At just 24 years old, D’Aydrian Harding has built a career that extends far beyond viral moments. With roughly 11 million followers on TikTok and more than 4 million subscribers on YouTube, Harding has turned social media attention into sold-out global tours, a fast-growing merchandise business, original music, and a platform with real influence—while remaining firmly rooted in Wichita.
While D’Aydrian is the face of the brand, his success is inseparable from his family. His mother, Demetria Whiting, widely known as Mama Harding, and his stepfather, Billy Whiting, are central to the operation. Billy describes Demetria as the one who “runs things,” overseeing organization and day-to-day management, while he focuses on the business infrastructure—finances, contracts, and legal protection. Both are clear, however, that D’Aydrian leads the creative direction, shaping the content, tone, and vision that fans recognize instantly.
A Decision to Build Something More
D’Aydrian’s rise began in 2020 at his first concert, a DaBaby show. From the front row, his energy caught the rapper’s attention. DaBaby pulled him onstage. Friends recorded it. The clip went viral.
But Harding didn’t want to be known for just that one moment.
Leaning into what his family says had always been true—that he was naturally funny, expressive, and fearless—he began creating his own videos consistently. By August 2020, when Demetria first reached out to The Community Voice, D’Aydrian already had about 1.1 million followers on TikTok, proof that the momentum was real and growing.
From short clips to Real Connection
Even as his TikTok following grew into the tens of millions, Harding made a deliberate pivot toward YouTube. The difference wasn’t just numbers—it was time. TikTok delivered reach and speed. YouTube allowed fans to spend 20, 30, even 40 minutes with him at a time, creating a deeper, more personal connection.
That connection helped broaden his audience. While his core fan base skews young—boys as young as 9 through their early teens—parents and adults often watch alongside them. Mothers told The Community Voice their sons have Harding’s videos playing “24/7” on the TV.
How Mama Harding became part of the brand
Mama Harding never planned to be in front of the camera. In the beginning, she was behind it—recording her son’s early videos, helping him post consistently, and supporting the work quietly. As D’Aydrian’s following grew, he pulled her into the frame.
Fans responded immediately.
Her humor, authenticity, and natural chemistry with her son resonated, and Mama Harding quickly built a fan base of her own. Today, she has nearly 800,000 followers on TikTok, becoming a personality in her own right while remaining deeply involved in the business. A longtime nurse, Demetria was able to retire at 50—not to slow down, but to refocus her career on helping her son build something lasting.
Wichita as Home—And as Content
Much of Harding’s content is filmed in and around Wichita, often alongside his closest collaborators, Sammy Ndabaga and Jaythan Lutz. A significant amount is recorded at Harding’s massive, custom-designed home, which doubles as a creative hub and frequently appears in videos. The property includes a pool, putting green, and a half-court basketball setup, features that fans instantly recognize.
It really is where D’Aydrian lives—not Demetria and Billy—but Mama Harding says she spends a great deal of time there, as it serves as a central gathering place for planning, filming, and creativity. Scenes often spill out into recognizable Wichita locations.
A group of younger relatives—brothers and cousins—are sometimes pulled into the videos, often becoming the punchline before turning the tables on D’Aydrian and the crew.
From Screens to Stages
Harding has figured out how to translate digital fame into real-world energy. His live shows follow a clearly structured format, written and designed by D’Aydrian himself.
The show opens with Sammy Ndabaga, whose African roots shape his segment. He comes out first to African-style music and beats, soccer ball in hand, showcasing footwork and rhythm that immediately engages the crowd. Jaythan Lutz follows with a physical, comedic segment that often spills into the audience, keeping the energy high.
D’Aydrian’s entry is unmistakable: he comes on stage dunking a basketball, instantly sending the crowd into a frenzy. From there, he launches into his music, crowd interaction, and nonstop movement that carries the momentum through the rest of the show. Mama Harding typically appears later, typically greeted by signs and chants from fans who know her nearly as well as they know her son.
They’ve taken that show on the road through multiple legs of The Stay Sober Tour, including a West Coast tour, Spring and Summer tours across multiple U.S. cities, and most recently four stops in Australia, where, according to Billy Whiting, fans screamed and reacted “like he was a Beatle.”
“Stay Sober” and a message parents hear
At the center of Harding’s brand is a message that resonates deeply with parents: Stay Sober. It appears across his merchandise and is reinforced throughout his content. According to his family, D’Aydrian has never had a drink or used drugs.
For Demetria, the message is personal. Her father struggled with alcoholism, and she taught her sons that if a situation doesn’t feel right, they don’t have to go along with it. Parents regularly share stories of how Harding’s message helped their children walk away from drugs or destructive behavior.
Faith, family, and “Thank U Jesus”
Faith is another constant thread in Harding’s work. His “Thank U Jesus” line of merchandise features that phrase boldly emblazoned on the front, and on the back, a cross paired with John 3:16—his favorite Bible scripture.
D’Aydrian grew up at First Church of God in Christ in Wichita, where Demetria says her family has worshiped for 75 years. While their demanding schedule means they often attend remotely, they returned in person for the church’s Thanksgiving service this year and donated 100 “Thank U Jesus” T-shirts to members.
Giving back—by choice
Despite global success, Wichita remains home—and a place Harding chooses to give back to.
He sponsored a large basketball takeover at Wichita Sports Forum that drew about 5,000 people, and he has hosted two annual holiday toy giveaways in northeast Wichita. This year’s giveaway, held at the Boys & Girls Club, drew a line that wrapped around the building, with people waiting nearly two hours to get inside.
For many, the giveaway wasn’t really about the gift.
After being lucky enough to score a photo with D’Aydrian, one young fan summed it up: “That’s what I came for.”
Why it Works
Harding’s fan base skews young, but it is broad and diverse, including parents, adults, and fans cross racial and cultural lines, both in the U.S. and abroad.
The appeal is simple and elusive at the same time. He’s unpredictable, high-energy, and unapologetically himself. His phrases—“Ziggly Bop,” “Boshkalay Bong Bong,” and playful references like “67”—don’t really mean anything, and that’s exactly the point. They feel like inside language, shared humor, and community.
His family says he has always been this way—funny as a child, constantly performing, and deeply attached to his mom.
In an industry built on fleeting attention, the Hardings are building something sturdier: a business grounded in family, faith, discipline, and community.
And that may be the real reason D’Aydrian Harding’s success continues to grow—long after the viral moment that started it all.