The rise of MrBeast: YouTuber’s career timeline explained
But how did this philanthropist internet personality rise to the top and claim the internet’s crown? We’ve got you covered.
Here is a complete timeline of MrBeast’s career, including how he gained a following, his biggest achievements, and the controversies he has faced so far.
MrBeast starts his YouTube career
MrBeast first started posting on YouTubeover a decade ago in 2012 when he was just 13, but didn’t gain much traction until his “Worst Intros on YouTube” series in 2015 and 2016.
Shortly after, he dropped out of university to pursue a career on the social media platform, a decision his mom was less than pleased about.
Growing a following and going viral
Early in 2017, MrBeast went viral after posting a video of himself in Januarycounting to 100,000. The video was shockingly almost an entire day long, with parts sped up to “keep it under 24 hours”.
MrBeast’s content also began featuring money handouts, earning him a reputation as“YouTube’s biggest philanthropist”. By 2018, he had dished out his first $1 million.
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MrBeast’s biggest videos, views, and records
In November 2021, MrBeast recreated Netflix’s popular television seriesSquid Gameas a real-life competition with less deadly consequences anda $456,000 cash prize.
Garnering 130 million views within the first week, the video became one of YouTube’s most-watched videos in 2021. But MrBeast would soon break this record again.
The YouTuber celebrated this achievement by hosting another competition, titled “50 YouTubersFight for $1,000,000″, which ultimately becamehis most-viewed videowithin its first 24 hours after reaching 71 million views.
While his exact net worth isn’t known, it has beensuggested to be approximately $1 billion, as of July 2024.
Philanthropy efforts
Over the years, a huge component of MrBeast’s content has been philanthropic. This can be dated back to his earliest success, with the YouTuberhelping the homelessby donating to shelters, handing out cash, and even buying a grocery store to give out free food.
In his latest video,@MrBeastgave 20,000 kids in South Africa their first pair of shoespic.twitter.com/HuOAvy9aIC
The extent of aid provided grew alongside MrBeast’s rise up YouTube’s ranks, and in early 2023, hecured 1,000 people’s blindness. Later that year in November,he traveled across Africa building 100 wellsto provide clean drinking water to villages and schools. In June 2024, hebuilt 100 houses for impoverished families.
While MrBeast has received backlash for his efforts, hemade it clear via X(formerly Twitter) that he didn’t intend to let threats of cancelation stop him from helping others.
“I already know I’m gonna get canceled because I uploaded a video helping people, and to be 100% clear, I don’t care. I’m always going to use my channel to help people and try to inspire my audience to do the same.”
Branching into other industries
While YouTube has remained MrBeast’s main avenue, the businessman has ventured into other industries with a burger chain, chocolate line, toys, and even a deal with Amazon’s Prime Video toproduce his own TV show.
In 2020, MrBeast stepped into the world of fast food withhis very own ‘MrBeast Burger’ chain, launching over 2,000 locations to help small businesses. But just two years later in 2023, it was announced thatMrBeast would be “moving on”from the Beast Burger restaurants.
Instead, the internet personality turned his focus to a sweet dealer: chocolate bars. In early 2022, MrBeastrevealed his Feastables snacking brand, the line proving so immensely popular that italmost “sold out” everywhere in 2024.
Outside of food, it was reported in early 2024 that MrBeast was closing on a deal with Amazon Prime that would allow him to make his first TV game show,Beast Games.The announcement officially came in March, with MrBeast promising fans “the largest game show in history”.
Applications to participate opened in Mayand filming began in August, though the news was followed by a series of allegations surrounding inadequate set conditions. MrBeast has yet to respond to the claims about his set himself.
An interactivetoy line was also released in 2024called ‘MrBeast Lab – Swarms’, though this was overshadowed by further controversy the Youtuber had found himself in the midst of.
Controversy
Despite his generally positive reputation, MrBeast has beeninvolved in his fair share of controversiesand faced various accusations over the years, from“glorifying” Squid Gamestofaking videostofostering a toxic work environment.
But the most recent scandal in 2024 has proven to be the biggest MrBeast has yet faced after his friend and co-workerAva Kris Tyson was accused of having inappropriate relationshipswith minors.
Tyson promptly left the teamand MrBeastannounced a third-party investigation, but this didn’t stop things from spiraling worse for the YouTuber as the scandal brought about an onslaught of further allegations.
Not only were viewers upset over MrBeast’s association with Tyson, but a former employee alleged theYouTuber’s videos were fraudulentand that he hadknowingly hired a “registered sex offender”.
In response, MrBeast hired a lawyer who threatened the ex-employee with a cease and desist letter over the “false and defamatory” claims. As of now, the situation remains unsolved, thoughPR experts have warnedtaking legal action may not have been the best move for the YouTuber.
