Kai Cenat recently shared his reasons for distancing himself from fellow streamer Adin Ross, clarifying that while there is no personal animosity between them, an incident involving Ross’ manager, Taav Cooperman, has made future collaborations unlikely. During a late-night call reportedly related to Cenat’s Chicken Big Mac partnership with McDonald’s, Cooperman allegedly used a racial slur when referencing Cenat’s brand deal. According to Cenat, the conversation occurred around 4 a.m., with Cooperman sounding intoxicated and offering to fly Cenat in for Ross’s birthday party at short notice. When Cenat indicated he couldn’t attend, Cooperman allegedly commented on Ross’ gambling losses and suggested he might start managing other personalities, namely those with FaZe Clan.
Cenat recounted that Cooperman, who is white, repeatedly used the N-word during their conversation while discussing Cenat’s transition from partnering with major brands like Nike to collaborating with McDonald’s. Cenat said he kept quiet at the time to avoid affecting Ross’s mental state, but eventually informed Ross about what happened. Despite the personal respect Cenat continues to express for Ross, he acknowledged that the relationship between their communities was strained, saying, “Let’s be real, Adin, your community don’t f**k with me. And that’s the truth, gang.”
This controversy adds to ongoing backlash facing Ross, who lost two brand partnerships earlier this year after making controversial remarks about Megan Thee Stallion and Doechii. The fallout from those incidents has contributed to a challenging period for the streamer, both in terms of public perception and business opportunities. While Cenat insists that his respect for Ross remains unchanged, a joint appearance on-stream seems unlikely for the foreseeable future.