Bretman Rock, a True Gen-Z Icon
Caption: Photography by Brian Ziff

Everybody is talking about Bretman Rock! The Filipino-American influencer started his journey towards stardom creating viral content on YouTube and now he is one of the most influential Gen-Zer, became the first openly gay man to appear on the cover of Playboy, and stars in his own reality show, and achieved all of this at just 23 years old.  

From Makeup Tutorials to Brand Deals

Rock started making waves as a beauty influencer on social media. During his teen years he achieved recognition thanks to his viral content, which included everything from funny rants, to makeup videos, and story time vlogs. Quickly, Bretman became a voice of his generation, becoming one of the first male YouTubers to leave his mark as a beauty influencer.

It didn’t take long for makeup brands to catch up with him. After one his makeup tutorial videos went viral, brand collaborations followed. So far, Bretman Rock has released makeup collection with lines such as ColourpopMorphe, and Wet n Wild.

“A makeup line by a man will be in-store across the globe. That’s my power. That’s OUR power,” he said in the press release for his Wet n Wild collection. “I’m gay, I’m an immigrant, I’m a POC and in 2020, I’m taking affordable beauty to the next level.”

When it came for Time Magazine to name 2017’s 30 Most Influential Teens, 19-year-old Rock made the list. The publication noted that “nobody on the internet was more fabulous”. Other major recognition followed, such as making it on the 30 Under 30 Asia list by Forbes, the write-up praised Rock for his unmistakable talent as a digital creator in this new age. Right now, Rock has nearly 9 million subscribers on YouTube and more than 18 million followers on Instagram as well as 14 million on TikTok.
Breaking barriers one history-making cover at a time
In October 2021, Rock made history as the first openly gay man to appear on the cover of Playboy magazine. The iconic photo shows Rock posing in a bunny suit complete with a corset, tights and the white tail, of course. “For Playboy to have a male on the cover is a huge deal for the LGBT community and for my brown people community. It’s surreal,” Bretman shared on social media. “And I’m so pretty.”
Reality TV Stardom

Early last year, MTV released the first season of MTV Following: Bretman Rock, a reality show about Rock’s personal life in Hawaii. The series takes place at a beachside rental and shows the influencer’s life with his family and friends. The second season premiered this year on June 27.