Matt Rife has become a figurehead for the individual who becomes a success “overnight.” As a struggling comedian, he became famous in 2022 when some of his comedy content quickly went viral on Tik Tok. This breakthrough elevated him out of obscurity and he is now selling out shows and recently released a comedy special on Netflix as well. Rife has a powerful personality, perfectly chiseled good looks, an apparent meticulous focus on his body, and many critical opinions delivered in the standard comic manner, attacking with humor. One of his more popular commentaries has involved astrology. According to Rife:

“Astrology is not this magical life guideline that predetermines your future in the stars. No, none of that. Your future is dependent upon your thoughts, opinions, and actions. You are in complete control of how your future turns out. It’s not up here. It’s in here.”

To be fair, he is not completely wrong about this, but he is not completely right either. Also, this argument is not very original. Rife is echoing criticisms various skeptics have made for thousands of years which has often involved mischaracterizations that grossly over simplify the impact astrology has on our lives. Some astrologers have countered with brief delineations of Rife’s natal chart (Virgo Sun – Venus opposite Saturn in Pisces, Taurus rising with chart ruler Venus, Moon in Aries disposited by Mars in Scorpio, etc.). This has been highlighted as evidence of correlations between the characteristics of the astrological dynamics and their expression through his personality. The logic is that even his skepticism is actually a reflection of astrology, which of course is then proof of its legitimacy overall. While this may seem like an appropriate response, it does not adequately address his core argument: “You are in complete control of how your life turns out.”

Rife’s high degree of visibility and exposure makes this discussion relevant and his usage of these old criticisms are specifically in response to astrology’s recent growth within the general culture. It appears that he is not happy with the fact that interest in astrology has expanded over the past couple decades. So, it seems appropriate that this deserves a detailed response and the best way to do that is to use his life as an example. To that end, there are two significant and well documented events in Rife’s life: the death of his father and his rise to fame via Tik Tok. Let us analyze both.

Father’s Suicide (Chart #1)

Rife’s father committed suicide when he was around 17 months old. In various interviews, Rife has also admitted that his father suffered from severe depression that eventually claimed his life. The obituaries list his date of death as March 5, 1997. On this date, Rife’s natal chart was hit with an overwhelming number of tight aspects from transits and solar arcs.

Key Aspects

1. Transit Mars Conjunct Chiron and Opposite the Midpoint of Saturn/Moon.
2. Transit Chiron Conjunct Mars.
3. Transit Venus – Mercury Square Jupiter.
4. Transit Sun Conjunct Saturn and Opposite Sun.
5. Transit Moon Conjunct Neptune – Uranus.
6. Solar Arc Chiron Opposite the Midpoint of Saturn/Moon.
7. Solar Arc Neptune Conjunct Midheaven.
8. Solar Arc Midheaven Conjunct Uranus.

Delineation

The 10th house is the area of life often associated with the father. Accordingly, the heavy generational planetary energy from Uranus and Neptune constellated around its cusp (Midheaven) foreshadowed the potential of a major event that would eventually befall this important figure in Rife’s life. That potential was detailed by their dispositor, Saturn in Pisces placed on the cusp of the 12th house. As a father figure archetype, Saturn’s placement in Pisces is tough. It can represent a sense of sorrow or disillusionment with the father in some manner. It is alignment with the cusp of the 12th house reflects mental health issues connected to the father as well as the possibility that may become lost to Rife. The retrograde status and opposition to the midpoint of Sun and Venus (chart ruler) exasperates this and confirms that everything Saturn represents is under intense lifelong review and has deeply shaped two of the most significant components of Rife’s sense of self. The death of his father shaped who Rife is (Sun in the 5th house is the derived 8th from the 10th).

