The Ford Ranger’s Unexpected Fame
Like many, I’m at the mercy of the algorithm. No matter how determined I am, it seems to know exactly what to show me to keep my eyes glued to the screen. Recently, this has meant a steady stream of second- or third-generation Ford Ranger videos, soundtracked by a man’s enthusiastic, profanity-laced shouts over a Eurotrash beat. This man is Logan Belak, and, quite by accident, he created a meme that’s both raucously crude and surprisingly heartwarming.
This is a guy who simply adores the Ford Ranger. The mere sight of one fills him with a joy that many of us lose touch with as we “adult.” This pure appreciation has become the digital equivalent of an infectious disease, sparking thousands of shared memes that have reached tens of millions of people across numerous social media platforms. The slogan? “Ford Fuckin’ Ranger.”
One of the remarkable aspects of the English language, as author Bill Bryson has noted, is its flexibility. We can make it our own, and even our swear words can hold a multitude of meanings. The F-word, in particular, is incredibly versatile. It can function as a verb, noun, adjective, adverb, or anything else you want it to be. Here, it’s used in a way that’s almost reverential. The slang has transformed this utilitarian truck in the eyes of many.
The first time I heard Belak’s voice was in the above Instagram reel, which has over 10 million views. I didn’t know who he was or what I was looking at beyond the video featuring a third-generation Ranger towing an absurd amount of cardboard. The caption read, “Egend says no one knows the actual towing capacity of a ford ranger, because no one has ever found a load too heavy for one to pull!” The truck itself was great, but it was the voice that truly caught my attention. Over a simple musical beat, the lyrics are simple enough to be absolutely unforgettable: “I know this truck, I ain’t no stranger. I know that truck, that’s a Ford Fuckin’ Ranger!” I immediately shared it with friends and moved on with my day, not realizing how this would take over.
Sensing that perhaps the appreciation of Rangers was something I felt deep in my soul, the next time I logged into Instagram the algorythm started showing more videos. Some had the song. Others merely had the same voice exhorting other people to notice there’s a Ford Ranger doing something incredible.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a lifted off-roader or a freakin’ Ranger dragster, they’re all Ford Fuckin’ Rangers.
There are thousands of videos like this on Instagram, and probably even more on TikTok.
The voice’s owner is typically swearing while attempting to make any Ranger owner feel good about not having the biggest truck. Here’s a compilation if you want to spend ten minutes watching Rangers being awesome.
After viewing, I don’t know, an estimated 19 million of these reels and TikToks, I decided I had to find the original voice. Who was the man calling to buy a Ford Fuckin’ Ranger or, at least, urging me to appreciate the trucks?
Meet Logan, the Bard of Budget Trucks
“Ford Rangers are just great beater trucks, but [they] also can be great pre-runner trucks, work trucks, low rider trucks, or even just a stance truck,” Belak explained to me. The foundation of Belak’s admiration came from a friend who would drive him home from his graveyard shift at McDonald’s. It was impossible for Belak to ignore the incredible and simple beast that was the Ranger.
Soon after, he started posting his little Ranger missives to Snapchat, and later TikTok and Instagram, where they went viral. “It feels weird but mainly because I’m not used to this much attention, especially when people see me in public and recognize me and quote me or take pictures with me. It’s like being a celebrity without the money sadly,” observes Belak. “But it also makes me feel good inside knowing I’m doing what I love and that is making people laugh.”
Some of his personal videos are a riot.
Part of the fun of all of this is that Belak’s acknowledgment that these are mostly beater trucks now. They’re not brand-new six-figure Raptors. They’re just honest, as Belak knows from experience. “I’ve owned two Rangers and the first one caught fire and [I] watched it burn in front of me, sadly. I just recently sold my 1988 Ranger XLT to pay some debt due to me being told my company is selling so [I] no longer needed my truck.”
His current stable includes a 2006 Mustang GT, a heavily modified 2014 Hyundai Equus, and another great “beater truck”: a 1994 Mitsubishi Mighty Max he uses for work.
I was curious about the origins of the song. How did such an inspired tune come about? “The song came together from me just vibin’ at work and [I] heard a beat and threw a little Ranger jingle in the beat and it just caught on,” says Belak. With his permission, his buddy DJ McNaughty also made his own version.
I asked if there would be a single coming to Spotify anytime soon, and Belak explained that his original version hasn’t been finalized yet. Perhaps, one day, the world will get the song and music video we all deserve, although it seems like someone makes a new video with the tune every day.
My most important question, and the one on the minds of many Ranger fans on the Internet, was whether or not only the first three generations of Ranger count as Ford Fuckin’ Rangers. The new ones are now nicer, bigger, and more expensive. In some ways, the Maverick has replaced the Ranger as a low-end beater truck. “[To] me personally, any Ranger is worth rangerin’ long as you’re enjoying your ride. That’s all that matters.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
