Tyla recalls awkward viral moment with Kai Cenat on ‘The Breakfast Club’

The South African artist reflects on being caught off guard by Kai Cenat's on-stream date request.

In March, rising star Tyla joined popular streamer Kai Cenat for a livestream to promote her self-titled debut album. 

During the stream, Cenat asked the South African singer out on a date, to which she responded, "We friends, though," in an attempt to let him down gently. 

This friend-zoning moment quickly went viral, becoming a recurring topic around Kai Cenat.

The viral moment was even referenced by comedian Kevin Hart, who made a "we friends tho" sign for Cenat during a recent sleepover stream with Druski. 

On Thursday (June 13), Tyla made her debut on The Breakfast Club, where Charlamagne Tha God asked her about the infamous interaction with Cenat.

"Guys, the thing stretched," she said, drawing a laugh from Charlamagne. "Don't put me on the spot, guys. I'll embarrass [myself]."

DJ Envy inquired if Tyla and Cenat joke about the viral moment, but Tyla indicated they don't discuss it much. 

"We don’t really talk about it," she replied with a chuckle. "We met in New York for the first time around New Year’s. Then I went on the stream, and it actually was really fun."

During the interview, Charlamagne also brought up the debates regarding Tyla being a "colored person" from South Africa. 

Tyla avoided the question, seeking help from her team, and her publicist stepped in to move the conversation forward.

Tyla's career has skyrocketed since her breakout single "Water" exploded onto the music scene last year. 

The amapiano track won Best African Music Performance at the 2024 Grammys and reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Reflecting on the success of "Water," Tyla said, "Once it was booming on TikTok, I was in shock. I was in a different country for something else."