This feature is from Complex Magazine Issue No. 3 - Fall 2025 (The Influence Issue), which is available now on Complex Shop.
For Rakai, it all started with a viral video in his car. One minute, he was in class, scrolling Instagram. The next, his notifications were blowing up—and so was his future. “That right there just opened my eyes so much,” he says. “I was like, I can really have this happen.” It was the push he needed to go all in on streaming.
Originally from Syracuse and now based in Atlanta, Rakai has carved out a lane in the Just Chatting space. He doesn’t script, over-edit, or chase content cycles. What sets him apart is how effortless it all feels. His streams move like a group FaceTime with the funniest person you know—messy, hilarious, and never trying too hard. Whether he’s unpacking relationship drama or going full chaos mode with Kai Cenat on a Mafiathon stream, viewers keep coming back for the same reason: he feels real. “I just try to do whatever works,” he says, and somehow, everything does.
Even with growing success, Rakai’s still balancing school, streaming, and real life—literally logging off to do homework after hours online. “It’s hard to balance, but it is what it is,” he says. Still, the vision is clear: win a Streamy, stay in streaming for the long haul, and eventually land a breakout film role—just one movie where he’s the main character.
He’s also deeply grounded in faith and family. Rakai prays before every stream and credits his mom as his biggest supporter and his motivation to finish school. “I want to make my mom proud,” he says.
Whether he’s vibing with chat or locking in on his next big moment, Rakai’s story is unfolding in real time. And if he has his way, it ends with an award on the shelf—and his name stamped on the culture.