In an period the place conventional tv struggles to seize younger audiences, 22-year-old Semaj Coleman — higher generally known as Whiteboymaj — has cracked the code. His answer? Strip away the enhancing, get rid of the time delays, and let viewers watch drama unfold in actual time.
Coleman’s “The Messy Maj Present” has grow to be a phenomenon on the streaming platform Kick, the place his seven-day actuality sequence pulls a mean of 91,000 watch hours every day. The format is deceptively easy: solid members dwell collectively in a home whereas hundreds of viewers tune in to observe their unfiltered interactions, confessional room revelations, and inevitable conflicts — all broadcast dwell, 24/7.
What began as a one-man operation impressed by childhood reminiscences of “Large Brother Superstar” has advanced right into a full manufacturing with worldwide crew members and a rising roster of solid members who’ve seen their very own followings explode. Some individuals who entered Season 1 with 7,000 TikTok followers left with 30,000, reworking Coleman’s experiment right into a authentic launching pad for digital careers.
The stakes are actual, and so are the challenges. Not like conventional actuality TV, there’s no security internet of post-production. When viewers order pizzas to the home or solid members get too rowdy, Coleman can’t merely edit it out. It’s this uncooked authenticity — mixed with Coleman’s infectious vitality and dedication to uplifting others — that has resonated with a era raised on rigorously curated content material.
As he wraps Season 2 and plans for a everlasting “Messy Maj Home” headquarters, Coleman represents a brand new breed of leisure entrepreneur: one who understands that right this moment’s audiences don’t simply need to watch the present — they need to be a part of it.
What’s it about streaming that’s so engaging to your era?
I feel that what it’s with streaming these days is that lots of people just like the real-time engagement, and particularly you can have that reference to the viewers when it’s dwell time. I feel that’s extra of them feeling like they’re with you than it being like edited, and stuck round in the case of sure issues being minimize out and minimize in. I feel that some individuals like the truth that they’re in a position to see it from begin to end, with no enhancing, simply uncooked, uncut footage.
What impressed you to take the standard actuality TV format and produce it to the dwell streaming area with The Messy Maj Present?
So truthfully, my inspo, I might assume, can be “Large Brother Superstar.” I used to observe it as a toddler, and issues like that. And I do know that it’s not likely like huge over within the US. So I feel that with the ability to have a platform to create one thing so huge and highly effective to carry individuals leisure whereas sitting at residence simply without spending a dime, with no adverts, I feel truthfully it’s simply entertaining to observe, and I feel that I’ll undoubtedly constantly do it so long as I get the help from Kick and different individuals normally. So truthfully, I’m grateful to be doing this.
Why did you select Kick because the unique platform for Season 2, and the way has it supported your imaginative and prescient?
The rationale why I select the platform Kick was as a result of Kick was the one platform that truthfully seen potential into me. They reached out to me. They even supply me with the Kick offers and issues like that, and even had nice beliefs that this can truthfully be one thing huge, and it takes time for it to grow to be one thing larger than what it’s as of now. However their help is not any apart from like all platform.
I truthfully assume that Kick has top-of-the-line help programs. Like they help all creators, whether or not you’ve gotten a thousand followers, whether or not you’ve gotten 2,000. Their help is A1, and I like that in truth, and truthfully in the event that they’re prepared to help me, I’m prepared to help them on their platform, so Kick all day.
Season 1 turned on a regular basis personalities into viral stars. What did you be taught from that first run that formed the way you approached Season 2?
What I realized was that I can not do every thing on my own. So, this season I ended up getting a manufacturing crew. Whether or not it was buddies, whether or not it was household, I truthfully acquired extra assist readily available. We even had individuals fly from out of America coming to America to assist with this challenge and issues like that.
Truthfully, I feel that what I realized was simply ensuring that, if I’m able to getting assist, get it. Attempt to not do every thing by your self. Season 1, I used to be doing all of the digital camera swapping on my own. I used to be connecting the cameras on my own. I used to be doing every thing actually on my own. I imagine this season undoubtedly was 10 instances higher attributable to the truth that I had extra assist readily available.
You’re producing a seven-day dwell stream actuality present. What are among the huge behind-the-scenes challenges?
