Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, is an American YouTuber, entrepreneur, and philanthropist born on May 7, 1998, in Wichita, Kansas, and raised in Greenville, North Carolina. He’s the most-subscribed YouTuber, with over 400 million subscribers on his main channel as of June 2025, having surpassed T-Series in June 2024.
Early Life and YouTube Beginnings
- Background: Raised by his mother alongside his older brother, CJ Donaldson (YouTuber MrBro), Jimmy started his YouTube channel, MrBeast6000, in 2012 at age 13. His early content included gaming videos (Minecraft, Call of Duty) and estimating other YouTubers’ wealth.
- Breakout Moment: In 2017, his video “Counting to 100,000” (taking 40 hours) went viral, marking a shift to extravagant stunts and challenges. This propelled his channel’s growth.
Content Style
MrBeast pioneered a genre of high-budget, attention-grabbing YouTube videos centered on:
- Expensive Stunts and Challenges: Examples include recreating Squid Game for $456,000, surviving 50 hours in Antarctica, and giving away private islands.
- Massive Giveaways: He’s given away millions, including $5 million in Beast Games, $10,000 to random people, and 100 houses.
- Philanthropy: Through Beast Philanthropy, he funds initiatives like cataract surgeries for 1,000 people, building wells in Africa, and distributing 10,000 turkeys. All revenue from this channel goes to charity.
- Viral Formula: High production values, an “everyman” persona, and reinvesting revenue into bigger stunts drive his success. He engages viewers by making them feel part of his philanthropy.
YouTube Channels
MrBeast operates multiple channels:
- MrBeast (main): 400M+ subscribers, focusing on stunts and giveaways.
- Beast Reacts: 16.5M+ subscribers, reaction videos.
- MrBeast Gaming: 44M+ subscribers, gaming content like Minecraft.
- MrBeast 2: Short-form content, 10-60 second clips.
- Beast Philanthropy: Charity-focused, 25M+ subscribers.
- Multilingual Channels: Translates content into 30+ languages.
Business Ventures
- MrBeast Burger: Launched in 2020 with Virtual Dining Concepts, operating via ghost kitchens. A 2023 lawsuit against VDC cited poor food quality damaging his reputation.
- Feastables: A gamified chocolate brand launched in 2022, partnered with the Charlotte Hornets for 2023-24 NBA season branding.
- Lunchly: A healthier lunch option similar to Lunchables.
- Viewstats: A software company for YouTube analytics.
- Finger on the App: A mobile game with cash prizes, created with MSCHF.
- Beast Games: A 2024 Prime Video reality show with 1,000 contestants and a $5M prize, the largest in TV history. It broke Guinness World Records but faced criticism for unsafe conditions.
Philanthropy
- Team Trees: Co-founded with Mark Rober, raised $24M+ to plant 20M trees.
- Team Seas: Raised $34M+ to remove 30M pounds of ocean trash.
- Beast Philanthropy: Funds food banks, schools, and more, with 100% of revenue donated.
- Notable Acts: Paid for 1,000 cataract surgeries, helped 1,000 deaf people hear, and built 100 wells in Africa.
Achievements
- Subscribers: First YouTuber to hit 300M (July 2024) and 400M (June 2025) subscribers.
- Earnings: Reportedly earns $600M-$700M annually, reinvesting heavily. Forbes named him YouTube’s highest earner in 2021 ($54M).
- Awards: Streamy Awards Creator of the Year (2020-2023). Time’s 100 Most Influential People (2023).
- Guinness Records: Most subscribers for an individual male and records set by Beast Games.
Controversies
- Beast Games Lawsuit (2024): Five contestants filed a class-action lawsuit alleging mistreatment, sexual harassment, unpaid wages, and unsafe conditions during filming. Claims included hospitalizations and injuries, with accusations of exploiting Nevada tax credits.
- Chichén Itzá Incident (2025): Mexican authorities threatened legal action over a video showing MrBeast climbing ruins at night, violating site rules.
- Ava Kris Tyson Allegations (2024): A former collaborator was accused of inappropriate messages to a minor. Tyson denied grooming but left the team. MrBeast hired a law firm to investigate and implemented sensitivity training.
- AI Thumbnail Tool (2025): Faced backlash for promoting an AI tool that used other creators’ thumbnails, later removed after feedback.
- Criticism: Some accuse him of exploiting poverty for views (“charity porn”) and not addressing systemic issues. Others question the ethics of his high-stakes challenges.
- MrBeast Burger Lawsuit (2023): Sued VDC over food quality; VDC countersued, alleging breach of contract and damages exceeding $100M.
Personal Life
- Health: Diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.
- Relationships: Dated Maddy Spidell (2019-2022); engaged to Thea Booysen in 2024.
- Family: Close to his mother, who manages his finances. His brother, CJ, runs MrBro.
Public Perception
- Positive: 70% favorable rating in a 2021 Insider poll, praised for authenticity and philanthropy. Appeals to younger audiences via direct camera engagement.
- Negative: Critics call him a “douchetuber” for profiting off spectacle, with some X posts labeling him “too big to fail” despite controversies.
Financial Insight
MrBeast reinvests most of his $600M-$700M annual revenue into content and businesses, claiming he’s “not rich” as his mother and CFO control his finances. Brands pay $2.5M-$3M for video shout-outs.
Recent Activity
As of June 29, 2025, MrBeast posted on X about filming 15 hours daily for his “greatest content,” despite sleep deprivation. He also addressed AI thumbnail tool backlash, replacing it with a platform for hiring real artists.
Critical Perspective
While MrBeast’s philanthropy and innovation are undeniable, his reliance on spectacle raises questions about sustainability and ethics. Reinvesting profits fuels his growth but risks normalizing exploitative content for views. Allegations of mistreatment and cultural insensitivity (e.g., Chichén Itzá) suggest a need for stronger oversight. His response to controversies, like hiring investigators and pulling the AI tool, shows adaptability, but critics argue he sidesteps systemic issues like inequality, which his giveaways don’t address.
