Joe Budden says that he doesn’t have any problem with Kai Cenat, despite taking serious issue with the streamer’s infamous New York City giveaway that resulted in an all-out riot, last year. He discussed his feelings on Cenat while speaking with Lil Yachty for a new interview, remarking that the giveaway offended him “as a New Yorker.”
Budden began by claiming he doesn’t have an issue with Cenat. “Why would you think I have a problem with Kai?” he asked. “After all I’ve learned from us, you think I would turn around seven years later and do it again?” From there, he admitted that he does know where the narrative started. “That stunt he pulled on 14th Street, Union Square. That’s where it started for me… On a Friday on 14th Street, Union Square, New York City, that operates from Atlanta. Yes, I had a big issue with that as a New Yorker.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 04: People gather around and cheer for Kai Cenat (C) as members of the NYPD respond to thousands of people gathered for a “giveaway” event announced by popular Twitch live streamer Kai Cenat in Union Square and the surrounding area on August 4, 2023, in New York City. Cenat, who announced on social media that he would be giving away video game consoles and other items, is reportedly in police custody after a crowd sparked disorder in the park leading to numerous arrests. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
When The Neighborhood Talk shared Budden’s comments on Instagram, fans were highly critical of him. “He doesn’t like Kai Cenant because he’s jealous. Simple,” one fan wrote. “The boy is in his 20’s making more money than his 40-year-old self.” Another added: “This is when u really dont have an actual reason to dislike someone so u just grasping at anything cause WHATTT.” Others pointed out that Cenat is from New York.
Check out Budden’s full comments on Cenat with Lil Yachty above. Be on the lookout for further updates on Joe Budden as well as Kai Cenat on HotNewHipHop.
Travis Scott got on the wrong side of an altercation on August 9. The Houston rapper was arrested for getting into a fight with his bodyguard at a luxury hotel in Paris. According to People Magazine, Scott’s representatives are still working to get the rapper freed. “We are in direct communication with the local Parisian authorities,” they noted in a written statement. “To swiftly resolve this matter and will provide updates when appropriate.” Apparently, Scott’s legal team aren’t the only ones working to get him out though. Kai Cenat, streamer extraordinaire, decided to offer assistance as well.
Cenat was also in Paris for the Olympics, and decided to roll the dice with French authorities. He went up to a random squad car and asked that Travis Scott be released ASAP. “Please, just free Travis right now,” he said to the officer behind the wheel. “Everybody’s concerned, everybody’s worried, so we gotta get him freed.” Kai Cenat voices frustration when he realizes the officer doesn’t speak English. He then goes to a Black officer and attempts the same routine. The second officer confirms that he doesn’t know who Scott is, but Cenat isn’t buying it. “Bro, Travis Scott,” he asserted. “It’s lit! Fein! Y’all just had arrested him yesterday.” No dice. The streamer walks away from the interaction empty-handed.
Kai Cenat and Travis Scott have developed a close friendship over the years. The latter has called Cenat during his streams, and have even linked up for 24 hour streams in the past. Cenat is also a huge fan of Scott’s music. He regularly posts reactions to new Scott music, and even went viral when Scott went 0 for at the 2024 Grammy Awards. Cenat was visibly frustrated by the fact that Travis Scott failed win any of the rap categories. “Who decided this motherf*cker?,” the streamer asked. “Who the f*ck decided this motherf*cker? Her Loss? Utopia? Metro Boomin?”
The viral moment happened back in February, but has actually become relevant again. Killer Mike, the rapper who beat Travis Scott in multiple categories, seemingly dissed the Houston rapper on his new album. Mike evidently felt a way about the pushback he got from celebrity names like Kai Cenat, and asserted that he was deserving of the wins. “You gon respect me like a motherf*ckin’ Grammy winner,” Killer Mike rapped on the album. “Like I cooked your favorite rapper like a Granny dinner.”
The U.S presidential election this year will be just as much about online clicks and cultural support as it is about voter ballots and the Electoral College. Moreover, both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have to win over the States’ public favor come November, and they’re both apparently making strides in the worlds of pop culture, content creation, and streaming to do so. If you didn’t already know, Kai Cenat recently claimed that the Secret Service reached out to him to support Harris and collaborate with her campaign. While he said that he has no interest in involving himself with politics, a new report suggests that this is a bit of a misrepresentative story.
