Fortnite Twitch streamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins is under fire after using the n-word on a Twitch live stream, with the professional gamer — who previously made headlines after teaming with rapper Drake in a record-breaking stream — rapping the expletive while reciting the lyrics of a song that doesn’t feature the racial slur. The portion of the stream is now being widely shared online.
Ninja used the n-word while appearing on fellow Twitch personality Nadeshot’s live stream, with him rapping the lyrics to Logic’s ’44 More.’ The lyrics to the track are as follows:
Ayy, b****, I’ve been goin’ and goin’ like the Energizer
Yeah, I’m supplyin’ the wood like Elijah
In the cut, smokin’ on indica
Might f*** around and compartmentalize ya
However, while repeating the above verse, Ninja raps: “In the cut, smokin’ on indica, my n****, my n****.” As he does so, Nadeshot appears surprised by his co-streamer’s use of the word.
Watch the clip below:
Twitch’s Community Guidelines do not explicitly reference how the use of slurs can impact a channel, though as this appeared on another streamer’s channel, it seems unlikely that Ninja will be punished by the site for his use of the n-word. Ninja previously received a two-day suspension from Twitch for revealing the personal information of a viewer, who had posted a donation under a racist name.
Ninja has had a major and mostly positive impact on the Twitch community, particularly since the launch of Fortnite Battle Royale, with him having helped to put the game on the map on the streaming site. His Fortnite stream with Drake attracted over 600,000 concurrent viewers at its peak, with it being the most highly viewed stream outside of professional tournaments. Since then, Ninja has been approached by major news outlets such as CNBC to discuss Twitch and the pro streaming scene.
