Key Takeaways

• Wale says his viral 2025 BET Awards moment with Kai Cenat left him upset for days and feeling like his influence on Hip Hop was downplayed.
• He wanted to use the moment to start a conversation about how different generations engage with Hip Hop.
• Wale sees streamers like Kai Cenat as influential voices in shaping how artists are recognized today.

Wale believes his run-in with Kai Cenat at the 2025 BET Awards could have sparked a deeper conversation about the generational divide between Hip Hop and the streamer generation. The Twitch star did not recognize the DMV rapper during their impromptu meeting, leaving the “Lotus Flower Bomb” lyricist feeling slighted by viewers’ reactions.

But the optics and the blow to Wale’s ego only tell half of the story. He spoke about the viral interaction during a Wednesday (Dec. 17) appearance on the “Club Shay Shay” podcast, admitting he was caught off guard by the online response that left him “upset for like five days in a row.” After the initial encounter, Cenat referred to him as Wally and asked followers what he was famous for. “It just seemed like it was … downplaying a little bit,” said the former Maybach Music Group hitmaker, who rose to stardom during the blog era.

Although nearly two decades separate the men, Cenat’s platform has become a go-to destination for other celebrities like Kevin Hart, Snoop Dogg and Mariah Carey, who have each participated in livestreams to promote their projects and brands. That influence is why the “Where To Start” mastermind is certain his exchange with Cenat could have served a greater purpose than generating clicks. “I wanted to make it a teachable moment,” he explained. “I wanted to go on a stream and talk about the generational divide … just have conversations around how the generations go because it’s like a deep conversation we can have, and I’ve been dying to have that joint on stream with the right people [on] both sides of the culture.”

Moreover, he said that the “Mafiathon” streamer has “accepted a role.” He continued, “Whether he planned [to] or not, to be one of the voices in Hip Hop. Whether he likes stuff or not, we still gotta preserve the culture, you know what I’m saying? … That’s what that was about. I wish I would have handled it differently, but at the same time, I definitely thought it could be a teachable moment.”

How does Wale’s vulnerability shape his music and message?

Wearing his heart on his sleeve is easily one of the reasons Wale’s music resonates with fans; really, it’s the superpower that sets him apart in a crowded genre of acts vying for the No. 1 spot. His discography is built on an impeccable pen game, lyrical integrity and well-placed R&B features. His newest album, everything is a lot., delivers those elements and more. He told Billboard that his goal for the project was “to express a certain level of vulnerability.” He shared, “If I’m in the mood to write something, I just get to it. It’s all about capturing that feeling in the moment.”

Wale’s transparency on the fallout following the BET Awards moment is a reminder that honesty can be a catalyst for important conversations, just like his music. It’s a call to bridge the gap between past and present, and viral moments invite more people to help preserve and evolve the culture. Whether he tops the chart or wins Grammy Awards or not, the Washington, D.C. native is doing his part in and out of the booth.