Furthermore, TMZ recently claimed to have spoken with an alleged source supposedly close to Kamala Harris’ campaign, who reportedly said that no one from her camp had reached out to Kai Cenat at the time of his claims. According to this supposed source, the Harris campaign hasn’t even considered linking up with the Twitch giant. Also, apparently Cenat was instead contacted by a third-party organization informally connected to the Democratic National Committee’s convention team. The convention takes place later this August in Chicago, but his involvement is not only unclear, but downright speculative at press time.
Kai Cenat says he’s been getting calls from Kamala Harris campaign and the secret service for a possible collab and stream with Kamala & says he wants no parts of politics and isn’t gonna involve himself pic.twitter.com/4y6ZAwyABW
Not only that, but this TMZ report also claims that this third party’s conversations with Kai Cenat began before current president Joe Biden dropped out of the race in favor of Kamala Harris. Allegedly, no one from her campaign formed part of these supposed talks. But why are people so captivated by the notion of these two wildly different celebrities teaming up to do something together? Well, that’s because fellow popular streamer Adin Ross recently did a livestream with Harris’ opponent, Donald Trump.
As you can imagine, that stream lit up social media and resulted in some comical, bizarre, or otherwise controversial moments. But from what this report indicates, it seems like Kamala Harris isn’t looking to combat this with a one-to-one clap-back. Instead, maybe her campaign will look beyond Kai Cenat to other corners of pop culture, and Trump will most likely do the same. Still, we can’t help but wonder what Harris would get up to at the AMP house.
Charlamagne Tha God wasn’t a fan of Kamala Harris’ team reaching out to Kai Cenat about collaborating on a livestream. The Breakfast Club host discussed the story on Wednesday morning, days after Donald Trump spoke with Adin Ross.
“Hit me and tell me who sent you that text man because whoever on Vice President Kamala Harris’ team hit Kai Cenat to do a live stream, they need to be fired,” Charlamagne began. “Stop letting social media run her campaign. You saw [Donald] Trump go on Adin Ross and you saw the attention that garnered, you saw the headlines that got. You saw social media start saying the Vice President needs to go on Kai Cenat and you ran to go make that happen, not even stopping to think, ‘Is this organic? Does Kai Cenat even care about politics?’”
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – August 6: Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz walk on stage together during a campaign event at Temple University’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pa., on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024. Harris and Walz appeared for the first time together since announcing him as her running mate. (Photo by Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
From there, Charlamagne theorized Cenat is certainly not a fan of Trump, but also clearly isn’t interested in politics. “You know why the Trump-Adin Ross stream worked? Because Adin Ross had real interest in Donald Trump,” he explained. “And, I do believe politicians should absolutely meet people where they are, but it still has to make sense. Let it be something organic. There’s a lot of places the VP can go to get in front of a younger audience. There are influencers Kai’s age. I don’t know. I’m all for meeting people where they are, but it also has to make sense.” From there, he recommended Harris speak with The 85 South Show.
Charlamagne Tha God Speaks On Kamala Harris & Kai Cenat
Charlamagne calls out Vice President Kamala Harris’ team and says whoever on Kamala Harris’ team contacted Kai Cenat to do a live stream needs to be fired.
In other election news, Harris announced on Tuesday that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will be her running mate. Be on the lookout for further updates on Charlamagne Tha God as well as Kamala Harris and the 2024 Presidential Election on HotNewHipHop.
Kai Cenat is easily one of the biggest streamers in the entire world. Overall, he is someone who has been able to bridge the gap between generations. Moreover, he has done some huge collaborations that are always going viral on social media. Having said that, it should come as no surprise that Cenat would be approached by a political campaign. After all, we did just see Donald Trump do a stream with the likes of Adin Ross.
There have been numerous memes and jokes online about how Kai should stream with Kamala Harris. Well, as it turns out, the Vice President’s team has, in fact, reached out to Kai. However, Cenat is not interested, in the slightest. During his stream last night, Cenat noted that politics are not something he wants to get involved in. Unlike Adin Ross, Cenat is much more conscientious of his image and what he might portray to his fans. Given this polarizing political climate, this is probably a good idea.
