Influencers, the celebrities of today. The same way many have idolized actors like Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, or Jennifer Aniston, the current rising generation has gravitated towards glorifying a new breed of celebrity, influencers. The power and reach of a plethora of different social media platforms have allowed an array of different digital creators to propel themselves to fame in a way that would have seemed impossible just a decade ago.
One social media influencer that is no stranger to this sort of digital superstardom is none other than Jake Paul. Jake, a long-time social media entertainer, has emerged as one of the most prevalent, well-known, and infamous characters the internet has ever seen. After surviving the death of Vine, (where he accumulated over 2 Billion views) Jake crossed over into Youtube where he broke records in subscriber growth and was responsible for the creation of the hyper-successful “Team 10” influencer content house.
Since then, Jake has now amassed almost 20 million followers on Youtube, over 12 million on Instagram, and tens of millions on other platforms. All of this traction makes one wonder, when will influencers begin to be seen in the same light as traditional celebrities? Jake (along with his brother Logan) have set out to make that time now. After dominating the digital sphere, the Paul brothers have now set out on a new endeavor, boxing. In the past two years the brothers have curated multiple influencer superfight events, generating 8 figure pay-days each time. With Jake’s next superfight occurring on January 30th in Miami, just before superbowl weekend, it is only fitting to explore this monumental shift in influencer/celebrity culture.
I sat down with an influencer with a very unique insight, Arman Izadi, known on the internet as @Izadi, he is famous for curating countless viral activations under his brand @graffitimansion and has been working with Jake Paul for several years now. “Armani” had this to say about influencer culture’s ability to infiltrate and dominate the mainstream entertainment world, “ Jake Paul and the Paul brothers’ influence is helping introduce the next generation of consumers to the sport of boxing. This is not a joke to Jake – he has stopped daily vlogging and has dedicated himself to a sport that demands his respect. With the number one most viewed YouTube channel in the United States and an audience that consumes drama & virality like tic tacs, Jake Paul stepping into the ring provides the entertainment world with what they were missing, as well as valuable life lessons… I’m very blessed to be a part of the process and hope to continue to help bring this action-packed content and these epic events to the sports/entertainment industry for years to come.”
With the hype surrounding Jake’s upcoming fight, we can only wonder what sort of incredible events and antics will arise in the coming months and years. Whether it’s a circuit of influencer boxing matches, more viral antics, or major roles in blockbuster films, we can be sure to expect the unexpected from the Paul’s, as they continue to pioneer the transformation of digital creators into A-List entertainment icons.
You can stream The Jake Paul vs AnEsonGib Fight on January 30th, 2020 on DAZN.
