The 'Sad Kanye' meme, featuring a dejected-looking Kanye West, gained viral status after a 2014 paparazzi photo captured the rapper sitting solemnly during a zip-lining trip in Mexico. The image quickly resonated with the internet as the ultimate expression of existential boredom and quiet contemplation. Since then, the template has been used to represent feelings of regret, social exhaustion, or the sudden realization of an inconvenient truth. It remains a staple in the 'Sad Celebrity' genre of memes, frequently paired with captions about everyday disappointments or profound, melancholic thoughts.