Hailey Welch, known across the internet as the “Hawk Tuah Girl,” is back in the headlines after yet another viral moment, and this time, she’s got Amir Tyson, son of boxing legend Mike Tyson, shaking his head. Welch, who first grabbed attention earlier this summer during a street interview at Nashville’s CMA Fest, has once again found herself at the center of a social media storm-this time for butchering the lyrics to Jay-Z’s iconic track, “Empire State of Mind.”
After skyrocketing to fame in June, Welch appeared on Bill Maher’s ‘Club Random Podcast’ in late July, where her commentary on pop culture quickly took another viral turn. The episode, which was uploaded to YouTube on July 28, featured a wide-ranging discussion on everything from the Kardashians to The Beatles. But it was the moment Maher brought up hip-hop that sent the internet into a frenzy.
Maher, showing an interest in Welch’s music taste, brought up her love for Taylor Swift and his own for classic hip-hop. Welch, trying to keep up, mentioned she was into “old rap,” leading Maher to suggest that Tupac Shakur and Jay-Z were in that category. But when Welch responded that she didn’t really listen to those artists, instead praising Jay-Z’s song “about New York,” things quickly went off the rails.
In an attempt to reference “Empire State of Mind,” Welch confidently sang out the lyrics-only she got them hilariously wrong. “He’s like, ‘concrete jungle wet dream tomato.’ You know, about New York,” she belted out, completely oblivious to her mistake. The clip made its way onto social media and eventually caught the attention of Amir Tyson, who was anything but impressed.
Amir Tyson slams Internet fame after ‘Hawk Tuah Girl’ misquotes Jay-Z
Amir took to Instagram today, sharing the viral clip on his story with a strongly worded message. “Our country is f**ked… This era of 15 minutes of intense fame to complete irrelevancy has gotten completely out of hand,” Tyson vented. He went on to lament the fleeting nature of internet fame, calling out the rise of internet celebrities and questioning their lasting impact. “Only people from the internet that have… gained actual celebrity status are the Paul brothers and maybe the Speed, Kai Cenat, and Adin Ross… My kids and grandkids won’t have a clue who these streamers are lol,” Tyson added, making it clear he’s not a fan of Welch’s brand of viral fame.
But that wasn’t the only headline-worthy moment from the podcast. Maher also made waves with a bold prediction about the high-profile romance between NFL star Travis Kelce and pop sensation Taylor Swift.“He’s gonna dump her, though, you know that,” Maher speculated, comparing the potential breakup to a Super Bowl Gatorade dump-a moment of inevitable, if not predictable, drama.
Welch, a self-proclaimed Swiftie, quickly chimed in, playfully suggesting that if Kelce did break things off, Swift’s next album would be fire, possibly titled “F**k Travis.” The exchange highlighted the intense media and fan speculation surrounding celebrity relationships and the frenzy they can create.
While Welch’s misstep with Jay-Z’s lyrics might have been a lighthearted mistake, it clearly struck a nerve with Amir Tyson. The question now is, will Welch’s viral fame endure, or is Amir right about the fleeting nature of internet celebrity? Regardless, the internet will be watching to see how the “Hawk Tuah Girl” handles her latest round of controversy.