Thanks to apps such as TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter, the city of Memphis is at our fingertips.
While travel guides have existed prior to the phenomena of social media, things such as reels, carousel posts, and three-minute videos have changed the way that we experience Bluff City.
Long gone are the days where tourists, and even Memphis natives, would rely on Google searches and Yelp! reviews in hopes of receiving recommendations and honest thoughts on the places that they hoped to try. Instead, a nightly scroll on your “For You Page” can lead you to a brutally honest review of the restaurant behind an aesthetically pleasing (and usually strategically placed) influencer post. Or it can lead you to the perfect hidden gem, making your feed the envy of all your closest friends and followers.
Jazmine Thomas (@keepingupwithjazzz) is a food and review influencer on TikTok. Thomas’ profile is composed of Memphis hidden gems and restaurant reviews. While content like this isn’t anything new on the platform, it can be argued that Thomas’ locally curated content – mixed with a charisma only found in Memphis creators – keeps Memphians and her 20,000 followers coming back for more.
One of Thomas’ viral videos is a review of The Liquor Store, (which Thomas distinguishes as “not your hood liquor store”), located on 2655 Broad Ave. The video has over 292,000 likes, and in 10 seconds, Thomas shares her and her friend Rachel’s experience at the local diner.
“We eating, we getting drunk, getting drunk, getting drunk, getting drunker,” said Thomas. “So I was like, ‘I’m finna do this voiceover and I’m finna just scream throughout this whole thing.’ So we are in the car driving, and I’m just screaming. I didn’t think that post was going to just go crazy, but that’s what happened.”
The comments section of Thomas’ videos are filled with users saying that her fun and authentic reviews have prompted them to try restaurants such as Moondance Grill and Gracie’s Kitchen, and products such as Chef Flavas’ “stuffed shrimp egg rolls.”
While Thomas said that her mini vlogs and reviews fit her personality the best, this content gave her the opportunity to not only earn income, but to shed some positive light on the city.
“Most people think that Memphis is all about crime and there’s nothing to do. It’s always something to do in Memphis, you just have to find and look out,” said Thomas. “It’s certain people you can follow on Instagram or TikTok to find something to do. Memphis is not always negative. Memphis has good-ass food.”
Thomas’ page is not the only social media account that mixes the rawness and authenticity of a Memphis creator, with the intention of exposing people to the many things that Memphis has to offer.
Unapologetically Memphis’ (@unapologeticallymemphis) social media handle speaks for itself. With content ranging from local news, restaurant reviews, events, and viral videos, it seems inevitable that 81.4K followers use this as the premier source for all things Memphis.
Marques Cook initially started the page in 2019 in hopes of shedding a more positive light on the city. He also sought to educate users on Memphis history and things that they may not know about different neighborhoods.
“That’s when it really took off, it kind of went crazy,” Cook said. “I did a couple of news posts, and people would comment on it. Like if you look in the comment section it’s kind of like people get a chance to voice their opinion on what’s going on in the city. Everybody looks for the comment section now.”
With such a large following though, it can be a lot to carry on a content creator’s shoulder to stay true to the brand, even when headlines give reasons not to love Memphis.
In the aftermath of the Ezekiel Kelly shooting spree, Cook said that he received a message from a user asking if he was still “unapologetically Memphis.”
“It doesn’t make a difference what happens, I’m still going to love Memphis the same,” replied Cook.
Cook is quick to explain that the goal of his page isn’t to show an idealistic view of Memphis, as he shows both good and bad news on his page. However he hopes that Memphians will be prompted to showcase their pride for their city and the neighborhoods that they’re from.
“It ain’t all sweet,” Cook said. “But imma show you it’s a lot of positive things going on as well, to kind of balance the positive and negative.”