In 2019, he was buy billboards in support of his friend and fellow YouTuber Felix Kjellberg, better known as PewDiePie. Today, with 262 million subscribers, it only has four million. behind the T series chainthe Indian music label, and is poised to take over and snatch the top spot within a few weeks.
But he warned his fans not to get too aggressive as the competition heats up.
In a recent interview with journalist and YouTuber Jon Youshaei, MrBeast, real name Jimmy Donaldson, was asked if he had a message for T-Series.
Donaldson said he wanted to make it “very clear” that his fans should not see this as “this country against that country.”
He also warned against anyone becoming hateful.
In 2019, the race between T-Series and PewDiePie (real name Felix Kjellberg) to reach 100 million subscribers was eagerly followed on the platform, but the contest was also marred by controversy.
Some Kjellberg fans have been accused of racism towards T-Series and its supporters, and Kjellberg himself has been criticized for some lyrics in his breakaway track “bitch lasagna” containing offensive stereotypes about Indians.
Donaldson said he didn’t think PewDiePie was responsible for all the controversy, but he said some people in 2019 “got a little racist.”
“So I’m very aware of it, that’s why I don’t look into it too much,” he said.
He said he has a huge fan base in India, so it shouldn’t be seen as ‘India versus America’.
“I just want to be the channel with the most subscribers,” he said.
Donaldson emphasized how big the win would be for himself and all the other creators who yearn for the good old days of YouTube and have expressed concerns about where the platform has been going for some time.
“Yes, a lot of people help me, but at the end of the day, I started this channel, I’ve been doing it for 14 years,” he said.
While it is prosper from a business perspectivemany long-time creators are question their future on YouTube, citing burnout, a trend toward consumerism and constant changes to the platform as reasons why they might soon leave.
Donaldson, taking the top spot would be a win for all independent creators, he said.
“YouTube is in my fucking blood,” Donaldson said.
“You know what I mean? And so I think there’s a little bit of symbolism, that it’s nice that a creator, a homegrown YouTube creator, is the channel that has the most subscribers.”
Still, it’s important to “draw lines in the sand,” Donaldson added.
“I have to be clear: I love India. I have fans in India. You guys are great, and that has nothing to do with it,” he said. “A lot of idiots will just start tweeting, ‘India sucks. Go crush them, Jimmy.’ And I’m like, OK, just so you know, that’s where a lot of my audience is, but OK.”
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