$100m worth Youtuber MrBeast hailed by Stephen A. Smith for bringing clean water to 500,000 Africans
TV sports personality Stephen A. Smith may be known for his hot takes and often-times critical analysis of professional athletes, but today it was different for the First Take host. Popular YouTuber MrBeast, who is worth a reported $100 million, uploaded a video showing how he and his team built 100 wells in Africa to provide clean drinking water for locals.
Moreover, MrBeast took things a step further with his generosity. As he wrote in the caption of his tweet, all ad revenue from the video would go directly towards getting water to those in need.
The video not only caught the attention of social media users but also that of Stephen A. Smith, who wrote back. Rather than drop a hot take or crack a joke, as fans are accustomed to, Stephen A. Smith praised the YouTube for his acts of kindness.
"You’re incredibly my man. Thank you for that! Much respect to you for what you’ve done!"
Of course, this isn't the first time that MrBeast has used his platform to help others. In the past, he has posted videos where he's done things like donating $30 million in free food and paying for eye surgery to help those considered legally blind.
His Beast Philanthropy company also allows the popular YouTuber to help others beyond his popular videos. The charity operates food pantries, powered a village in Africa, funded an orphanage and more. All of which likely would earn MrBeast even more praise from Stephen A. Smith
Looking at MrBeast's connection to the NBA amid Stephen A. Smith's recent comments
While some may be wondering what MrBeast's connection is to the NBA, Charlotte Hornets fans may already know the answer. In October, the popular YouTuber inked a deal with the Charlotte Hornets franchise to make his food brand, Feastibles, the jersey sponsor of the Hornets.
Moreover, the Feastibles logo appears as the jersey logo for the Hornets' G League team and their NBA 2k eSports team. Off the court, fans have the opportunity to buy Feastibles snacks in the Spectrum Center, where the team plays, and the branding is visible on the backdrop at Hornets press conferences.
The CEO of Night Media, which helped create the MrBeast Feastibles, weighed in on the deal at the time while speaking with TheVerge:
“This partnership is a first of its kind, and I am excited to see how creator-brands and the NBA continue to work together into the future.
"The Hornets are obviously one of the most exciting teams in the NBA and are a favorite among young people, so Feastables could not be more excited to partner.”
Of course, with the 2023-24 NBA season coming to a close, there has been no word as to whether or not the two sides will renew the partnership for next season.
While many have questioned whether the Feastibles brand can continue to fund such an endeavor, the snack brand has achieved widespread success. A Business Insider article from 2022 indicated that when the Feastibles brand chocolate bars first went on sale in 2022, they sold one million bars in the first three days.
Furthermore, In the first half of the year, the brand reportedly did over $10 million in sales, with another report indicating they were on track to deliver $200 million in revenue in 2023.
Whether or not they decide to renew their agreement with the Hornets, only time will tell. With a fan in Stephen A. Smith, it's clear that MrBeast is still reaching an increasingly broader audience.