As most Kenyan creatives on YouTube turn to comedy, travel, food, fashion as their driving force, James Karanu has found his niche in gaming and esports.
He talked to myNetwork and here are 5 things to know about his trade.
- How would you describe what you do and what is your YouTube Channel is about?
I am a gamer and an esports professional and ambassador, which means I talk about any sports based around electronic media.
My YouTube channel (James Karanu) looks at gaming from a Kenyan perspective in casual, professional and entrepreneurial aspects. I play locally developed and internationally developed market video games and give my impression and reviews on them.
I also vlog about pop culture and events across movies, music, and other multimedia in entertainment. I shed light mainly on esports as an industry because this is the next big thing. Kenya is just discovering the opportunities it holds.
- How do you think the group that you and your partners formed, African YouTubers, is useful in regard to vlogging?
Africa YouTubers is a wider platform for various YouTubers in Africa to collaborate, share information and resources with the goal of showing our stories about Africa to the world.
We have a WhatsApp group as well.
I stepped down from management to focus on issues important to me, which include esports and gaming.
- What do you think engages an audience most? Content or shooting?
I think content is king. Within the content comes the message of the media you’re using.
- Who are some of the YouTubers you follow locally and internationally?
My YouTubers vary depending on certain virtues of discipline and consistency. Now, I mostly watch Casey Neistat, FineBros, GameTheory, Thescore esports and ESL among others.
- Does YouTube pay you?
It does in various forms, directly and indirectly. Directly, it pays depending on how many ad-generated views I get. YouTube gets a cut of that.
I benefit indirectly when I get paid through sponsorships and endorsements from other parties