Kai Cenat reveals that Kamala Harris team has been begging him to do a stream after Donald Trump appeared on Adin Ross stream pic.twitter.com/ExujKjK9i4
The Kamala Harris campaign seems to be doing just fine right now. Yesterday, Harris announced Tim Walz as her running mate, and voters are loving the choice. During a rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Walz brought the energy, and it is clear that he is resonating with the average Joe. Only time will tell whether or not this translates into a bump in the polls. The election is just three months away, and the Democrats still have ground to make up.
Let us know what you think about these comments from Kai Cenat, in the comments section down below. Do you agree with his decision to stay out of politics and decline the invite? What did you think of the Donald Trump and Adin Ross stream? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
In June of this year, Lil Uzi Vert made headlines for their participation in a Marc Jacobs campaign. The performer posed with the brand’s 40th-anniversary bag in collaboration with Stephen Sprouse. Unfortunately, this resulted in a great deal of clowning online. Uzi’s never been one to hide their true colors after a bit of criticism, however.
In fact, new photos circulating online show them posing for even more photos for the brand, joined by a special guest. Kai Cenat is featured in the photos, rocking a fuzzy black jacket, leather pants, and a pair of white shades. As for Uzi, they sported a sleeveless rhinestone-studded dress, a small black handbag, and dark sunglasses.
As expected, the photo has elicited mixed reactions from social media users. Most are here for the unexpected collaboration, however, and can’t wait to see more. The news arrives a few weeks after Cenat teased a possible stream with Lil Uzi Vert, though it’s unclear when exactly that could happen. With that being said, they look to have been spending more time together due to the campaign, so it might be closer than ever. “Uzi on stream is going to be f***ing insane,” Cenat told fans in June.
Cenat isn’t the only person Uzi’s commitment to fashion has rubbed off on, however. During a recent interview, their partner JT also opened up about how they influenced her style. “I remember him putting me in a whole outfit and I was going the f*ck off on him like, ‘Boy, I look like Batman and all type of sh*t,’” she explained. “He’s like, ‘This is how you’re gonna be dressed every day.’ And, I’m like, ‘Boy, there’s a time and a place.’” What do you think of Lil Uzi Vert and Kai Cenat teaming up for a new Marc Jacobs campaign? How are they looking in this latest photo? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Lil Yachty had a lot to say on the Flagrant podcast. The rapper has developed a reputation for being Drake’s best friend in the music industry, so naturally he was bombarded with 6 God questions. One such question pertained to the recent collaboration between Yachty and Drake, “S.O.D. (Supersoak).” The song was played by Kai Cenat during a recent Twitch stream, and fans have been eager to know when the official version will be released on streaming. According to Lil Yachty, the answer is never.
Lil Boat revealed he was the one who sent “S.O.D.” to Kai Cenat. “I sent a song to Kai to leak,” he told host Andrew Schultz. The rapper then explained the reasoning behind the Twitch pivot: him and Drake couldn’t get the sample for the song cleared. “We couldn’t get the sample,” he added. “So I just let Kai play it.” Schultz asked whether “S.O.D.” would ever see the light of day, and Lil Yachty said no. He was ultimately, pleased, however, by how much attention the song got from the leak. “It’s everywhere,” the rapper noted.
More questions surfaced. Schultz was puzzled as to how an artist of Drake’s stature couldn’t secure a sample clearance. Apparently, it came down to religious beliefs. “S.O.D.” samples an IG post, and the person who made the post didn’t approve of the song’s lyrical content. “He went down like a Christian path,” the rapper explained. Lil Yachty claimed he didn’t get a chance to make the influencer an offer, however, before he was turned down. “I don’t even think we got into money, ” the rapper recalled. “He was just like, ‘no.’ It was crazy.”
The influencer wasn’t alone in his dislike for “S.O.D. (Supersoak).” Soulja Boy hopped on IG Live and accused Drake of dissing him on the song’s hook. “Drake, you up here talkin’ about some S.O.D. super soak,” Soulja said. “Boy, stop playin wit me, boy. That better be a f*cking shout out, n*ga.” Soulja Boy even made reference to Drake’s recent battle with Kendrick Lamar. A battle that Lil Yachty regretted discussing during a previous podcast appearance. During his Flagrant appearance, he said he’ll avoid speaking about Drake’s business in the future. “I just wish I had never spoke on it,” he told Schultz. “I wish I hadn’t said anything about it.”
