The 'Check Your Basement' meme belongs to the 'ominous' subgenre of internet humor, often associated with analog horror and the 'I am living in your walls' trope. It typically features a low-quality, high-contrast image of a basement or a distorted figure intended to evoke a sense of uncanny dread. The meme gained traction on platforms like TikTok and Discord, where users share it as a 'cursed' image to playfully threaten or unsettle others in a surreal way. Its effectiveness lies in the sudden shift from normal social interaction to a horror-themed confrontation, often used to mock over-the-top creepypastas or to create a jarring, humorous reaction.