Who is CookinWithKya and what is the controversy surrounding her? Viral TikTok star's rise explored

Influencer Kya Renee, known for her account CookinWithKya, is making headlines after her recent video. It all began on Monday, December 2, 2024, after Kya shared a video showing herself holding a plate of breakfast and saying:

"One, two, Kya’s coming for you."

The influencer then proceeded to warn women to cook breakfast for their men, stating:

"Wake up and make your man some breakfast before I do."

She proceeded to grab a can of whipped cream and spray some in her mouth. She then began cooking the meal. The post went viral with over 10.5 million views in a week.

However, the remarks were met with backlash as many of her followers criticized her. This sparked a discourse with some coming to Kya's defense. One wrote:

"Cookinwithkya is just rage baiting tf outta women and it’s hilarious they don’t see it. She making them insecurities come out."

For the unversed, Renee initially began sharing TikToks of herself dancing to trending beats and posing in cute outfits in mid-2023. This year, she expanded to show off her cooking skills on Instagram, going viral.

Before every video, Renee presents her dish while chanting, "Cooking with Kya, Cooking with Kya."

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Renee started her CookinWithKya TikTok account in September 2021 but first shared a cooking post in July 2024

Kya Renee initially started posting content on her TikTok account CookinWithKya in September 2021. According to Know Your Meme, she went viral in July 2024 when she shared content of herself dancing, with many comparing her looks to that of Rubi Rose.

Renee shared her first cooking video later that month (July 29) on her Instagram page, CookinWithKya, showing her making a plate of honey BBQ chicken tenders and fries. The post has earned her 400,000 in under five months.

Most of Kya's videos feature her dancing and twerking while holding her completed dishes before chanting, "Cooking with Kya, Cooking with Kya." She then proceeds to show how she made the dish.

On August 19, she shared a second post of herself cooking to her CookinWithKya page. However, this time she remarked:

"I could steal your man with this dinner I just cooked."

This video has earned her over 1.6 million views since. The line has become a staple in her content.

Kya soon began sharing her content on TikTok showing herself dancing, and singing. Since then, her content has earned Renee over 850,000 followers on Instagram and over 800,000 on TikTok.

According to Know Your Meme, her twerking and outfits have garnered several followers, especially men. Meanwhile, many women have been criticizing her and their partners for thirsting after the CookinWithKya influencer. At one point, TikTok user @iamnotsexyyred posted a video showing her beating a man, captioned:

"me if i ever hear the words 'cooking with kya' come from my man phone."

The TikTok garnered over 2.2 million views in two days.

Per an article by Distractify, Renee addressed the controversy in a December 9 post. It featured her mouthing Tiffany Pollard’s iconic Flavor of Love line, "Does it look like I care? Because I don't." The same week, she shared a post with the caption, "Only the pretty girl seem to like me."

There have been no other updates at the time of this writing.