Pop Culture

N3on's Secret to Streaming Boost Is Reportedly Paying Clippers $1.4 Million

His strategy relies on clips reaching far beyond live viewers.

N3on.
John Sciulli/Getty Images for Global Gaming League

N3on has shared some insight into the work it take for him to go viral, including making big payments to clippers on the internet.

According to a document his team shared with Business Insider, the 21-year-old (born Mikyle Rafiq) spent about $1.4 million over a five week stretch paying 303 clippers to flood social media with highlights from his streams.

He told BI that a much larger network of roughly 1,000 people are involved in distributing his content, with about half tied to a group he and Adin Ross built across India and Nigeria. The streamer also claimed that others are paid by Kick.

He outlined a clear payment model, saying he pays clippers $40 per 100,000 views and sometimes raises it to $50 when he wants to increase output.

The investment, he said, pays off because clips can far exceed the reach of his live broadcasts. While his streams may peak at around 40,000 viewers, individual clips can pull in as many as 50 million views, helping attract brand deals and celebrity collaborations. "I feel like my life is clipping now," he told the website.

He also recalled the time his stream on a yacht with Iggy Azalea was plagued with technical issues. However, he credited his clippers with making moments of the stream a viral success.

"The clippers made it seem like it was this insane, crazy stream," he said. "No one actually watched the stream. They just saw the clips, and they're like, 'Wow, N3on and Iggy had a great time on this yacht.'"

In another recent stream, the streamer shared some details about the time his lost his virginity — and how much he regretted it.

"Bro, the second I lost my shit. Bro, for what? Twelve seconds of happiness? And then it's over. And then you're an entirely new man for 12 seconds," N3on told his viewers. "And if you're lucky, 20 seconds, or maybe that was just me. Was that 12 seconds worth changing my entire outlook on life? No, it was not. And I regret it, bro."

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