Wale Opens Up About Kai Cenat BET Awards Moment
- Wale felt disrespected when Kai Cenat didn't know who he was at BET Awards.
- Generational disconnect between established artists and new voices in hip-hop.
- Wale hopes this can spark conversations about mental health and culture preservation.
Wale Opens Up About Kai Cenat BET Awards Moment: “I Was Upset for Like Five Days
Wale is finally speaking candidly about the viral moment that had the internet buzzing earlier this year when popular streamer Kai Cenat appeared not to recognize him at the 2025 BET Awards.
During a recent appearance on Club Shay Shay with Shannon Sharpe, the DMV rapper reflected on the encounter, admitting that while he tried to laugh it off publicly, it actually weighed on him mentally for days.
“I was upset for like five days in a row,” Wale shared. “Imagine giving your life to this game for over a decade, showing up just to support the culture, and then everybody online is clowning you like you’re nobody.”
The moment originally went viral after Kai walked past Wale, asked what game he was playing on his Nintendo Switch, and later admitted on stream that he didn’t know who he had just spoken to.
Things escalated online when Kai mispronounced Wale’s name as “Wally,” sparking jokes and debates across social media.
While some fans framed Wale’s reaction as him “pressing” the younger streamer, the rapper says that wasn’t his intent at all.
“People made it seem like I was yelling at a 20-year-old,” Wale joked, reenacting how the internet exaggerated the moment. “I was just saying, ‘Yo, that made me look crazy.’ I felt uncomfortable in that room.”
Wale acknowledged that generational gaps play a role, noting that Cenat is only 24 and occupies a very different lane in hip-hop culture today.
Still, he felt the moment highlighted a deeper issue about legacy, respect, and how quickly the internet can rewrite narratives.
“He’s accepted a role — whether he planned to or not — as one of the voices of hip-hop,” Wale said. “We still have to preserve the culture.”
Despite wishing he’d handled parts of the situation differently, Wale emphasized that his goal was never conflict.
Instead, he hoped it could serve as a teachable moment — one that sparks conversation about mental health, generational disconnects, and the evolving definition of influence in hip-hop.
In the end, Wale made it clear he doesn’t expect everyone to know who he is.
“I introduce myself at meet-and-greets sometimes,” he said. “I’m not walking around like, ‘You have to know me.’ I just didn’t like how I felt in that moment.”
As hip-hop continues to shift with new platforms, personalities, and audiences, Wale’s reflections remind us that behind every viral clip is a real human reaction — and sometimes, the hardest part isn’t being forgotten, but being misunderstood.
RELATED: Kai Cenat Blames His Age On Wale Ignorance, X Not Convinced: “I’m Young!”
Wale Opens Up About Kai Cenat BET Awards Moment was originally published on wtlcfm.com
