Bitch Lasagna

"Bitch Lasagna" (stylized in all lowercase), originally named "T-Series Diss Track", is a song by Swedish YouTuber and comedian PewDiePie in collaboration with Dutch music producer Party In Backyard. The song satirizes Indian music label T-Series, as a response to predictions that T-Series would surpass PewDiePie in terms of subscriber count. The song was one of the first events in the PewDiePie vs T-Series competition, in which the two channels competed for the title of the most-subscribed YouTube channel.^[1][2][3][4]

"Bitch Lasagna"
Single by PewDiePie and Party In Backyard
Released	5 October 2018
Genre	Trap hip hop satirical hip hop
Length	2:14
Label	Self-released
Songwriter(s)	Felix Kjellberg
Producer(s)	Party In Backyard
PewDiePie singles chronology
"Bitch Lasagna" (2018) "Rewind Time" (2018)
Party in Backyard singles chronology
"Meme Theme" (2018) "Bitch Lasagna" (2018) "Rewind Time" (2018)

The song was first released with an accompanying music video on 5 October 2018, and was renamed and re-released to music platforms on 6 November 2018. As of 10 December 2023^[update], the song has accumulated 318 million views on YouTube, making it the most-viewed video on PewDiePie's YouTube channel.^[5][6]

Background

PewDiePie vs T-Series

Main article: PewDiePie vs T-Series

In mid-to-late 2018, the subscriber count of the Indian music label T-Series rapidly approached that of Swedish YouTuber and web comedian PewDiePie, who at the time was the most-subscribed user on YouTube.^[7][8] As a result, fans, along with celebrities and other YouTubers, showed their support for each channel by encouraging others to subscribe. During the competition, both channels gained a significant number of subscribers at a rapid rate, jumping from approximately 60 million to 100 million subscribers within a few months. The two channels surpassed each other in subscriber count on a number of occasions in February, March, and then in April 2019, when PewDiePie declared an end to the "subscribe to PewDiePie" meme and T-Series became the most-subscribed YouTube channel.^{[9][10][1][11][12][13]}

Song content

The title of the song references a viral Facebook Messenger screenshot, popularized on Reddit, in which an Indian man, in broken English, demands nude photos, and, when his messages go unanswered, he posts bitch lasagna (lasagna might have been an approximation to the parting phrase hasta lasagna, but without punctuation the post looked like he was calling her a bitch lasagna).^[14][15] In the song, PewDiePie insults T-Series and their video content, makes references to contemporary Indian stereotypes and accuses the company of using subscriber bots to gain fake subscriptions.^[16] The Indian background of T-Series was also mocked, such as in the line "Your language sounds like it come [sic] from a mumble rap community", which have been described as racist by some media publications, as well as in a court ruling from the High Court of Delhi that sided with T-Series.^[17][18]

Reception

Controversy

As PewDiePie vs T-Series coverage grew in the mainstream media, news organizations covered "Bitch Lasagna" for its role in the feud. Vox accused the lyrics of containing "overt and implied racism," which they said pervaded PewDiePie's fans' support for his channel against T-Series.^[19] Rolling Stone reported that PewDiePie was accused of using anti-Indian slurs in the song. They continued, "many have argued ... that his use of "ironic" antisemitic or racist humor in his videos may serve as a gateway for subscribers to start seeking out more overtly extremist content," though this was disputed by Evan Balgord, executive director of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, who they quoted as saying, "PewDiePie rarely if ever flags my radar. I don't follow him closely as a result... he's nowhere nearly as cited as a stepping stone to radicalization as an individual like [alt-right YouTuber and podcaster] Stefan Molyneux, for example."^[20]

Ban in India

On 10 April 2019, the song was banned in India as a result of PewDiePie releasing a second diss track against T-Series, "Congratulations". T-Series asserted the tracks were "defamatory, disparaging, insulting, and offensive" and that the songs contained "repeated comments... abusive, vulgar, and also racist in nature." The Delhi High Court granted the injunction against the two songs, noting that, in communication with T-Series after the release of "Bitch Lasagna", PewDiePie had apologized for posting the video and had "assured that he [was] not planning any more videos on the same line."^{[21][22][23][24]}

In August 2019, it was reported that T-Series and PewDiePie had settled their legal disputes outside of court.^[25]

Response

On November 7, 2018, JusReign, a Canadian YouTuber, released a video and song titled "In Defense of T-Series", in which he humorously criticized PewDiePie.^[26]

On January 1, 2019, CarryMinati, an Indian YouTuber, launched a diss track titled "Bye PewDiePie", in which he also criticized PewDiePie.^[27]

Charts

Chart (2018)	Peak position
UK Indie Breakers (OCC)^[28]	18

Cover versions and remixes

• Party In Backyard, on a single release
  (19 October 2018)^[a]
• PelleK, a metal cover in a single release
  (24 October 2018)
• Dylan Locke, a remix as a single release
  (11 December 2018)^[b]
• Bic Lasagna, a parody song as a single release - GenneTube (16 March 2020)

Notes

1. Party in Backyard also produced the original in collaboration with PewDiePie.
2. Uploaded to PewDiePie's YouTube channel as "Bitch Lasagna v1.2".

