Popular Twitch Streamer Cancels Interview With Kanye West: Can't 'Spread Hate'

Adin Ross decided to cancel his interview with Kanye West on his Twitch stream despite being a longtime fan of the controversial rapper.

On Monday, the 22-year-old internet personality, best known for streaming "NBA 2K20" and "Grand Theft Auto V" content, announced on his Twitch stream that he will no longer push through with interviewing the 45-year-old rapper, who has been facing criticism online due to his antisemitic remarks.

"I can't have my platform be used to spread hate. I can't have my platform be used to basically insult people and hurt people, hurt everyone, so I decided not to go through with the stream," Ross explained.

"You guys know, I've always been a fan of Kanye. But right now, it's a tough time... I don't want hatred on this platform," he added.

A clip of the announcement was later posted on his YouTube channel, where it has garnered nearly 300,000 views.

Earlier this month, white supremacist Nick Fuentes, who is reportedly working on West's informal 2024 presidential campaign, revealed that he and the Yeezy founder were set to be interviewed by Ross but did not mention the schedule for the sit-down.

Twitter user @Kurrco, who posts about hip-hop and leak culture content, released footage of Fuentes making the announcement and explaining why they agreed to a sit-down with the popular streamer.

"We want to sit down with people who disagree. We want to have a conversation. We want Jewish people to be a part of it," the 24-year-old political commentator said. "Ye will be sitting down with some Jewish people this week. [We have] at least one interview lined up, I think we're talking to Adin Ross."

Ross revealed Monday that West, who legally changed his name to Ye, sent him a message via Instagram last week, asking for his number. He further shared that they talked on the phone for 30 minutes about "some conversations" that did not involve the ongoing issues.

"I spoke with Ye, and for me, I'm a long-given fan of Kanye, I was starstruck [at] the moment. I'm like fanboying, literally my idol, my hero on the phone. So, that's where I was like seeing this," Ross said. "But sometimes, it's not worth it to just put hate out there."

He continued, "It was really really hard for me, but I had to realize what was happening in the world and what's going on."

This came after West's series of disastrous interviews in the past weeks. In late November, the rapper reportedly walked out of an interview with YouTuber Tim Pool on the "Timcast IRL" podcast after the host pushed back against the antisemitic remarks West had made, The Rolling Stone reported.

West also appeared on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' "InfoWars" and praised Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.

Ross has over 7 million followers on Twitch and about 3.1 million subscribers on YouTube. He reportedly identifies as Jewish and has condemned West for "dissing Jews," despite being a huge fan.

But Ross was not new to interviewing controversial personalities. In the past, he interviewed internet figure IShowSpeed, who was reportedly banned from multiple video games and Twitch following his "misogynistic" comments, and influencer Andrew Tate, who's also been banned from multiple platforms after he repeatedly made offensive and misogynistic remarks, Insider reported.

Some viewers, however, criticized Ross over his decision to turn down an interview with West, claiming that he only "feared getting canceled."

"If it was really your decision because of that reason, cool. But if [you're] doing it out of fear of being canceled, [you are] part of the problem. You have the power to be part of the change," one user wrote in the comments section of Ross' YouTube video.

Another commented, "Don't get it twisted. Adin did not cancel the streak because of any morality, he did not cancel it because he didn't want people to get hurt. He did it out of fear. Fear that HE would get canceled."

Others praised Ross' move, with one follower writing: "You made a good choice, Adin. Kanye is not seeking to engage in good-faith dialogue. He is looking to use you and your platform to spread a belief he holds as true. He is not open to truly changing his mind."