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Taylor Hill / Contributor via Getty Images and Aaron J. Thornton / Contributor via Getty Images
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Kai Cenat and Wale
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Key Takeaways
- Kai Cenat went viral after not recognizing Wale at the 2025 BET Awards, mispronouncing his name as “Wally.”
- The moment sparked debate about generational gaps in Hip Hop and how younger creators engage with legacy artists.
- Wale used the aftermath of the moment to hilariously promote the Nintendo Switch.
When Kai Cenat crossed paths with Wale at the 2025 BET Awards on Monday (June 9), many of his viewers were shocked he didn’t know who the DMV rapper was. Things only got worse when Wale later confronted the streamer about it, a moment that, depending on how you saw it, made him look a little pressed.
Cenat’s supposed unfamiliarity triggered an avalanche of insults from self-proclaimed Hip Hop purists who either forgot — or didn’t care — that Kai was only 9 years old when “Lotus Flower Bomb” dropped. On Thursday night (June 12), he addressed the moment during a Twitch stream. “I hope he didn’t take my interaction personal. How can you blame me for just being who I am?” he said. “I’m young.”
“Matter of fact, let me do my research,” Cenat said before pulling up the video for the track. “What the f**k! See! N**ga, I know this song! This s**t is a banger. This s**t is a f**king classic. I know this song, but when did this s**t come out? 2011? I was 9 years old.” To be fair, Miguel’s chorus is arguably the most recognizable part of the track, so maybe Cenat should be cut some slack for not instantly recognizing whose hit it was.
Then again, Wale’s catalog extends far beyond his 2011 smash. In fact, some of his biggest hits arrived afterward, like 2013’s Tiara Thomas-assisted “Bad” or 2015’s “Matrimony” with Usher. While the Folarin artist may not be as relevant, he certainly hasn’t “fallen off” to the point of people not knowing who he is.
Wale himself weighed in under The Shade Room’s repost. “This is crazy,” he commented, according to Complex. “I didn’t know we was [being] filmed both times… We played in a celebrity football game last year. I was [really] confused.” The “Blanco” creator also found a way to flip the viral moment into a lighthearted plug for Nintendo Switch, since, after all, he was busy playing Super Smash Bros. when the first interaction took place.
