Taking a long overused meme in 2016’s PPAP and updating it for 2026 was not in our 2025 bingo cards, but Chinese rapper TrickYZD managed to do just that. What started as a playful reference has seen ‘PPAP2026’ go viral in China, and now, the rest of the world.

At its core, ‘PPAP2026’ thrives on contrast. The song flips the absurd innocence of the original PPAP [Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen] into something far more aggressive, pairing its instantly recognisable chant with a tough Drill beat. TrickYZD’s delivery is sharp, barking out the iconic “I got a pen, I got an apple” hook with a snarling intensity that feels both ridiculous and strangely menacing.

The eccentricity that made the original meme unforgettable is still very much intact, but TrickYZD repurposes it as a tongue-in-cheek power move. Between hooks, he leans into braggadocious verses, boasting about his wealth, status, and dominance over the competition.

That balance between humour and swagger is what’s pushed ‘PPAP2026’ into viral overdrive. It’s absurd enough to be instantly shareable, yet polished enough to stand on its own as a modern Rap track.

Check out TrickYZD’s ‘PPAP2026’ below.