Kai Cenat was just as shocked as the rest of the internet on July 30. The Twitch streamer discovered that his cameraman, ChrisV, had been texting a 17 year old girl for weeks. The girl in question shared the texts and the cameraman was promptly fired. Kai Cenat then hopped on a stream to address the controversy, and assure fans that he does not tolerate ChrisV’s behavior in any way. He did, however, get visibly upset when reflecting on what he felt was a betrayal.
Kai Cenat told his viewers that he reached out to the aforementioned girl to confirm that the messages were real. “It’s confirmed,” he stated. “And I’m just sick and tired of having to do sh*t like this.” He then went on to voice frustration over his co-worker’s lack of scruples with regards to messaging an underage teen. “I don’t know how people are not just seeing an age or something and just stopping,” Cenat stated. “It’s some messages that look f*cking crazy, bro.” Eventually, the streamer started to get emotional. “The sh*t f*cked me up the whole day,” he admitted. “It’s like n**ga, what the f*ck are you doing?”
Kai Cenat Fired His Cameraman Upon Learning The Truth
Kai Cenat got emotional and started crying on stream while confirming that his cameraman ChrisV was talking to a minor, after texts were revealed earlier today
Kai Cenat stopped his rant to compose himself. He wiped tears away from his eyes and acknowledged that he was letting his feelings get the best of him. “Over here crying and sh*t,” he mumbled. Cenat then revealed that ChrisV was part of his original team of friends. A lot of his resentment, beyond the obvious moral shortcomings, however, stemmed from the fact that he now has to cut someone who helped him get started out of his life. “This is the most real you’re gonna get me,” Cenat admitted to his viewers. “I don’t like this sh*t, I don’t condone this sh*t.”
Another notable streamer, Adin Ross, weighed in on the ChrisV controversy. He supported Kai Cenat’s decision to fire the cameraman and voiced his disgust over the leaked text messages. “It’s not morally correct to engage in a relationship with a minor, period,” he stated. “I don’t give a f*ck what you guys have to say about that.” ChrisV is no longer part of AMP. “I’m not associating myself with him,” Cenat asserted.
Twitch streamers Kai Cenat and Fanum are part of a YouTube video creation team called AMP. AMP recently moved into a penthouse in New York City after spending several years in Atlanta. However, they were evicted for unspecified reasons just a few days later. Cenat and Fanum are both from The Bronx, so a move back to New York City doubled as a homecoming for the two.
During the Dominican Day Parade, NYPD pointed a gun at Fanum and seized his car, a purple Lamborghini Urus. His driver, Walton, was handcuffed. Fanum later claimed that he had a permit to ride along the parade route. Fanum’s own livestream captured footage of the arrest, and he confirmed his intent to sue on his Instagram story after safely arriving home. The NYPD later said that the vehicle was stopped because there were no license plates on it. Cenat reacted to the arrest and subsequent NYPD officer photos posing with the seized car on his stream.
“NYPD is a gang. Do you hear what I’m saying to you? NYPD be moving like a gang, and nobody will listen to me,” said Kai Cenat. “Not even the GTA V cops do this sh*t, dude.” He also mocked the officer’s photo op, asking what his badge number was since it was not visible in the Instagram posts. Cenat also argued that pulling a gun on Fanum was excessive, since Fanum was not doing anything that would necessitate such an escalation.
Of course, people might remember that this is not the first time Fanum has been arrested. In August 2023, the NYPD took both Fanum and Cenat into custody. What started as a PS5 giveaway quickly turned into a riot in Union Square. They were not in custody for very long, though their arrest sparked debates over what responsibility content creators have in managing their fans. Hopefully, this latest situation gets resolved quickly. If nothing else, fans are very happy that nothing worse came from such a potentially harmful situation.
