Surrey-raised rapper Merkules is celebrating a billion views on his YouTube channel, and he thanks his supporters and fans for reaching the major milestone.
"Thank you for listening and always believing in me," he posted to social media on Sunday (Feb. 2).
"This has been a goal of mine for a long time and we’re finally here. I love you all!"
Merkules has posted 342 videos on his Young Merkules channel since his first, "Nine to Five," in April 2011. He's since amassed more than 1.7 million subscribers.
Merk's most popular video is his 2019 rap remix of "Old Town Road," the Lil Nas X/Billy Ray Cyrus hit, which has earned nearly 70 million views. Two weeks ago he posted an "Ego Intervention" video that already has close to 200,000 views.
Last year was a good one for Merkules, who opened for hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg across Canada, including a homecoming show at Rogers Arena last June, and in April he opened for Ice Cube in Victoria.
Years ago, Merkules was better known as Cole Stevenson while growing up in a rancher on 90A Avenue, in the Green Timbers area of Surrey. The house, since demolished, is where Merkules honed his rap skills (starting out as Merk Mikz), during a period of isolation there following a brutal attack he suffered at age 16, while walking home from a New Year’s Eve party.
