Michael Jackson built the Hee Hee into his vocal style during his solo peak in the 1980s, using it as an ad-lib across hit songs and live performances alongside his other signature hiccups and shouts. Clipped from that style, the short vocal became a standalone meme sound online, shared on soundboards and in short form edits where creators need an instantly familiar pop reference. It remains popular because a single syllable pairing identifies the performer, his dance driven image, and an entire era of pop music without any backing track.