Katerina Swanson
In May 2020, it was announced that Gfuel had ended its sponsorship of Keemstar. This followed claims that Keemstar had exploited fellow YouTuber Etika, who died by suicide in June 2019. Keemstar had reported on Etika's turbulent appearances on his flagship YouTube channel, DramaAlert, and was accused of creating a toxic environment for the late content creator. While the exact financial details of their partnership are unclear, Keemstar was a long-time G Fuel partner with his own discount code and cotton candy-flavored energy drink.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sponsorship | G Fuel ended its sponsorship of Keemstar in 2020 |
| Reason | Claims that Keemstar exploited a YouTuber who died by suicide |
| Controversy | Keemstar was accused of creating a toxic environment for Desmond Amofah, who died by suicide |
| Response | Keemstar denied the claims and stated that he walked away from G Fuel |
| Public Opinion | Mixed, with some people supporting Keemstar and others criticizing him |
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What You'll Learn
G Fuel ends sponsorship of Keemstar
G Fuel has ended its sponsorship of Keemstar, whose real name is Daniel Keem, following claims that he exploited a YouTuber, Etika, who died by suicide. Keemstar was an internet drama reporter and the host of the YouTube channel DramaAlert, which had over 5 million subscribers.
In June 2019, YouTuber Desmond Amofah, known online as Etika, died by suicide following turbulent appearances on DramaAlert. In May 2020, rival YouTuber Ethan Klein of h3h3Productions made a "Content Nuke" video in the style of a 2016 "Content Cop" Keemstar takedown by YouTuber iDubbbz. Klein accused Keemstar of creating an extremely toxic environment for Etika and lying about Klein himself committing felony fraud. Klein also brought up the fact that G Fuel continued to sponsor Keemstar despite these ethical questions and controversial feuds.
Following the release of Klein's video, Keemstar announced that his longtime sponsorship with G Fuel had ended. Keemstar claimed that he “walked away” from the brand after an outpouring of hate overwhelmed G Fuel's social media posts. Keemstar had been a longtime G Fuel partner with his own discount code and cotton candy-flavored energy drink.
It is unclear how much G Fuel paid Keemstar for his sponsorship deal. However, it is worth noting that Keemstar has faced multiple controversies and has been “cancelled” several times for his behaviour. Despite this, he continues to have success and make millions.
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Keemstar's exploitation of Etika
In June 2019, YouTuber Desmond Amofah, known online as Etika, died by suicide. Etika had exhibited unstable behaviour in the weeks leading up to his death, posting delusional and suicidal thoughts on social media and recording multiple confrontations with police.
In May 2020, YouTuber Ethan Klein of h3h3Productions released a "Content Nuke" video criticising Keemstar's coverage of Etika and accusing him of exploiting the late YouTuber. The video also accused Keemstar of lying about Klein committing felony fraud and accepting profits from video game company Starbreeze Studios. Klein's video sparked an outpouring of hate towards G Fuel, leading the energy drink company to end its longtime sponsorship of Keemstar.
Keemstar had brought Etika onto his DramaAlert show to make light of his mental illness, suggesting that his suicidal musings were an act. Keemstar also egged him on, facetiously suggesting that Etika jump off a cliff. Following the interview, Keemstar posted a constant stream of Etika-related tweets and memes on Twitter, many of them doubting the authenticity of his mental illness and suggesting it was a stunt. Keemstar also has a history of making fun of mental illness. After Etika's death, Keemstar deleted these tweets and claimed that he was a true friend to Etika. However, Etika's fans who witnessed Keemstar's behaviour called him out for his hypocrisy.
While some fans blamed Keemstar for Etika's death, others, including Etika's mother, defended him, stating that he was not to blame. Keemstar also argued that he was not responsible for Etika's death, as he seemed fine privately and doctors believed he was stable.