The Moon rules Rife’s 4th house of mother and is also placed inside the 12th house. With both rulers of the parental axis in the house of sorrow and suffering, one can guess that something horrible has occurred here. Chiron’s opposition to the midpoint of both highlights that what occurred has deeply wounded Rife. The transit from retrograde Mars (#1) to both Chiron, Saturn and Moon activated all these themes with the archetype most closely associated with Mars – violence. These dynamics were echoed by the transit from Chiron (#2) to Mars. The involvement of Chiron was then amplified further with Solar arc Chiron’s (#3) alignment with all these bodies. This repeating theme from similar transiting combinations on the same day is haunting. It shows a father at the end of his rope and struggling with some dark issues (Scorpio, 12th house themes). Attacking (Mars) himself in some manner was a way to stop the pain (Chiron).

In terms of the larger cycles that set the stage for this overarching theme, we must return to Neptune and Uranus (#5). Solar arc Neptune had tightly conjoined the Midheaven while the solar arc Midheaven had tightly conjoined Uranus. This was the massive disruption that removed his father from his life. By itself, the aspects from #1 & #2 may not have had enough power to trigger this manifestation, but when combined with the power of these outer planetary gods, it most definitely did.

In terms of precise timing, the triggers for this event are surreal. Transit Sun (#4) offers one fast moving alignment to the set of themes represented by Saturn and Sun. Transit Moon (#5) was an even faster alignment that triggered off the other set of themes represented by Neptune and Uranus.

Going Viral (Chart #2)

After years of working various clubs doing standup, Rife was about to call it quits. Instead, he uploaded a short comedy clip entitled, “The Lazy Hero” on July 30, 2022. The clip exploded across the web and instantly became viral. Like the event above, this event also corresponded to an overwhelming number of transits and solar arcs.

Key Aspects

1. Transit Pluto Conjunct Uranus.
2. Transit Neptune Opposite Venus.
3. Transit Mars – Uranus North Node Trine Sun.
4. Transit Saturn Trine North Node.
5. Transit Jupiter – Sun Trine Jupiter.
6. Transit Moon square Pluto.
7. Solar Arc Sun – Venus – Chiron Conjunct Mercury – Part of Fortune – North Node.
8. Solar Arc Mars Conjunct Pluto.

Delineation

Transit Pluto’s (#1) conjunction to Uranus is a powder keg. While an aspect to Uranus 25 years prior manifested through his father, here it found its outlet through Rife’s career. It may seem improbable that one area could manifest differently, but that is the nature of astrological multivalence. The 10th house represents both father and career. Since Rife was only 17 months old when the first aspect occurred, career could not be a consideration. As an adult that potential avenue of manifestation was definitely on the table. Also, with retrograde representing most intense phase of a planet’s triple pass aspect, Pluto’s retrograde status amplified its degree of transformation and overhaul. This combination unleashed revolution in Rife’s career.

Transit Neptune’s (#2) opposition to Venus represents the disillusionment that Rife was feeling (retrograde) at this point. He was ready to call it quits and exhausted with putting himself out there (chart ruler Venus). What Rife did not understand was the massive amount of beneficial energy rolling through his first house of self. Here, transit Mars, Uranus, and the North Node (#3) formed a trine to the Sun. With Uranus bringing change, Mars representing others (rules the 7th house), and the North Node offering opportunities for growth, this powerful combination blending harmoniously with his core sense of self (Sun) was a major reason why his video went viral so quickly. It was a massive boost to his identity (1st house). Transit Saturn’s (#4) rulership of the 10th house (career) also helped things along with its trine to the North Node. The grand trine from transit Jupiter and Sun to natal Jupiter (#5) was an explosive expansion of self that easily benefitted his career and fame.

If all these trine aspects were not enough, then the triple conjunction from solar arc Sun, Venus, and Chiron (#6) to Mercury, part fortune (POF), and North Node sealed the deal. This was another massive alignment of energy that manifested as money (Venus, 2nd ruler Mercury), good luck and fortune (POF), and again positive exposure (North Node). It is a bit wild that one collection of three planets was positioned in such a way that could align with another collection of three points and bodies. The solar arc manifestation greatly amplified all the other transits with its slow development of its larger themes.

