Iman Crosson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Iman Crosson
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Crosson in 2014
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| Born | 1982 or 1983 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor, impressionist |
| Years active | 2005–present |
Iman Crosson, born in 1982 or 1983, is an American actor and a YouTube star. He is better known by his stage name Alphacat. He is famous for his amazing impressions of former U.S. President Barack Obama. He also had a main role in the independent film Along the Roadside.
Contents
Alphacat's YouTube Journey
Starting Out on YouTube
Iman Crosson created his YouTube channel, Alphacat, on December 14, 2005. He started making funny videos where he pretended to be Barack Obama. This was in July 2008, when Obama was running for president. His friends, who were also waiters, encouraged him to do it.
Becoming a Star Impressionist
During the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, Iman Crosson won a national contest. It was held by Denny's Restaurant for the best impression of Barack Obama. He said that he went from being unemployed to working for himself very quickly. After this, Crosson moved to California from New York. He found an agent to help him move from online videos to bigger roles. He was even invited to be on the TV show America's Got Talent.
Viral Videos and Recognition
On YouTube, Alphacat became known for mixing his Obama impressions with popular hip-hop songs. His funny versions of Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" and T.I.'s "Whatever I Like" each got over 20 million views! After Obama became president in January 2009, Crosson was featured on many TV shows and in newspapers. Fox News even called him a "YouTube sensation."
Working with the White House
Iman Crosson continued to use his talent after Obama became president. He did voice-overs for Newsweek's video series The District. In this series, he narrated Obama's first months in Washington, D.C., from the President's point of view. Crosson also performed as Obama at a big dinner for reporters in March 2010.
In October 2012, Crosson played Obama in the popular YouTube series Epic Rap Battles of History. This was for the episode called "Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney". The song from this episode was so popular that it was certified gold!
In December 2013, Crosson helped with a campaign about the Affordable Care Act. He released a funny video based on Snoop Dogg's song "Drop It Like It's Hot." In February 2014, Iman Crosson and other YouTube creators met with President Obama at the White House. They discussed how the government could connect with young people through online videos. They talked about important topics like health insurance and preventing bullying.
Alphacat's Acting Roles
Movies and TV Shows
Iman Crosson has acted in several movies and TV shows. He often plays Barack Obama, but he also takes on other roles.
- In 2013, he played a character named Varnie in the independent film Along the Roadside.
- In 2016, he played Barack Obama in the Bollywood comedy Tere Bin Laden: Dead or Alive.
- In 2018, he was the voice of Barack Obama in the animated TV series Our Cartoon President.
- In 2024, he appeared as Lt. Elliot Greene in an episode of the popular TV series NCIS.
Web Series Appearances
Besides his own YouTube channel, Alphacat has appeared in other popular web series.
- In 2011, he was in a spoof video called "President Obama on Death of Osama bin Laden (SPOOF)" as Barack Obama.
- In 2012, he played Barack Obama in the "Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney" episode of Epic Rap Battles of History.
- Also in 2012, he voiced a character called Broccoli Obama in an episode of Annoying Orange titled "Kitchen Decision 2012".
See also
- List of actors who have played the president of the United States
