Categories: Celebs

Maxwell Claps Back At People Clowning His Viral Dance: “Your Knees Ain’t Built Like That”

Maxwell is giving Megan Thee Stallion’s knees a run for their talent! Therapper’s name has been trending alongside Maxwell’s after a viral video showed him dropping it a lil’ low.

During a stop on The Night Tour, Maxwell made his legs move in a butterfly motion while turning in a half-circle for a few seconds. Then he returned to delivering his voice for the crowd.

But while the artist may have been rocking a smile, not everyone was feeling his knees. And a tweet calling out the necessity of Maxwell’s motions is what got the video trending.

“Maxwell ain’t got a single song that calls for this,” Twitter user @artfulkash wrote on October 22.

By the following day, others online began sharing edited videos of the moment–even putting Maxwell’s knees alongside Megan’s display.

Maxwell Reacts To Critics; Wiz Khalifa Steps In

And the comments kept rolling in all weekend with Twitter users shifting between cackling, critiquing, and coming to his defense. Others continued to release mash-up videos of the dance moves.

But by Monday morning, the singer had words for folks who found comedy in his viral knees.

“Y’all wanna laugh but your knees ain’t built like that,” Maxwell tweeted. “This the Maxwell Challenge.”

After Maxwell addressed the chatter, an industry peer chimed in on the singer’s viral moment. Wiz Khalifa wrote, “y’all better leave Maxwell the hell alone.”

Knees Or Not, Maxwell Remains A Crowned Legend

Before Maxwell addressed the critics, he shared another clip of a performance in North Little Rock, Arkansas. And the vibe matched that found in his viral knees video! The singer brought Michael Jackson-like energy to the stage in a two-piece, black glittered suit paired with cornrows.

Jokes aside, the man is truly an industry legend with the awards to match. He’s a three-time Grammy winner who’s received 13 nominations throughout his career. The singer has also earned awards from Billboard, the NAACP, and even the Soul Train Awards. Last year, the Soul Train Awards named him the Legend Award recipient.

“It’s an honor to be presented with the Legend Award by a community that’s been growing with me throughout my career,” he said at the time. “I’m so grateful to be sharing this moment with everyone and returning to the Apollo for an evening of excellence.”

Cassandra Santiago

Cassandra Santiago is a multimedia journalist, editor, and editorial strategist with over a decade of experience shaping conversations across arts, entertainment, culture, and global news. A graduate of the University of Iowa, she has built a cross-platform career spanning newspapers, magazines, radio, and digital media. She joined The Shade Room five years ago and currently serves as a Senior Editor, where she leads editorial direction, oversees exclusive coverage, and trains and edits a team of writers. Cassandra has played a key role in developing high-impact content and editorial strategies for an audience of more than 30 million, contributing to platform growth, engagement, and monetization across multiple channels. In addition to her leadership role, she remains a daily contributor, with her articles generating more than 41 million views since 2023. Beyond The Shade Room, Cassandra offers freelance social media strategy services, speaks on the influence and impact of Black media at public panels, and owns Did It For You, an event design company in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. She is Poynter Institute–certified and was named to the DMV’s 35 Under 35 list in 2024.

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