So, one of many laborious issues that I might say about it’s that generally the group doesn’t appear to hear. So, generally it might come off irritating to me as a result of it’s like, “Okay, y’all, we are able to’t edit this out as a result of we’re on dwell stream. So, you guys have to love simmer it down. Let’s get all people intact. Let’s even be with the dialogue. We simply can’t scream, yell, and shout and issues like that.”
Generally the solid usually they get a bit of excited. However I do know what I’m signing up for. So, my endurance actually, actually [has] to be excessive with these people. However not solely that, I by no means knew that this could be a factor, however now, this season we’re undoubtedly having lots of people trolling, as far as like ordering pizzas to the home and issues like that. So I assume Airbnb is … nicely, it’s not that they’re permitting something.
It’s simply the straightforward incontrovertible fact that they’ll go within the app and have a look at what home we’re at, and have a look at the background and issues like that, and attempt to merely discover the handle and order pizzas and simply interrupt the stream normally.
I came upon that perhaps my answer to that drawback is simply renting out precise home, perhaps like a home in Houston or some type, and filming the exhibits there in order that we don’t have to fret about spending cash on Airbnbs. Not less than I’ll have this home for 30 days, so perhaps we might do longer streams as an alternative of seven days now.
You’ve launched conventional TV parts just like the confessional room this season. How does that improve storytelling and viewer engagement?
Truthfully, I feel that the confessional room was truthfully one of many followers’ favourite. It was a spot the place they’ll go there any time of the day to specific how they really feel amongst others in the home, and never solely others, together with me as nicely. I feel that this season was extra freely for them to go there, and simply categorical every thing amongst the present. So, truthfully, I feel that the confessional room was truthfully W. By no means … I don’t assume I’ve seen anybody try this on dwell stream but.
What do you assume The Messy Maj Present says about the place dwell stream leisure is heading?
I really feel prefer it brings out the outdated leisure. We don’t actually get outdated TV exhibits like how we used to anymore. It’s not likely content material that’s being pushed on the market to provide different individuals a platform. And I feel that what it’s is that I’m comfortable to provide different individuals a solution to eat, a solution to feed their household, a solution to even be seen, in order that they’ll begin doing what I’m doing as of proper now.
That’s the entire motive of The Messy Maj Present: whether or not you’re messy, whether or not you possibly can carry a platform, whether or not you’re constant, carry one thing to the desk, and likewise go away with extra that you just dropped at the desk. And I simply love the truth that every individual that I introduced onto the present… I imagine Season 1, we had a few those that began off with 7,000 followers on TikTok. Now they’re at 30K on TikTok.
It’s similar to that, proper there may be the entire level of The Messy Maj Present. Carry what you’ll be able to carry, but additionally give it your all, and go away what you’ll be able to take. Truthfully, I’m pleased with my complete solid, like reality being advised, as a result of I by no means thought in one million years that I can ever have the ability to uplift another person’s platform. And now have a look at me like I’m in a position to take action.
Truthfully, I slept on myself for a few years since I used to be like what, 19, 20. And now I’m 22, and I’m really doing what I truthfully wished to do for all these years.
What do you assume makes a profitable streamer?
Consistency, and the one motive why I say that’s as a result of it doesn’t matter in the event you pull 5 views, three views, two views. So long as you’re upping your content material and also you’re giving it your all, persons are going to observe the success. Individuals are going to take a seat there and help how a lot you place into it. An individual loves to observe what you begin from, and what you’ll be able to end at. And truthfully, that may be my solely recommendation.
Make it possible for in the event you do one thing, be the perfect at it. Be the perfect at it. By no means really feel discouraged since you see another person having a thousand views, and also you’re solely on 5. It may be you quickly. You simply must be prepared to place the time in, and time is restricted, sure, however on the finish of the day we’re nonetheless younger, and all of us will get the place we should be so long as you place in that onerous work. I don’t care if it took 10 months.
So long as you’re placing in that work on daily basis, each second, each minute, persons are going to be attracted by that truthfully. So I say, consistency, laborious work, and dedication.
How can individuals discover you and The Messy Maj Present?
So, yow will discover me on Kick at White Boy Maj. It’s also possible to discover me on Instagram @whiteboymaj. I’ve a platform on BeGo, goxmaj. I’ve one million followers on TikTok, you too can look me up @whiteboymaj. And apart from that, I imagine that’s every thing I take advantage of.
