Kai Cenat shocked many people in November when news broke about him walking away from a massive deal. The popular content creator turned down a $60 million deal with the streaming platform Kick, and he recently explained his reasoning for doing so in the latest episode of Club Shay Shay.
Host Shannon Sharpe asked the top streamer, “You turned down $60 million to join Kick. Why did you do that?” Kai replied, “It wasnt right. I couldn’t join Kick at the time because I realized that not all money is good money. Some money you could take and deals you could sign that would jeopardize everything that you built up.”
He explained that he’s looking at the bigger picture when it comes to his career and reputation instead of focusing on just the dollar signs. “Sometimes you gotta just say no. This is cool, it’s generational, but I’m more like, what am I stamping on the world? What am I going to be known for? If it don’t make sense, I’m not doing it. I had such a great community where I’m at now, why would I leave it?”
When asked about who helped him come to the big decision, the 23-year-old said, “It was me and God.” He then delved into the specific story about the moment he knew, saying, “2023 right before my Sub-A-Thon. I got a call from Kick saying, ‘We got these millions.’ Fifteen days on Twitch, then 15 days on Kick, and then reveal that you’re on Kick.”
“I told my team, I said, ‘I can’t do it.’ As soon as I hung up, I got down on my knees and put my hands together and prayed. I said, ‘God I just turned down a crazy amount of money that’ll help me for a lifetime. I just hope that you keep me on the road of staying focused and being able to achieve my dreams at a natural pace. And he answered.”
And he’s not wrong. In November 2024, Kai Cenat returned to the top slot as Twitch’s most-subscribed creator. He also closed off a massive year filled with viral moments, with his streams welcoming guest appearances from major names like Nicki Minaj, John Cena, and more.
Elsewhere in the interview, Sharpe and Cenat talk about the latter’s new relationship, working with figures like Kim Kardashian and Kevin Hart, his legendary 30-day streaming marathon, career beginnings, and more. Check out the full episode below.
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