RDCWorld (or alternatively spelled RDC World), short for Real Dreamers Change the World[1] or Real Dreams Change the World,[2] is an American collective of online video creators based in Texas.[3] The group was founded by Mark Phillips and Affiong Harris. Also made up of members Leland Manigo, Desmond Johnson, Ben Skinner, Dylan Patel, and John Newton, the group is best known for its YouTube comedy videos relating to anime, sports, video games, Internet memes, and popular culture.
The group's flagship RDCworld1 channel was registered on YouTube in 2012; as of September 2023, it has amassed over 1.3 billion video views and 6.5 million subscribers.[4]
History
The group was founded in Waco, Texas by Mark Phillips and Affiong Harris.[5][6] Phillips is described by both RDC and media outlets as the face of the collective.[5][7] He graduated from the University of North Texas.[8] Harris meanwhile is an alum of North Central Texas College.[6] The group would be joined by members Leland Manigo, Desmond Johnson, Ben Skinner, Dylan Patel, and John Newton.[9]
Originally the YouTube channel served as a means to promote the group's manga, The Resistance.[10] The group's videos are primarily comedy sketches revolving around anime and sports.[10][11]
With several of their videos pertaining to sports, the group has also been involved in sports events. In 2021, the group was part of House of Highlights' $250K Dodgeball Showdown tournament event.[12] Additionally, the group has been involved with various flag football events, as part of a partnership with the National Football League (NFL).[3][13][14] Phillips also appeared in a commercial for the 2022 NBA playoffs.[15]
In 2017, the RDCworld1 channel reached one million subscribers.[10] In 2018, the group also launched the Dream Convention, or Dream Con in Waco, Texas.[16] A multi-genre convention, Dream Con mainly focuses on anime and video gaming culture.[1][16][17]
Reception
The group has received the attention from public figures referenced in their videos such as J. Cole and LeBron James.[6] The group met the former in 2021; previously, in 2017, Phillips created a meme revolving around an overzealous J.Cole fan. Phillips and Manigo would have cameo appearances in the music video for "The Jackie", a song by Bas featuring J. Cole and Lil Tjay, where they recreated the meme.[18][19]
The group won the Streamy Award for the "Comedy" category in consecutive years: 2022 and 2023.[20][21] In 2023, the group was also nominated for Streamy Awards in the "Show of the Year" and "Scripted Series" categories.[21]
In 2024, Complex magazine ranked the group number 3 on its list of "The Funniest People on the Internet".[22]