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Taylor Hill / Contributor through Getty Pictures and Aaron J. Thornton / Contributor through Getty Pictures
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Kai Cenat and Wale
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landscape-medium
Key Takeaways
- Kai Cenat went viral after not recognizing Wale on the 2025 BET Awards, mispronouncing his identify as “Wally.”
- The second sparked debate about generational gaps in Hip Hop and the way youthful creators have interaction with legacy artists.
- Wale used the aftermath of the second to hilariously promote the Nintendo Swap.
When Kai Cenat crossed paths with Wale on the 2025 BET Awards on Monday (June 9), a lot of his viewers have been shocked he didn’t know who the DMV rapper was. Issues solely acquired worse when Wale later confronted the streamer about it, a second that, relying on the way you noticed it, made him look just a little pressed.
Cenat’s supposed unfamiliarity triggered an avalanche of insults from self-proclaimed Hip Hop purists who both forgot — or didn’t care — that Kai was solely 9 years previous when “Lotus Flower Bomb” dropped. On Thursday evening (June 12), he addressed the second throughout a Twitch stream. “I hope he didn’t take my interplay private. How will you blame me for simply being who I’m?” he mentioned. “I’m younger.”
“Matter of reality, let me do my analysis,” Cenat mentioned earlier than pulling up the video for the observe. “What the f**ok! See! N**ga, I do know this tune! This s**t is a banger. This s**t is a f**king traditional. I do know this tune, however when did this s**t come out? 2011? I used to be 9 years previous.” To be truthful, Miguel’s refrain is arguably essentially the most recognizable a part of the observe, so perhaps Cenat needs to be minimize some slack for not immediately recognizing whose hit it was.
Then once more, Wale’s catalog extends far past his 2011 smash. The truth is, a few of his greatest hits arrived afterward, like 2013’s Tiara Thomas-assisted “Unhealthy” or 2015’s “Matrimony” with Usher. Whereas the Folarin artist might not be as related, he actually hasn’t “fallen off” to the purpose of individuals not figuring out who he’s.
Wale himself weighed in below The Shade Room’s repost. “That is loopy,” he commented, in keeping with Advanced. “I didn’t know we was [being] filmed each occasions… We performed in a star soccer recreation final yr. I used to be [really] confused.” The “Blanco” creator additionally discovered a strategy to flip the viral second right into a lighthearted plug for Nintendo Swap, since, in spite of everything, he was busy taking part in Tremendous Smash Bros. when the primary interplay came about.