Kassem Gharaibeh, or Kassem G to friends and fans, has lived the dream—and all the associated nightmares—of being a highly successful online content creator and personality. After performing standup routines for empty venues and working atBest Buy, Kassem became a viral star on YouTube and went on to co-found Maker Studios. This adventure, from living lean in obscurity to battling burn-out while producing content for fan’s insatiable appetites, has afforded the comedian, creator, and host valuable insights, which he shared with Game Rant in a recent interview.
G4 recently announced that Kassem G would be joining the line-up of hosts for its forthcoming relaunch, which was another dream come true. Like many gamers who came of age in the mid 2000s, the originalG4 Networkwas an important cultural touchstone for Kassem, as it was one of the few networks covering topics and producing content that spoke to him. When he caught wind of the relaunch, he immediately knew that he wanted to be a part of it and pursued that goal doggedly.
That philosophy has shaped his career from the start, as there is no guaranteed recipe for success or surefire way to go viral. But for Kassem, it comes down to finding a niche that the content creator can be passionate about and producing the highest quality content they can.
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Carving Your Lane
When asked how aspiring creators could stand out from the crowd, Kassem acknowledged that the game has changed since he first went viral. Initially, there were a few set “buckets” of content that creators could funnel their content into, such as comedy, news, beauty, health and fitness, and so on. If someone’s niche didn’t fit into those categories, they would be lost in the cracks between them. But Kassem illustrated how things have changed with a relatable anecdote:
Building Relationships
Trying to stand apart from the crowd in a highly generalized category, like the original ‘content buckets’ Kassem referred to, is likely a doomed enterprise. Now, specificity—and passionate execution—are key. There is an audience for everything if it is well-executed. And while a modicum of tech savvy and proper equipment is necessary to meet production standards, the most important ingredient in quality execution is the creator’s passion and personality, as demonstrated by Twitch. Kassem explained:
“If you go to Twitch’s IRL channel, or Just Chatting, there are people sleeping with 10 thousands concurrent viewers. I’ve seen people cooking. I’ve seen people just walking around… I think there is something to people forming a relationship with the person that they like that creates a very close bond. It’s weird, because it is kind of a close relationship even though you don’t ever necessarily meet.”
Effective streamers share themselves with their fans in a way that creates communities and makes fans feel connected. Kassem’s point is particularly astutein the wake of the pandemic, when the world was collectively forced into isolation. For all their various faults and controversies,Twitch and YouTubehave created new channels for human relationships, and it stands to reason that a new generation of savvy creators will emerge in those spaces.
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People to Watch
When asked to share some of his favorite content creators, Kassem had a lengthy list of shout-outs. On Twitch, SushiDragon works with myriad technologies like green screens, multiple cameras, and edits high-quality, professionally produced video content in real time. CodeMiko does something similar with a digital avatar controlled on the fly. But adding credence to the assertion that technical know-how isn’t everything, Kassem also praised people he termed as “personality streamers.” This includes people like Alli Speed, and Layne Pavoggi, who provide viewers with company and wholesome commentary.
It is clear that Kassem aspires to bringthe same sense of comradery to his viewers on G4. After all, that sense of belonging and feeling seen were what kindled his passion for the network in the first place.
Readers can find B4G4 content on YouTube and Twitch, prior to theG4relaunch expected to happen later this year.
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