Aspiring Cali rapper’s Yellowstone stunt could land him in hot water
Seth Ratliff
YELLOWSTONE, Wyo (KIFI) — An aspiring online rapper from California could be heading for hot water after posting a video of himself ignoring federal law and walking to the edge of a thermal pool in Yellowstone National Park.
The rapper, who goes by the name Doeboi909, posted the video on YouTube earlier this month. While the rapper identified the location as Mammoth Hot Springs, a commenter suggested it was more likely Beryl Spring, situated along the Grand Loop Road.
At one point in the video, the aspiring rapper acknowledged the water was “over a thousand degrees.”
A torrent of online commenters attempted to inform the San Bernardino rapper that the water from Yellowstone’s thermal fissures is not just incredibly hot, but also that walking away from the boardwalk is illegal.
One commenter wrote, “It’s truly astonishing how someone can be this oblivious. Just when you think you’ve witnessed the lowest point, someone always manages to raise the bar with an incredibly foolish action.”
Others commented, “I hope the NPS prosecutes you,” and “Darwin award -in-training.”
In a statement to the SFGATE, which alerted park officials to the video, a spokesman wrote that the video has been forwarded to law enforcement, who “will determine what action can be taken.”
Local News 8 has contacted the park for comments regarding the investigation and whether the man will face charges. As of this publication, we have not yet received a response.
In the past, violators have faced serious fines or even jail time for leaving the boardwalk. In 2024, actor Pierce Brosnan was hit with multiple fines after uploading pictures to his Instagram page of himself standing on a Yellowstone National Park thermal feature in the same area as Doeboi909’s video.
According to the National Parks Service (NPS), more than 20 people have died from burns suffered after they entered or fell into one of Yellowstone’s hot springs since the park was established in 1872. “Boardwalks and trails protect you and delicate thermal formations,” wrote the NPS on the Yellowstone safety page. “Water in hot springs can cause severe or fatal burns, and scalding water underlies most of the thin, breakable crust around hot springs.”
The rapper has not responded to requests for comment from Local News 8 or news outlets in his region.