DOVER, Del. (AP) - When Meek Mill went viral recently for dissing a so-called Delaware man on the Clubhouse app, it gave the digital platform a boost in popularity.
Released in March, Clubhouse is an app for iPhone users that generated a buzz after the company announced it only had 1,500 users in May. That small number was a big deal because the app is invite-only, which means even if you download Clubhouse, you can’t use it until a user sends you an invitation.
This made the audio-based app feel exclusive and it piqued people’s interest, including Delawareans.
Jamal James, of Magnolia, is a rapper who learned of the app from the members in his rap group, Cypher Clique. He joined Clubhouse because his fellow musicians told him it’d be a good opportunity to network with people in the music industry.
Last month, James showcased his rap skills to notable folks in the hip-hop community when he participated in a live rap battle on the app. He won his battle and was recognized by industry rapper King Los, along with Eric Beasley and Smack, founders of the Ultimate Rap League, the top league in the world for battle rap.
“The app’s been working out really good. From that battle, I got a lot of followers,” James said.
Michiah Grainger, who’s interested in real estate, said he enjoys Clubhouse because he gets to learn from experts, including celebrity businessmen.
“We’re talking to Grant Cardone and Cody Sperber – these are really high-level entrepreneurs and real estate investors. I get to go online into this room and talk to them and ask them questions,” said Grainger, of Milford. “From speaking to these people, not only do you learn, but it builds your confidence. It allows you to feel like you belong in that space.”
WELCOME TO THE CLUB
Clubhouse’s platform is centered on voice. If you can imagine a Zoom meeting where everyone has their cameras turned off, that’s sort of what Clubhouse is like, a modern party line. Users enter virtual “rooms” where they can discuss anything with strangers, from video games to spirituality to how to build a personal brand.
Some rooms might have fewer than 20 people, others can have more than 4,000. Rooms have a moderator and similar to Zoom, that moderator has the power to decide who speaks “on stage,” who gets muted, and who gets kicked out of a room. There’s even a “hand raise” feature like Zoom that allows users to ask questions.
Although the app is voice only, there’s a display of thumbnail photos with faces and names of the users in each room. Also, users are not allowed to record the conversations. But since this is the age of the internet, it’s no surprise that some Clubhouse conversations have leaked. One of them involved Kevin Hart.
The Philly comedian went viral last year after audio leaked from a conversation he had on Clubhouse where members grilled him for a joke he told in his latest comedy special about his teenage daughter.
Fellow Philadelphian Meek Mill’s rant where he mentioned Delaware on Clubhouse was leaked, too. But we’ll touch on that later.
A PLACE FOR LIES AND DECEIT
Clubhouse, James said, is similar to other apps in that there are trolls and people who spread misinformation like it’s peanut butter. And some users aren’t the experts they claim to be in these rooms.
The rapper said if he wants to learn about relationships or current events, he’ll listen to random folks give their opinions on the app. But if he’s looking for personal development, he’ll go to small rooms of about 20 to 30 people. The benefit of a small room is you can ask follow-up questions, an opportunity you might not be afforded if you’re in a room with thousands of people.
Dover resident Vonderlear Smack (unrelated to URL’s Smack) echoed a similar sentiment. Smack, who uses the app to network with people in entertainment, said some members are scammers and will name-drop famous people to build fake trust.
“This one producer said he was an engineer for (rapper) Fat Joe and he produced some tracks for Mariah Carey. But the guy’s only like 21. That was a red flag right there,” said Smack, owner of the streaming business Plug Studio Network.
“Mariah hasn’t made any new stuff in I don’t know how long. I guess she was making hits back when he was 13? But some people use a lot of names trying to get clout.”
Whenever Smack is skeptical of a Clubhouse member, she’ll Google them on the spot to check if they’re credible. She’ll also check if their social media accounts reflect how popular they claim to be.
Since Clubhouse users have to know their passwords to connect their Instagram and Twitter accounts to Clubhouse, if someone comes across a member whose profile is linked to Beyoncé’s Twitter account, more than likely that person really is the R&B icon, Smack said.
James said another downside of the app is some users have figured out how to squeeze money out of members. Some rooms, for example, might promise to give users more followers, but only if they send money to their Cash App.
James, Grainger and Smack said they’ve all been in rooms where a moderator lost control of the audience. The trio would like to see improvement in this area, too.
To avoid chaotic rooms, Smack said all moderators should establish boundaries.
“The people who create these rooms should have rules. And if a guest breaks the rule, they should get banned from the room. That’s the only way you’re gonna get good, quality information,” she said.
“Sometimes you have some people who aren’t professionals,″ she continued. “If someone is talking about their business, sometimes someone (from the crowd will interrupt) and say, ‘Oh, can you hurry up already?’ There’s still a lot of disrespect.”
The trio of Clubhouse users said they still enjoy the app, but it’s not without flaws.
SO, HOW DID MEEK DISS DELAWARE?
Meek Mill stirred up trouble when he belittled a Clubhouse member the Philly rapper alleged was from Delaware.
On Dec. 29, news outlets reported a heated conversation between Meek and the other man on the app, which can be found in a two-hour video on YouTube. Meek began to diss the man: “You come from Delaware,” the rapper said.
“He grew up in the suburbs,” he said before adding an expletive.
That room on Clubhouse, which included other entertainers such as 21 Savage and Swizz Beats, was a town-hall meeting where folks discussed topics that included lesser-known artists who call for respect, despite not working hard enough to earn it.
Meek ended up telling a moderator to mute the so-called Delaware man’s mic during their heated exchange, although the Philly rapper continued to rant himself.
James said when moderators show favoritism on Clubhouse, it can be damaging to the other party, especially when that person is talking to someone famous.
“That’s a problem, because if a person with influence says something on there and you’re the quote-unquote little guy, the whole narrative changes,” he said. “It creates an unfair leverage now because of the person who’s in charge of the room.”
Grainger said whatever Meek and the other man had going on was their business. But he can see why folks fed into the drama on social media, because “some people like talking about street stuff.”
In the end, Meek hopped on Twitter and admitted he lost his cool in an untidy post.
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