Lucky Luciano, real name Lachborne Bachkhaz, finally recreated the “you know I had to do it to em” meme from ten years ago. After a decade out of the spotlight, the now 27-year-old decided to reach out to Tampa Bay Times reporter Christopher Spata, who was searching for him to see what response he would get from fans.
As part of his first-ever interview, Bachkhaz traveled back to that spot in his old neighborhood and retook the photo in the same pose but with an updated outfit.
Who is Lachborne Bachkhaz?
For years after his sister snapped the original photo, no one knew the legal name of the man known as Lucky Luciano from his X handle, @LuckyLuciano17k. In 2018, he had some trouble with the police involving cannabis charges and attempted to raise money for a legal defense on GoFundMe, which raised just $245 of his $7000 goal.
On Wednesday, Dec. 18, the Tampa Bay Times published their interview with the elusive “meme god” of the mid-2010s. The interview revealed that Luciano’s sister took the iconic photograph right outside of their childhood home not long after their father died. Hiding his grief behind that iconic smile and dressed in a light pink outfit his sister picked out for him, he struck his pose.
Today, Bachkhaz owns a mobile auto-detailing business and is going back to school. He’s grown some facial hair, traded in the plain button-up, and exchanged his loafers for sandals.
Why did Lucky Luciano disappear?
After Bachkhaz posted the original photo on Sept. 2, 2014, it went unnoticed for almost two years before X user @ExhelonWinter reposted it with a fake quote mocking a certain type of hip-hop fan. The image went viral to the point that people adored the man they knew as Lucky Luciano, but the 19-year-old didn’t know how to capitalize on that fame.
“That was actually a tough time for me,” he told Spata. “I had recently lost my dad, and my mom had passed away already when I was like younger, when I was like 12, so I didn’t have much guidance on how to handle things when that photo went viral.”
At first, he felt embarrassed and thought people were just making fun of him. When he got over that, he didn’t have the benefit of an agent or manager, and attempts at merchandising had mixed results. Only his vinyl Youtooz toy made any money.
Lucky returns
Over ten years after first posting the photo, Bachkhaz hopes to give viral fame another shot. He’s actively seeking opportunities to collaborate and asking his loyal fans what they’d like to see.
“I want to know, what do people want? What would they like to get from me?” he says. “If anyone has ideas on how to work together, they can reach out.”
If it doesn’t go anywhere, he believes that the interview and photo recreation will at least serve as a form of closure on an interesting chapter in his life, missed opportunities aside.
Fan reactions
A surprising number of people are shocked that the “I had to do it to em” guy’s name isn’t actually Lucky Luciano. Most likely, he borrowed that handle from the 20th-century gangster and member of the National Crime Syndicate known as the father of the Italian mafia. It also could have been a reference to the Mexican-American rapper.
Regardless, most people weren’t expecting “Lachborne Bachkhaz,” and it shows. Others expressed disappointment with how he turned out, sparking a new round of teasing about his outfit. However, there are plenty of old fans who are happy to see him return, no matter how he’s changed over the decade.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Lachborne Bachkhaz for comment via email.
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