Niko B is very online

Nabbing his stage name from a GTA character, Tom Austin is the viral sensation making tunes about Mary Berry.

Let’s be real: Milton Keynes isn’t exactly known for its show business acumen. But then again, 2020 has been serving some serious wild cards –  laying the stage for Niko B (aka Tom Austin), perhaps Buckinghamshire’s most famous resident. With “Mary Berry” – yep, that’s a reference to the octogenarian off Bake Off  – and follow-up “Who’s That What’s That”, Tom has racked up millions of views, nabbed major radio play and crashed the UK Top 40. And with his stream of consciousness rap style name-checking everything from McDonald’s to bitcoin to his Seat Ibiza, he’s a true original, whether you’d love him or leave him.

It goes without saying that this viral sensation is very online, so we caught up with Tom to chat sleepovers, Tinder pranks and Steve Lacy’s wardrobe for this week’s Internet Guide. 

 

@hungermagazine: What’s your earliest Internet memory?

@ihatetomaustin: I was a kid at my friend’s house for a sleepover and we were gathered around his dad’s computer. My friend put on a video called “scary rocking chair” and a face popped up and screamed, stood up and ran out of the room. I think my mum picked me up that night and I couldn’t sleep for like two weeks. I’m still too shook to rewatch the video.

 

@hungermagazine: What are your five most-used emojis? Why?

@ihatetomaustin: 😤 when my mum tells me to go to Coop to get bread and they’re out of white bread I use that emoji three times.
@ihatetomaustin: 🤦‍♂️ the facepalm pairs nicely after the laughing emoji.
@ihatetomaustin: 🦔 it’s a good looking emoji, Apple done well with this one.
@ihatetomaustin: 🥇 this is good under someone’s Instagram when they post an accomplishment, I post bare gold medals.
@ihatetomaustin: ✅ I use this instead of OK.

 

@hungermagazine: You’ve switched to private mode on Spotify: what are you listening to?

@ihatetomaustin: It’s not private I don’t think but it’s not widely known. My hidden gem of a playlist is tucked away somewhere in Spotify.

 

@hungermagazine: Do you use dating apps? Which ones?

@ihatetomaustin: Not really, I’ve never used a dating app seriously. The only time was to catfish people when I was in Year 8 in science lessons but not since then.

 

@hungermagazine: Have you ever been blocked?

@ihatetomaustin: Not that I know of. One day I might stumble across someone’s Instagram account and find that I’ve been blocked but then again that might be quite cool. Imagine if Jamie Oliver blocked me, that would be scrumptious.

 

@hungermagazine: Last person you stalked on IG?

@ihatetomaustin: Steve Lacy’s outfit account. He has an account where he posts all his fits. Shoutout to @fitvomit.

 

@hungermagazine: What’s your most-used app? Why?

@ihatetomaustin: Spotify and Notes. Spotify to listen to music but I only got Spotify premium this year, which is sick. I’ve been listening to a lot of M1llionz at the moment. He’s a sensational man. In my Notes, I write everything I think of, all my ideas in there all the time. Ideas for songs or lyrics. Basically, everything I see or everything that happens.

 

@hungermagazine: What’s the longest amount of time you can go without being on your phone?

@ihatetomaustin: At the moment, not that long because I post a lot of shit. But when I’m older I want to not be on my phone that much and live in Cornwall next to the beach.

 

@hungermagazine: Favourite meme?

@ihatetomaustin: It always changes but I like dumb memes. The most recent one is just a quote that says  “Dr Pepper is just barbecue water” and I can’t stop thinking about it.

 

Catch NikoB over on Instagram at @ihatetomaustin. Check out his latest video, a special live version of “Who’s That What’s That”, below.