Finally, solar arc Mars’ tight conjunction to Pluto (#8) offers the final evidence for the popularity of Rife’s video. With this conjunction occurring in the 7th house of others (and ruling this house), it manifested powerfully. Also, since we started with transit Pluto, it makes sense that to end with this aspect to natal Pluto. The transformative impulse that it offered to Rife’s career was represented as a type of foreshadowing with natal Pluto’s placement in the 7th house. Others (fans) arrived for him and completely transformed his life.

And like his father’s death, transit Moon (#6) was again the fast-moving trigger. Here, it’s square to this solar arc underscored its significance as well as the timing for this moment. It kicked his career into high gear through a sudden expansion with others on social media.

“You Are in Complete Control?”

How would Rife’s life had changed if his father had not died? Yes, how he responded to that event had an impact on his development, but we cannot ignore that the event happened first. It’s occurrence, in and of itself, drastically changed the course of his life…an event which he had no control over preventing.

Also, where would his life be right now if he had not posted that video at the exact moment he did? Yes, he is very talented and has worked very hard to develop his craft and art, but there are many others who are just as talented and work just as hard – yet they do not achieve the breakthrough success that he has attained. Yes, he had to take the initiative to actualize the astrological energies that were converging upon him, but without those energies would his efforts have translated to the same degree of success? Believe it or not, these questions need to posed in an explicit manner because they are so significant.

If these two events infer anything, it is the possibility that we may not have complete control over how life turns out…and I realize that can be a very hard pill to swallow for some. Like Rife, there are events that alter the trajectory of our lives and quite often they correspond to an overwhelming array of planetary aspects that align and converge in so specific a manner and meaning, so perfectly timed that it could not be a coincidence. When analyzed properly, it is difficult not to conclude that these things do not constitute a type of fate that “predetermines” the future. A destiny. Yes, we still have the agency and freedom to decide and act as we like, to choose how to respond and react, but we do not always control these events that put us on our paths. For Rife, that powerful and rare outer planet conjunction between Uranus and Neptune in the 1990’s symbolized a potential future. The archetypal fields they govern in terms of manifestation became personalized for him when their powerful cycle became tightly aligned with the cusp of his 10th house. They represented a destiny because this area of life includes both father and career. And in specific accordance to their archetypal fields of resonance this manifested as a sudden disappearance, shocking disillusionment, and disturbances of mental illness, but also technological breakthroughs in the shared alternate reality of social media

Our temporary mortal existence is a polarity between fate and free will and it is critical that we, as thinking and intelligent immortal entities, have a comprehensive understanding of its relationship. The problem is that most people do not have a line of sight into one end of the polarity that represents fate. So, because they cannot “see” or analyze fate they tend to minimize its existence and focus entirely on the other end, free will. It becomes a blind spot that influences how we judge others despite being unaware of exactly what others are working with. And as that tendency expands, ignoring or minimizing fate can also become a silent foundation for macro socio-economic structures. This is why Rife’s perspective deserves a response. It is not about him, but since he is blasting it out with a microphone then his life is fair game for a rebuttal.

Final Thoughts

Rife has stated that young people really annoy him, but he loves older individuals. If he is being honest, then he may enjoy my company. I am almost twice his age, so I guess that makes me kind of old. My goatee is frosty and health issues are popping up by the day. But I have an entire life’s worth of mind-blowing astrological experiences. I have done things with this art that many would not believe. I have observed synchronicities that would challenge the philosophies of the most stubborn skeptic. And I have learned lessons that will haunt me to the grave. Astrology has provided peace and satisfaction with who, where, when, what, and why I am. And if he is ever interested in understanding the extent to which this base of knowledge can be a “magical life guideline,” I would be happy to sit down with him to chat.

But I am not doing Tik Tok.