Pope Leo XIV compared to Chief Keefe and dad Yankee, his Chicago roots and nickname “Latin Yankee” caused an Internet sensation.
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Pope Leo XIV landed on both the Vatican and social media schedules this week as users across the United States celebrated the first American-born pope, comparing him to rapper Chief Keef and Reg Garton superstar Daddy Yankee.
The meme is coming soon. One tweet read: “The Pope needs to bring Chief Kief to the Vatican.” Another called him “Pope Sosa”, a nod to Keef’s nickname and their common Big Wind City.
Born in Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago’s West Side, Pope Leo XIV has become an unlikely crossover of popular culture.
His rise to the Pope this month made him the first pope in North America. But it was his hometown and his nickname in Rome – “Latin Yankee”, which made him meme material.
Vatican insiders called him the “Latin Yankee” and he mentioned his American background and decades of ministry in Peru. But online, the nickname quickly became “Dad Yankee” and users joked that the Pope might release a reggae album.
Comparisons may be ridiculous, but they reflect the way the Internet handles major events by integrating reverence with popular culture.
The same thing happened a few years ago with the trend of viral #Popebars, users imagined Pope Francis rap the Bible on the beat.
This time, Leo received hip-hop therapy. Although the jokes are light, they also highlight Chicago’s pride. The city of pizza deep in the world, Kanye West and rapper Chance, has just added a pope to the charts.
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