Kai Cenat says he turned down a $60 million deal promoting “gambling and stuff like that” back in 2023.
During a recent conversation with special guest Kirk Franklin, the streaming star first spoke about what he believes one can learn from “the letdowns and the failures” in life while on the path toward “a greater purpose.” This ultimately led to a mention of a deal Cenat says he turned down during his first-ever Mafiathon streaming marathon.
“I learned that not all money is good money,” Kai said, as seen below. “Like a lot of the times, there’s gonna be times and opportunities where you’re gonna wanna get money to do certain things that you wouldn’t normally do. Like, 2023, my first Mafiathon ever, I was offered like $60 million. $60 million to do something that I did not want to do, which is like gambling and stuff like that. I didn’t wanna take it because I knew it would mess me up. I knew it would make me lose focus on what I’ve got going on right now.”
At the time, Kai pointed out, he had already reached a state of “financial freedom,” thus enabling him to reject the offer.
“I said no,” he added. “The first thing I did, I went to my closet. We got off the call, I went into my closet, and I just asked God. I said, ‘Listen. … I’mma say no right now.’ I don’t wanna take the short-term. I wanna be able to take the long-term.”
From there, Kai and Kirk engaged in a larger conversation about the divide between those with financial freedom and those who struggle to make ends meet on a day-to-day basis. Kai acknowledged this disparity, as well as underscored the dangers of those who continue to chase money for money’s sake after achieving that freedom on their own.
“I don’t want all the money in the world,” he said. “I don’t care to have all the money.”
This weekend, Kai added another milestone to his roster of achievements in the streaming space by hitting a million subs. In a note to fans, he said he began the year feeling “a little lost,” but now the “goal is officially complete.”
Below, take a look back at more of Kai's milestones over the past few years.