Influencer Chen-Ruei “Ray” Hsu, who is known as “raysasianboy” on various online platforms, has sparked outrage across social media after a viral video shows the Taiwanese streamer making offensive comments about Black people during an IRL livestream.
The fallout has also reached popular streamer and social media personality Kai Cenat, who is known to be friends with Ray. As the controversy gains traction, it seems some observers want Cenat to break his silence and speak out against the remarks and even calling for him to reconsider his friendship with Ray.
In the viral clip re-posted by X user @Soulful1865 on April 13, Ray, talking to his friend the fellow Twitch streamer Damii, makes disturbing comments distinguishing between what he calls “two different” types of Black people, obliquely referring to one group with a racial slur.
This Asian kid said…he learned that there were 2 types of Black people. pic.twitter.com/SLqZaVAqe3
— Cornbread Mafioso šš¾ (@Soulful1865) April 14, 2025
The almost half-minute video from an livestream shows Ray openly stating that “all” of his friends were “hard Rās,” a thinly veiled reference to the N-word.
“There are two different Black people. No racist shāt. One is Black people, the other one is the hard R,” Ray tells Damii in the clip.
“Like, you are the hard R,ā Ray continues. āThere are some people, they’re just a Black guy, they look nice, they look good, they eat fāking biscuit.”
When Damii asked for clarification, Ray doubled down: “You’re the hard R. You’re the type of one, that’s like hard R. All my friends are hard Rās.”
Social media users on X swiftly condemned the remarks, with many calling for Cenat to sever ties with his Taiwanese friend.
“Yall gone keep letting these non-black people play in yall face,” one X user wrote in response to the clip.
Another commented, “This is where slap the sāt out of him and be mad at yourself for befriending him.”
Some people questioned why Chris Rock could say the same thing and no one be upset, referring to his āBring the Painā special in 1996.
There's a whole continent of Black people who don't act "Europeanish or whitish" nor do they act "swaggerish or hip hoppish"
— Easy (@strawngdogg) April 14, 2025
They are just Black people, and they don't define themselves by their proximity to whiteness
Cenat’s continued silence on the matter has particularly frustrated visitors to the re-post since the clip was originally posted around April 10.
Others directly referenced what they deemed to be Cenat’s responsibility in the situation, “What is Ray even saying??? I think Kai got Ray way too comfortable now,” while another simply said, “He’s overstayed his welcome.”
As one of the most influential Black streamers on the platform with millions of followers, visitors to the social media accounts that re-posted the clip believe Cenat has a responsibility to address what they deem to be racism within his own community and among his associates. His failure to publicly condemn Ray’s remarks has led some to suggest that his silence makes him complicit in allowing such behavior to go unchecked.
This isn’t the first time Ray has made controversial comments about race.
In a separate resurfaced clip from 2024, he discussed the difficulties he faced as an Asian streamer trying to avoid using the N-word when around his Black friends.
During that stream, Ray claimed it was “so hard to not just say the N-word” while livestreaming with Black content creators, adding that the consequences of such a slip would be career-ending because “It’s a livestream! You cannot delete. You cannot edit.”
Another troubling video that has recently resurfaced shows Ray spitting in Cenat’s face during a previous Twitch broadcast, adding fuel to the calls for Cenat to publicly address these incidents and reevaluate his friendship with Ray.
Why Ray spit on Kai Cenat like that šš pic.twitter.com/QTkl1jsBXZ
— Pkayš (@PkGoatt) April 14, 2025
Ray and Cenat first crossed paths in July 2023 during Cenat’s trip to Japan. What started as Ray introducing himself as a fan blossomed into a close friendship, with Ray eventually becoming one of Cenat’s key collaborators. Their bond grew stronger, leading Ray to join Cenat in prominent streams that included appearances by celebrities such as comedian Kevin Hart.
Ray is not the only one who has said borderline bigoted comments in Kaiās circle.
During Cenat’s Mafiathon 2 event in November 2024, comedian Druski made what many viewers considered racist remarks toward Ray, imitating an Asian accent and speaking gibberish. According to the Tribune, while Druski quickly apologized for crossing a line, the incident highlighted the complex racial dynamics within content creator communities.
The controversy raises broader questions about accountability in the streaming world, which thrives on outrageous behavior.
Many argue that content creators should be held responsible not just for their own actions but also for the conduct of guests they bring to the public on their platforms, like the time over the 2024 Thanksgiving holiday, when a woman accused Cenat’s friends of bullying her son.
When someone with Cenat’s influence provides a platform to individuals who make racist remarks, critics suggest he bears some responsibility for the harm caused. Others are fine with it, resigning themselves that this is how the kids talk.
