Coney Island breakdancer TJ’s viral antics have made it all the way into the hands of Lil Nas X and John Legend, and now he’s getting his flowers.
TJ—better known to some as the “Byron” guy—has been entertaining millions through his Sidetalk interviews over the past few months. His popular exclamations include “beans, rice, Jesus Christ, and Byron,” as well as the classic “I’m gonna give ’em a big ol’ kiss.” In more recent clips, he’s been thanking fans for showing him support after TikToker Zoë McCreary launched a GoFundMe to help get him “off the streets.” Enrique Leon, which is seemingly TJ’s full name, is listed as the beneficiary on the page, and it looks like Bhad Bhabie is among those to open her wallet, with Danielle Bregoli listed as a $2,000 donator.
“Tj is a homeless man trying to get his life together and off the streets,” the fundraiser reads. “This will help him get inside and warm place to sleep at night and food to eat. He is sober he just needs a little push.”
By midday Monday, the page had already earned nearly $25,000 on an original $5,000 goal, and TJ himself seems pretty pleased about the whole thing.
“Hey, my people,” TJ said in a clip shared by McCreary last week. “Thank you so much. I love you guys. But remember, you do make a difference.”
In another clip, the viral sensation can be seen sitting in a car, reacting to the moment when the fundraiser hit a $10,000 mark and joking with his friends.
“I never thought a dumb idiot like me would be this popular,” he said. “But, you know what, I’m not the popular one. You guys are. And thank you for the new pad I’m gonna get because of all your givings. All the givings you gave me overnight. I made over $10 million…$10,000, sorry. I got a little excited, I jumped the gun.”
The most recent clip on McCreary’s account shows TJ in a car with a man filming, doing his classic “Byron” bit, and saying the people helping him won’t run away with the money.
The updates on TJ and his well-being come just two days after Lil Nas X, Olivia Rodrigo, Jack Harlow, Normani, Tinashe, Avril Lavigne, Chloe Bailey and Anitta all recreated the classic Sidetalk interview, with each reciting a line in the now-iconic, star-studded TikTok at the Variety Hitmakers Brunch. The clip had earned over 9 million likes at the time of this writing.
