Who is Andrew Tate?

Andrew Tate is a British-American kickboxer, reality TV star, and social media influencer who has gained prominence due to his controversial opinions and online monetization course.

Tate initially gained notoriety during his tenure as a martial artist, competing in karate and kickboxing tournaments. In 2016, Tate gained a greater public following after a controversy that saw him removed from the reality TV show Big Brother. In the midst of the show’s 17th season, a video surfaced that appeared to show Tate beating a woman. But Tate said the actions were consensual after his removal from the show.

In 2017, Tate permanently moved to Romania. In April 2022, Tate’s house was allegedly raided by Romanian police in a human trafficking investigation.

Tate surged in popularity online shortly after opening his online money-making course, dubbed Hustler University. Engaging with multiple prominent livestreamers on Twitch, Tate has spoken and debated his world views with the likes of Adin Ross, Hasan Piker, xQc, and more.

Andrew Tate, at a glance

• Name: Andrew Tate
• Age: 35
• Birthday: Dec. 14, 1986
• Record: Kickboxing 78-9

What does Andrew Tate do?

Tate is a former world champion kickboxer and reality TV star.

After opening online monetization courses, Tate became more active across multiple social media platforms, namely the livestreaming service Twitch. Creating his own Twitch account, Tate primarily streams Just Chatting content and collaborations with other streamers, including online debates.

Where is Andrew Tate from?

Tate was born in Washington, D.C., and has lived in both the U.S. and U.K. Currently, Tate lives in Bucharest, Romania.

Why is Andrew Tate so popular?

Tate first gained fame for his kickboxing career and controversy while starring on Big Brother. The online personality has since gained fame by spreading his divisive and polarizing opinions on women’s rights, relationships, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through promoted posts and a wide array of Tate-related clip channels flooding platforms with his content, Tate entered the front pages of various social media platforms. Fans of the content creator cite his hyper-masculine image and controversial world views as his drawing appeal.

What’s next for Andrew Tate?

Tate has regularly streamed on Twitch since making his account in July 2022, actively engaging and debating fellow Twitch streamers in front of tens of thousands of viewers. For the time being, it seems that Tate is intent on continuing his streaming platform, combating claims that his online monetization classes are scams, and further pushing his divisive opinions.

Why did Andrew Tate get banned on social media? 

Tate was banned on Instagram and Facebook, both owned by technology conglomerate Meta, in August, with other platforms following suit thereafter. Tate’s accounts were banned for violating the company’s policies on dangerous organizations and individuals, a spokesperson for Meta told NBC News. 

Video-sharing platforms TikTok and YouTube later banned Tate’s personal accounts. He was banned on YouTube for violations of its Community Guidelines and Terms of Service, including the company’s hate speech policy. He was banned on TikTok shortly after for violating the terms of service that aims to protect individuals or groups, according to the Washington Post. 

One social media company is missing, however: Twitter. Prior to the takeover by Elon Musk, which concluded in late October, Tate was banned on Twitter in 2017 for violating the terms of service. But the new CEO Musk reinstated several controversial figures, which included Tate, formally onto the platform, citing freedom of speech as the reasoning. 

Tate later took down his Twitch account himself to prevent a preemptive permanent suspension. 

Admiration by former G2 CEO Carlos Rodríguez

On Sept. 17, the CEO of G2 Esports Carlos “ocelote” Rodríguez posted a video of him at a party with Andrew and his brother Tristan Tate. The video was widely condemned by the esports and gaming community because of Tate’s previous controversial comments on women and previous links to an alleged human trafficking investigation, among other complaints. 

Rodríguez responded to the criticism and said he parties with “whoever the fuck” he wants and “nobody will be able to police” his friendships, he said on Twitter. 

Rodríguez was placed on eight-week leave from G2 but stepped down as the company’s CEO on Sept. 23 amid widespread online backlash. 

The former CEO has continued to share his admiration for Tate on Twitter, calling him “the man,” on Dec. 21. Rodríguez’s personal Discord server, which was popularized following his separation from G2, contains several messages from Rodríguez that label Tate as a “good man” and say “he is without a doubt one of the best men I’ve dealt with in 32 years of life,” he said.