The Week Grimes And Elon Musk Broke The Internet: A Deep Dive

Jason Kempin/NASA By Scott Lapatine

The Week Grimes And Elon Musk Broke The Internet: A Deep Dive

Jason Kempin/NASA By Scott Lapatine

Grimes is dating Elon Musk. You probably know this because you’re reading this on the internet, which is currently saturated with think-pieces and memes about Grimes dating Elon Musk. The unlikely news broke earlier this week before the Met Gala, which they attended together. Art Angels and Musk-eteers (an obvious pun that nobody, to my knowledge, has taken advantage of) have retreated to their separate online corners to discuss and debate the union. Apparently, there are enough people on either side for this to be a really big deal, big enough that fans are digging up and analyzing Grimes’ old tweets. But how did this happen? Who cares? And also, why?

Who are these people?

Let’s start with the basics. Grimes, real name Claire Boucher, makes experimental art-pop (Stereogum.com called her last LP the best album of 2015). Elon Musk makes Teslas and tunnels and runs a space transportation services company. They have a shared curiosity about artificial intelligence. Grimes is somewhat of an indie treasure and maybe a witch. Musk is a role-model to billionaire aspirants and nerds.

Did they meet at an intergalactic conference?

It’s the classic tale of Boy Tweets Girl Because Girl Referenced An AI Thought Experiment In Her Music Video. As Page Six reports, Musk wanted to tweet a joke that Grimes had already made three years prior in her video for “Flesh Without Blood.” The joke? “Rococo Basilisk. What? A play on words referencing the thought experiment Roko’s Basilisk and the 18th century baroque style Rococo. On the day of the Met Gala, Musk tweeted the joke, “Rococo basilisk.” NICE. He followed the tweet with a link to Rococo’s Wikipedia page, in case we plebeians missed the punchline.

Musk was also hinting at their burgeoning relationship last month when he replied to one of Grimes’ tweets with this killer pick-up line: “Yeah, most people don’t know this, but comets r mostly made of cocaine.” A Twitter user responded, “Just ask her out already Elon.” Musk tweeted back with a winking emoji.

Is the Met Gala an intergalactic conference?

Of sorts! It’s an annual themed ball, formally called the Costume Institute Gala, attended by couture-clad celebrities, artists, and other kinds of rich people. The theme this year was Catholicism, or something. Musk wore a inverted priest collar and Grimes accessorized her goth ballerina look with a Tesla logo choker. I’m not making this up. The two designed the outfit together.

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Why is Grimes dating this man?

The answer is unclear, but some are pointing to a resurfaced 2009 news story about Grimes’ hilarious failed houseboat experiment, wondering if Musk’s transportation expertise could be a factor.

Why are people going batshit?

Because people love to be angry on the internet! That aside, Grimes fans have some reasonable contention given Musk’s mores. You know, like trying to convince his employees not to unionize by offering snacks and frozen yogurt. Also, capitalism.

One Twitter user pointed out that Grimes changed her bio, removing “anti-imperialist.”

Musk’s camp isn’t reacting with as much fervency. Many of them refer to Grimes as his hot goth girlfriend. Charming! Someone on r/teslamotors also pointed out that Grimes’ mom owns a Tesla. As long as Musk is happy and exceedingly successful, they are happy.

Comment from discussion Damn.

But it looks like the colossal relationship buzz has already affected one of his ventures!

Who have they dated before?

Well, Grimes was apparently in a relationship with the houseboat guy, before she was Grimes, and later with musicians Devon Welsh (Majical Cloudz) and James Brooks (Elite Gymnastics/Default Genders). Musk dated actress Amber Heard and before that had been married to Justine Musk and actress Talulah Riley (twice).

What about the memes?

Not just memes: Grusk/Mimes fan accounts, t-shirts, and, I regret to inform you, fan-fiction are a regrettable Google search away. There’s also a Chrome extension that will replace any text mention of “Elon Musk” with “Grimes’ boyfriend.”

And yes there have been some great memes. Grimes and Musk even tweeted their approval of some.

Al Yankovic took notice of a potential “Weird Al Conspiracy.”

Grimes faved that and Musk responded to it.

People are having fun!

But what about the MUSIC?

This relationship already inspired a song: PC Music mastermind A.G. Cook remixed “Flesh Without Blood” and called it “Flesh Without Musk.” Grimes is on that great new Janelle Monáe album and recently teased a collaboration with YouTube-personality-turned-popstar Poppy, but we’re still waiting to hear the “deep well of shit” written for her next solo project. Speaking of music, Musk was asked by Twitter user @WeDragonSlayers8 what his favorite Grimes songs are.

What could go wrong?

She morphs into Musk, starts delegating music-making to AI robots, and/or leaves us to govern a colony on Mars. Assuming those things don’t happen, nothing!

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