Twitch Star Kai Cenat Breaks Silence On NYC Riots Caused By His Giveaway: Everything To Know
Days after a giveaway event in Union Square turned into a riot, the Twitch streamer opened up about the event in a livestream. Here are five things to know about him.
- Kai Cenat is a famous YouTuber and Twitch streamer with over 5 million Instagram followers.
- On Aug. 2, 2023, he took to his streaming platform to announce he would be giving away items such as game consoles and gift cards to his fans in New York City.
- On Aug. 4, 2023, Kai was at the center of a riot in NYC’s Union Square after thousands of fans swarmed the area for the giveaway.
- Kai opened up about the riots in his first Twitch stream after the incident.
Kai Cenat, 21, was at the center of the riots that broke out in New York City on Aug. 4, 2023. After the online sensation promised fans on Aug. 2, that he would be giving away gift cards and consoles, many of his fans swarmed Union Square Park in the Big Apple, as reported by NBC News. Kai shared some thoughts about the riot in a stream on Wednesday, Aug. 9. “I am beyond disappointed in anybody who became disruptive that day,” he said. “None of that is cool.”
New York City Police Chief Jeffrey Maddrey told the outlet that Kai was removed from the area “for his safety” after “thousands” of his fans flooded the area around the park on Aug. 4.
The outlet revealed that Kai has not been charged with a crime, however, Maddrey told the organization that the officials were “reviewing possible charges, including inciting a riot.” Many were reportedly arrested after people allegedly were “committing acts of violence toward police and the public, including throwing bottles, rocks and paint cans.” The giveaway that Kai promised was reportedly set to start at 4 PM EST, however, the park was flooded with fans one hour prior, per NBC News.
After the event went wrong, Kai said that he had “good intentions” when organizing and said events like this should be “safe” and “fun.” He admitted that he didn’t think the event would go the way that it did. “We all have to do better, and if I ever want to do something like this in the future, I’ve got to make the right calls, do the right things,” he said.
Later in the video, he also admitted that he was “hit with multiple charges,” and he revealed that he would have to appear in court. In the aftermath, here are five things to know about Kai!
Kai Cenat Is A Twitch Streamer
The 21-year-old is famous on several platforms, including Twitch, an online streaming website. There, Kai has over 6.5 million followers with countless viewers when he goes live. Days prior to the riots, Kai took to Twitch to share a video where he announced the massive giveaway. The influencer promised “gift cards, PCs, gaming chairs,” and more for his NYC fans. The video has now reached over two million views and countless comments. “HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT CLICK HERE NOW NEW YORK TOMORROW BIGGEST DWARF GAMING GENIUS,” he titled the video.
He Lives A Lavish Lifestyle
Many of Kai’s fans can get a glimpse of his lavish lifestyle via his various online accounts, including his Instagram. Most recently, he shared a photo in front of all of his luxury cars on Jul. 6, 2023. “Checkmate,” he captioned the carousel of photos. Some of the vehicle he posed in front of included a black Mercedes-Benz, a red Porsche SUV, and a Cadillac Escalade. “Kai has my GTA garage in real life,” one admirer joked in the comments.
Kai Is From New York City
Although Kai does not live in NYC any longer, he is originally from the Big Apple. He took to Instagram on Jul. 5, 2021, to boast about his latest property purchase. “Never been embarrassed to wear the same fit twice, never been embarrassed to have 1 pair of shoes, never been embarrassed to sleep on the floor, Never been embarrassed to struggle. You gotta go through hard times before you live lavish. #NEWCRIB,” he captioned the carousel of photos of his new mansion.
He Has Over 5 Million Instagram Followers
Although his Twitch subscribers outnumber his other platforms, Kai boasts nearly 6 million followers on Instagram. There he shares photos from his life, work, and accomplishments. In Sept. 2021, he shared a set of photos with several of his YouTube awards. “A lot Of Sleepless Nights & A Whole Lot Of Grinding,” he captioned the post, along with a diamond emoji.
Kai Is Supportive Of His Family
Over a year after Kai gushed over his own home purchase, he took to Instagram in Oct. 2022 to announce that he purchased a home for his family. “I Officially Accomplished The ONE Goal I’ve Always Dreamed Of As A Kid ‘Moving My Family Out The Hood’ & Now I’m here Closing On My Mom’s First House Of MANY BLESSINGS,” he captioned the photo of the sweet moment. Famous actor, Nick Cannon, even took to the comments to congratulate Kai. “Congratulations Young King!! This is what it is all about!!! #Purpose,” the 42-year-old penned at the time.