It’s been an eventful summer for the AMP Crew, who are only growing in popularity as the days pass. The crew moved out of the AMP house for the summer in Atlanta to relocate to New York, only to face a string of unfortunate events. Initially moving into a “trap house,” they eventually moved into their penthouse only to get booted out three days later. And if there’s any credence to Kai Cenat’s theory, the owner simply used AMP’s platform to move the $30M piece of real estate.
They’ve worked their way around these setbacks and still unleashed plenty of content online, even at their own expense. Take for example Kai’s Friday stream with Ice Spice and Lil Yachty, where they crammed themselves inside the back of a U-Haul truck. But beyond that, it’s clear that their summer domination continues, especially with their recent AMP Freshman Cypher. The 2023 edition found each member of AMP, Kai Cenat, Fanum, ChrisNxtDoor, Agent 00, Duke Dennis, and ImDavisss stepping up to the plate for a wildly entertaining cypher that also included a verse from Kevin Hart a.k.a Chocolate Droppa.
But we have to be honest – these guys are basically cosplaying as rappers anytime they release a cypher. However, in some cases, making music seems like a viable career path if the streaming wave ends up crashing. In any case, we’re ranking the AMP Cypher, from worst to best. Let us know if you agree in the comment section below.
(Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Lionsgate)
It’s Kevin Hart. He’s not serious, nor are we going to take his rapping efforts as Chocolate Droppa seriously. However, we have to give credit where credit is due since he was the only one who freestyle his whole verse.
Duke Dennis
(Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)
This one is a bit of a disappointment considering the hype around his 2023 AMP Freshman Cypher. Out of everyone in AMP, Duke Dennis — who recently caught flack for his choice of attire — is the only person who could actually pass for a rapper by looks alone. It’s too bad his freestyle was subpar and he looked just as bored in the video. That’s not to say he’s a horrible rapper, either — he just sounds like a knock-off version of Moneybagg Yo. It’s Duke’s aura that does the heavy lifting during his verse.
Agent 00
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
The whole meme rap thing is hit-or-miss but clearly, its influence continues to seep through the fabric of pop culture. In the AMP Freshman Freestyle, Agent 00 raps with the ferocity of an angsty teenager, largely due to the shock value. We have to admit, his humor did shine through, even if it sounded like an attempt to test the boundaries of cancel culture with potty humor.
Kai Cenat
(Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images)
There’s been an argument that streamers are the new rappers, and perhaps, there’s no better example of that than Kai Cenat. Though his freestyle felt underwhelming to close out the cypher, it felt like a moment where he could actually pop his sh*t without coming across as completely self-absorbed. Off the rip, he addresses the infamous Tyla moment before gliding through the rest of his track dishing out bars that speak to his come-up: his work ethic, sacrifices, and loyalty. It feels contrived at moments, and it’s hard to deny that Lil Yachty’s had some sort of influence on his pen and delivery. Overall, Kai held his own on this year’s AMP Freshman list and we got to salute his hustle.
Perhaps one of the most obscure members of AMP, ChrisNxtDoor has certainly shown out as one of the more musically inclined members of the crew. Though his wordplay is impressive, it’s really his nasally yet raspy vocals that perfectly complement the riveting and spacey production choice on this record. A short effort by comparison, Chris’ verse in the cypher left a strong impression.
ImDavisss
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MAY 31: ImDavisss attends a VIP Screening of Paramount Pictures’ “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” at Regal Atlantic Station on May 31, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)
A few bars in, ImDavisss stops the beat and reflects on how his music career hasn’t really panned out over the past three years. However, the latest AMP Cypher might eventually lead to a record deal for the budding artist. Sure, his raps are just fine but the second he leaps into the harmonies, he starts sounding like Bryson Tiller. There’s a lot of potential to be tapped into it so hopefully, Davis keeps this momentum up and drops some actual heat in the near future.
Fanum
Fanum at The 2023 Streamy Awards held at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel on August 27, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Penske Media via Getty Images)
Fanum really showed out as the MVP of the AMP Freshman Cypher 2024. Taking on a laidback, boom-bap-esque inspired production, the New Yorkisms flowed out of him smoothly in a way that had faint remnants of the jovial energy of Pro Era’s early come-up. However, Fanum really pulled out with high-energy, slick wordplay and one of the better-beat selections that positioned him at the top of this list.
(@nojumper)