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Keemstar's response to the controversy
In May 2020, YouTuber Ethan "h3h3" Klein published a 46-minute video titled "Content Nuke - Keemstar", in which he criticised Keemstar's conduct, including his mistreatment of fellow creators, racist statements, and other distasteful, unethical, and sometimes illegal actions. Klein also questioned how G Fuel could continue to sponsor Keemstar despite these controversies.
Soon after the video was published, Keemstar's likeness and affiliated items disappeared from G Fuel's website, and it was assumed that G Fuel had ended their sponsorship of Keemstar. However, G Fuel never gave a public explanation for the end of their deal with Keemstar, and Keemstar himself claimed that he had "walked away" from the partnership to save G Fuel from a series of attacks from people outraged by Klein's video.
In his response video, Keemstar insisted that he had not faced any repercussions from the situation and that he had not been dropped by G Fuel. He also argued that Klein's video was not being received positively in the YouTube community and that he had messages of support from Desmond Amofah's mother and former girlfriend, both of whom said that Keemstar was not to blame for Amofah's death by suicide.
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Keemstar's future sponsorships
In May 2020, G Fuel ended its sponsorship of Keemstar, the controversial host of the YouTube channel DramaAlert, which has more than 5 million subscribers. The decision came after fellow YouTuber Ethan Klein released a video exposé criticising Keemstar's conduct and accusing him of exploiting Desmond Amofah, known as Etika online, who died by suicide in June 2019. Keemstar had hosted Etika on DramaAlert, including an episode where he interviewed Etika shortly after being discharged from a mental health facility.
Keemstar's response to losing the G Fuel sponsorship was to claim that he had ""walked away" from the deal to save the company from backlash. He also announced his intention to release a response video to Klein's "Content Nuke", addressing the accusations made against him.
As for Keemstar's future sponsorships, it is difficult to predict whether he will find new sponsors or return to G Fuel as speculated by some. However, given Keemstar's history of controversial behaviour and the public's reaction to the G Fuel sponsorship, potential sponsors may be hesitant to associate with him. Keemstar's reputation for creating a toxic environment and exploiting vulnerable individuals has led to a significant backlash, resulting in the loss of his G Fuel sponsorship. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to secure new sponsors or repair his public image.
Keemstar's controversial behaviour has included falsely accusing RuneScape Twitch streamer Tony Winchester of being a paedophile, for which he later apologised and offered Winchester $1000, which was refused. He has also made insensitive comments about sexual assault, stating that there is no way to sexually assault someone orally and that the victim has to "choose to open her mouth". These actions have contributed to a perception of Keemstar as a toxic and unethical influencer.
Despite the negative attention, Keemstar has a dedicated fanbase and has continued to produce content. He has also been supported by other content creators, such as those who participated in his Minecraft and Call of Duty tournaments. It is possible that Keemstar may find sponsors within these communities or among companies looking to target his audience specifically. However, given the public's increasing awareness of influencer ethics, any potential sponsorship deals may face scrutiny and backlash.
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Keemstar's fanbase
Keemstar, or DJ Keemstar, is the online handle of video blogger Daniel Keem. He is best known for his YouTube news web series DramaAlert, which has over 5 million subscribers. Keemstar has become widely popular online, most notably due to his personality and his internet news show. He is considered a highly divisive figure within the YouTube community due to his frequent feuds and hostile exchanges with other content creators.
Keemstar's success and influence among his fanbase have led to various sponsorship deals, including with G Fuel, an energy drink company popular among gamers and esports enthusiasts. Keemstar had his own discount code and cotton candy-flavored drink with G Fuel. However, the company ended its sponsorship of Keemstar in 2020 due to the aforementioned controversies.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Keemstar was a longtime G Fuel partner and had his own discount code and cotton candy energy drink flavor.
G Fuel ended its sponsorship of Keemstar after claims that he exploited YouTuber Etika, who died by suicide in June 2019.
Keemstar said that he walked away from G Fuel after an outpouring of hate overwhelmed G Fuel's social media posts.
It is unclear if Keemstar found another sponsor after G Fuel. However, some people speculated that he would find another sponsor or even return to G Fuel in the future.