See also

• PewDiePie videography
• List of diss tracks § YouTube
• List of viral music videos
• Ethnic joke

References

1. Spangler, Todd (3 December 2018). "PewDiePie Zooms Past 73 Million YouTube Subscribers as Fans Rally to Keep Him Ahead of T-Series". Variety. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
2. Biswas, Soutik (20 December 2018). "PewDiePie v T-Series: The battle to be king of YouTube". BBC News. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
3. "PewDiePie releases a T-Series diss track "Bitch Lasagna"". Dexerto. 5 October 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
4. "Самого популярного ютьюб-блогера в мире догоняет канал с болливудскими роликами. Это война!". Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 5 December 2018.
5. PewDiePie (5 October 2018). "bitch lasagna". YouTube. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
6. "PewDiePie videos – Sorted by Most popular". YouTube. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
7. Huddleston Jr., Tom (31 August 2018). "This Bollywood YouTube Channel Is on the Verge of Bumping 'PewDiePie' from His Top Spot". CNBC. NBC Universal. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
8. Rakin, Ethan. . Business Insider Singapore. Archived from the original on 8 March 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
9. Trenholm, Richard; Ryan, Jackson (11 March 2019). "PewDiePie Dethroned by T-Series as YouTube's Most Subscribed Channel". CNET. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
10. Hamilton, Isobel Asher (18 March 2019). "PewDiePie Briefly Lost His Crown as the Biggest YouTuber on the Planet". Business Insider. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
11. "PewDiePie Concedes Defeat to YouTube Rival T-Series". BBC. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
12. Flynn, Meagan (29 April 2019). "'I didn't want hate to win': PewDiePie ends 'subscribe' meme after Christchurch shooter's shout-out". The Washington Post. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
13. Alexander, Julia (28 April 2019). "PewDiePie calls for an end to the 'Subscribe to PewDiePie' meme after New Zealand shooting". The Verge. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
14. Bitch Lasagna entry at Know Your Meme. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
15. Roose, Kevin (14 May 2020). "Five: The Accidental Emperor". Rabbit Hole (Podcast). The New York Times. Event occurs at 28:19. Retrieved 30 May 2020. And the track itself is called "Bitch Lasagna." Which is a reference to this viral Reddit meme where this Indian guy was trying to get a woman to send him nude photos. And when she didn't, he called her a bitch lasagna.
16. "Party in Backyard & PewDiePie – Bitch Lasagna". Genius. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
17. Romano, Aja (14 December 2018). "How the "Subscribe to PewDiePie" meme could determine the future of YouTube". Vox. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
18. Hale, James (15 April 2019). "T-Series Court Order Sees "Abusive, Vulgar, Racist" PewDiePie Diss Tracks Blocked In India". Tubefilter. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
19. Romano, Aja (14 December 2018). "How the "Subscribe to PewDiePie" meme could determine the future of YouTube". Vox. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
20. Dickson, E. J. (15 March 2019). "Why Did the Christchurch Shooter Name-Drop YouTube Phenom PewDiePie?". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
21. Sekhose, Marcia (11 April 2019). "PewDiePie vs T-Series: YouTuber pulls diss videos after Delhi HC order". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
22. Stenn, Lili (15 April 2019). . Rogue Rocket. Archived from the original on 9 September 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
23. Sanchz, Daniel (11 April 2019). "India Clamps Down on PewDiePie Racism — High Court Orders YouTube to Remove Two Offensive Videos". Digital Music News. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
24. Delhi High Court. "Super-Cassettes-vs-Pew-Die-Pi.pdf" (PDF). Iprmentlaw. (PDF) from the original on 30 January 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
25. Ghosh, Shona (13 August 2019). "PewDiePie and T-Series quietly settled a court battle over 'racist' diss tracks following their epic YouTube battle". Business Insider. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
26. In Defense of T-Series, retrieved 9 December 2023
27. "'You Should Be Yourself.' How a Viral YouTube Star Is Embracing His Indian Roots". Time. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
28. "Official Independent Singles Breakers Chart Top 20; 14 December 2018 - 20 December 2018". Official Charts. from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.