The concept of ‘sold out’ may be over, but Gen Z teens will still fry you for putting on a shrink – as pop-punk band Tramp Stamp finds out. According to people on TikTok, Twitter and Reddit, Tramp Stamp is ‘operating plants’. The giving away? Their social media is too good.
An “Operating Plant” Rolling clip explains, is an artist who has labels background but presents themselves as homemade. ‘In 2019, the group’s guitarist, Caroline Baker, appeared in MusicRow: she signed to Prescription songs, owned by Dr. Luke, or Lukasz Gottwald. Reddit re-emerged this week. The Redditors also found that lead singer Marisa Marino also has a prescription agreement. Oh yes, and according to the credits on their YouTube video, the Tramp Stamps have an agreement with Cobalt Music Group, which is partly owned … by Dr. Luke.
About Dr. Luke: In 2014, Kesha sued him for revoking their contract because he had ‘sexually, physically, verbally and emotionally abused’ [Kesha] to the point where [she] almost lost her life, ”according to the lawsuit. After a few years, the legal battle ended when Judge Jennifer G. Schecter, New York High Court, ruled that Kesha dr. Luke in a text message to Lady Gaga slander, where Kesha dr. Luke accused her of drugging and raping herself and Katy Perry – allegations Perry denies. (Dr. Luke still works with Doja Cat, Kim Petras and Saweetie under his Tyson Trax pseudonym, Rolling clip say.)
A recurring theme in the “plant” posts: that the Tramp Stamps apparently have a social media team. Their website looks like it was professionally designed. They have a robust retail store, including a black string that says ‘sex’ in pink, Sex Pistols letters. Their Instagram has about 27,300 followers, but many of their posts have less than 3,000 preferences. TikTok user hardcope pointed out that their first Instagram post is an animation – a piece of media that is difficult for a DIY band to put together.
“Everything in this group is so calculated, almost treacherous, treacherous,” says TikTok user seapunkhistorian. “To their hair colors.”
Another user pointed to a group where the Tramp Stamps judged whether songs were emo; they appeared surprised when a fragment of a song appeared. “Oh my God,” TikTok user dandydemon said. “You’re going to co-opt the aesthetic and you do not even know My Chemical Romance?”
“It’s so obvious that the people who wrote this song do not understand the punk culture,” said TikTok user awtheyreuglee.
In fact, the entire TikTok hashtag #trampstamp is filled with people complaining about the band and their creepy new song, known today as ‘I’d Rather Die’. (Chorus: “I’d rather die than join another white guy.”)
Here’s a lesson. If you are marketing to a younger, social media-savvy group, you will be on an uphill battle unless the group being marketed is considered ‘authentic’. And teenagers, more than anyone else, have a keen eye for it.