Origin
“M to the B” is a 2016 grime track by British rapper Millie B (then 15 years old), originally released as a diss track aimed at rival “Soph Aspin” in the Blackpool grime scene. The song resurfaced on TikTok in August 2020 after user @bellapoarch lip-synced to it, creating TikTok’s most-liked video of all time.
Bella Poarch’s Viral Video
On August 17, 2020, @bellapoarch posted a 9-second lip-sync video to “M to the B”:
- Simple head-bobbing and facial expressions
- “Bop to the top” rhythmic movements
- No elaborate production — just webcam and charisma
- Video became TikTok’s #1 most-liked (57M+ likes by 2024)
Viral Explosion
- August 2020: Bella’s video hits 10M likes in days
- September 2020: Becomes TikTok’s most-liked video ever
- October 2020: Millions of recreations/duets posted
- 2020-2021: Bella Poarch gains 90M+ followers, launches music career
Millie B’s Backstory
The original artist, Millie B (Amelia Min), was 15 when she released “M to the B” as part of Blackpool’s underground grime battle scene:
- 2016: Uploaded to YouTube (BGMedia channel)
- 2016-2020: Sat at ~1M views
- 2020: TikTok revival brings 100M+ views
- 2021: Millie signs record deal, releases new music
The song’s origins in British working-class teen grime battles contrasted sharply with its TikTok mainstream adoption.
Cultural Phenomenon
“M to the B” became a test of internet literacy:
- Gen Z: Instant recognition from TikTok
- British grime fans: Confused by American adoption of obscure diss track
- Older millennials: No context for Blackpool grime scene
The trend highlighted TikTok’s power to resurrect forgotten content and create new stars from simple lip-syncs.
Bella Poarch’s Rise
The video launched Bella Poarch’s career:
- 90M+ TikTok followers (2020-2024)
- Music career (2021: “Build a Bitch” debut single, 700M+ views)
- Brand deals, streaming content
- All from a 9-second lip-sync
Legacy
“M to the B” remains TikTok’s most-liked video (as of 2024), exemplifying the platform’s ability to turn simplicity into virality. Millie B’s grassroots grime track becoming a global phenomenon showed internet culture’s unpredictability.
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