The Axel in Harlem meme originates from an adult animated film produced by Animan Studios, featuring a character named Axel walking through the streets of Harlem while drawing the intense attention of onlookers. The meme exploded in popularity in early 2023 across TikTok and Twitter, typically paired with the song 'Ballin' by Mustard and Roddy Ricch. It is most commonly used to represent someone walking with extreme confidence or a 'main character' energy that commands the room's focus. The combination of the exaggerated animation style and the smooth soundtrack has cemented it as a versatile template for situational comedy and ironic posts.