Why are HasanAbi and WillyMacShow beefing? "Content theft" controversy explained

Twitch streamer and political commentator Hasan "HasanAbi" (2.56 million followers) and American commentary YouTuber WillyMacShow (140K subscribers) have found themselves at loggerheads recently. The feud kicked off when WillyMacShow dropped a one-hour video (November 1, 2023) aimed at Hasan, titled "Hasan The WORST Politics Streamer," igniting a war of words between the two content creators.

This article aims to explore the backgrounds of both creators and unravel the specifics that led to the heated dispute between the two.

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Why did WillyMacShow label HasanAbi as the "worst political streamer"?

HasanAbi is no newcomer to controversies, having been entangled in various disputes over the years. The latest episode involves another content creator, WillyMacShow, who has recently released a scathing video accusing Hasan of "content theft."

As an illustration, in the initial segments of WillyMacShow's video, he accuses HasanAbi and backs up his claim with snippets showcasing instances where Hasan casually walked away to use the restroom without pausing the content he was streaming.

Moreover, WillyMacShow unearthed clips in which Hasan admitted to not compensating his head moderators and editors for their work. At times, Hasan even resorts to crowdfunding to cover the payment for their services.

Hasan has been notably outspoken on the Israel-Palestine conflict in his online endeavors. In response to a hospital being bombed in Gaza, WillyMacShow highlighted Hasan's tendency to rely on unconfirmed sources for quoting the number of deaths.

WillyMacShow followed up with a second, shorter video, titled "Hasan's HORRIBLE Response & His RADICALIZED Audience," on November 14, addressing both Hasan and the reactions from Hasan's fans to his initial video.

Once again, WillyMacShow emphasized that despite Hasan identifying as a socialist, he doesn't necessarily compensate his head moderators and editors accordingly, as he prefers them not to perceive it as a full-time job.

He also referenced a video by Jidon "JiDion," in which the creator uploaded a video titled "I Went to the Most Racist Town in America!" However, Jidon highlighted that no concrete evidence was found to claim the town was racist. Hasan, in his reaction to it, labeled this response as a "whitewash."

WillyMacShow also brought up instances where Hasan appeared to contradict himself, pointing to moments where Hasan admitted to being a propagandist and later, in another video, claimed to be "even-handed."

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The duo ended up confronting each other over a Discord call on November 15. HasanAbi asserted that he hadn't even watched WillyMacShow's video, yet the debate still took place. The entire hour-long debate is accessible on Hasan's YouTube channel, HasanAbi Productions.