral sound in October 2021, told Refinery29 she plans to continue to make TikTok content "for as long as it's giving back to me," adding, "as soon as it starts taking more than it's giving, it's done for." The outlet also reported that she is now looking into trademarking her sounds.
It is not always customary to credit TikTok sounds, as users can click on a link to the sound at the bottom of the TikTok, where the original clip can typically be found. However, some Black creators who invented dance trends on TikTok previously told Insider that being credited in the description by other creators can open up "life-changing" opportunities.
In March 2021, TikTok stars Addison Rae and Charli D'Amelio faced criticism for demonstrating TikTok dances without acknowledging the original Black creators. Some Black creators refused to make any new dances for a month to highlight how their work has been co-opted by white creators.
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