Etika

Not to be confused with Ethika.
Etika
Desmond Amofah pictured in May 2019 sitting in a gaming chair, looking and smiling at the camera
Amofah in May 2019
Personal information
Born
Desmond Daniel Amofah

(1990-05-12)May 12, 1990
Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Diedc. June 19, 2019(2019-06-19) (aged 29)
East River, New York City, U.S.
Other names
  • Iceman
  • Guile-kun
Occupations
PartnerChristine Cardona (2011–2017)
Parent
Websiteetikaworldnetwork.com
YouTube information
Channels
Years active2006–2019
Genres
Subscribers1.3 million (combined)[‡ 1]
Total views146 million (combined)[‡ 1]
100,000 subscribers2015[a]

Desmond Daniel Amofah (May 12, 1990 – c. June 19, 2019), known online as Etika, was an American YouTuber and live streamer. Amofah became known online for his enthusiastic reactions to Super Smash Bros. character trailers and Nintendo Direct presentations and for playing and reacting to various games. He resided in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, and his father is the Ghanaian politician Owuraku Amofah.

Starting his online career in 2007, Amofah created his main YouTube channel, "EWNetwork" (Etika World Network), in 2012. His fanbase was dubbed the "JOYCONBOYZ" in reference to the Nintendo Switch controller, the Joy-Con. He garnered popularity following the release of Super Smash Bros. 4, primarily stemming from his reaction videos of news surrounding the game. His content consisted of playthroughs of various video games, reaction videos, and pre-recorded material. Across his multiple YouTube channels, he amassed over 1 million subscribers and 146 million views.

Between October 2018 and May 2019, Amofah demonstrated signs of mental distress, threatening to commit suicide on multiple occasions, and was hospitalized several times. During this period, Amofah uploaded pornography to the EWNetwork channel, resulting in its termination; he then posted statements on social media alluding to suicide. After apologizing, Amofah created another channel, "EtikaFRFX", which was terminated for identical reasons. He proceeded to display erratic behavior publicly, including posting cryptic messages online and streaming himself being detained by the police.

Amofah was reported missing on June 20, 2019, after an apologetic video was uploaded to his "TR1Iceman" channel.[b] After recovering his body from the East River near the Manhattan Bridge, officials confirmed Amofah's death on June 25, finding it to be a suicide by drowning. Amofah's death was met with expressions of shock and grief by fans and fellow YouTubers, with some observers commenting that the signs of Amofah's mental deterioration were either dismissed or ignored.[3][4][5] Commemorations were held to honor Amofah's career as a gaming personality, including fan-made memorials and murals.

Early life

[edit]

Desmond Daniel Amofah was born on May 12, 1990, in the Brooklyn borough of New York, to Owuraku Amofah, a Ghanaian politician and lawyer from Kibi,[6][7] and Sabrina Amofah.[8][9] His father was based in Ghana in the 1990s as a member of the Parliament of Ghana from 1992 to 1996. After a misunderstanding with Ghanaian president Jerry Rawlings, he moved to the United States to become a Magistrate Judge before returning to Ghana in 2013.[10] Amofah rarely mentioned his relationship with his father.[10] He had an older brother, Randy Amofah, who died in 2010 from an asthma attack after a sandstorm in Accra, Ghana.[11] He also had a half-brother, Cardinal Valery, who ventured into online video creation following his death. Cardinal has faced controversy from Amofah's fanbase, including being accused of exploiting Amofah's death for personal monetary gain.[8]

Based in New York, Amofah primarily resided in Brooklyn.[12][13] Prior to his career as a gaming YouTuber, Amofah was active in modeling and rapping, having uploaded rap videos from 2007 to 2009 under the name "Iceman".[14][15] He also released an independently-produced mixtape titled Written in Ice in 2007.[9] Amofah started modeling in his early twenties and continued until 2015. He owned an account on the modeling and social media website Model Mayhem, where he stated he was "quite tall" and that his last measurement of height was "six feet, six inches".[16][17] Amofah also dealt with homelessness, temporarily living in a shelter after quitting his job at Uniqlo to become a full-time YouTuber.[11]

Amofah stated in a tweet that the pseudonym "Etika" came from the 2003 video game Sonic Battle. In the game, players could input a cheat code titled "EkiTa"; he decided to switch the T and the K to create his username as he "liked that result better".[‡ 2][4][18] He was inspired to grow a hi-top fade from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which featured the hairstyle in the game.[‡ 3]

YouTube career

[edit]

Having previously used the YouTube account "TR1Iceman", Amofah created a new YouTube account under the username "EWNetwork" (Etika World Network) in 2012 to broadcast his gaming and reaction streams.[18][19] Prior to the termination of the channel in 2018, he amassed more than 800,000 subscribers, reaching 100,000 subscribers in 2015.[14][20] Within months of creating a replacement YouTube channel, "EtikaFRFX", he had gained 300,000 subscribers,[14] and reached over 130,000 subscribers on his "TR1Iceman" channel.[21] In total, Amofah accumulated over 1 million subscribers and 146 million views across his multiple YouTube channels.[‡ 1][9]

Origins and popularity (2012–2018)

[edit]

Amofah's content was mainly Nintendo-focused.[22] Initially centered around gaming news, his video output evolved to a focus on Let's Play videos of Nintendo games alongside reaction videos of gaming announcements, such as Nintendo Direct presentations.[14] Amofah's reaction videos were noted for their characteristic exaggerated and energetic style; they typically featured moments such as him falling out of his chair in elated shock and tossing objects around his room.[3][4] Amofah's channel garnered popularity in 2014 due to his reaction videos covering new information about the then-unreleased fighting game Super Smash Bros. 4.[14] One of his most notable reactions to the game was to the announcement of Pokémon character Mewtwo's inclusion as a DLC fighter; during the reaction, Amofah excitedly screams "Mewtwo!" with several profanities, in particular "Holy shit" and "My dick!"[14][23] The video became Amofah's most viewed video on EWNetwork, with it being retweeted by the creator of the game, Masahiro Sakurai.[14][23] A similar video where Amofah reacted to the announcement of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate also went viral in 2018.[24] Amofah's channel continued to grow in popularity as he made more videos centered around his reactions to gaming news and YouTube drama; according to him, he was earning over $300,000 a year through his internet career.[4] Despite his earnings, Amofah revealed in a June 2017 video that he had dealt with multiple "chargebacks", or "fake donations" of large amounts of money sent to his PayPal account, which resulted in Amofah being charged with hundreds of dollars in processing fees.[25]

Amofah dubbed his fans the "JOYCONBOYZ", after the Nintendo Switch controllers known as the Joy-Con.[20] The origin of the name came from a viral livestream in November 2016 where Amofah purported to have a Nintendo Switch console before its 2017 release.[14] After the stream came under scrutiny by viewers, it was revealed that the model Amofah displayed was 3D-printed by fellow YouTuber "Sandqvist" at his request, following a pre-recorded video Amofah uploaded titled "Life with Nintendo Switch" featuring the fake console.[22][26] Amofah would frequently end his videos with his signature catchphrase "Take care of yourselves, and of course, as usual, please have yourself a damn good one".[27] In Japan, Amofah was commonly referred to as "Guile-kun" in reference to his hairstyle, which resembled the character Guile from the fighting game Street Fighter.[23][28] Though he primarily focused on Nintendo-related content, Amofah uploaded playthroughs of video games from multiple publishers, such as Call of Duty,[14] Overwatch,[29] and Doki Doki Literature Club!,[30] and was also a fan of games such as Final Fantasy VII and Minecraft.[31] Amofah enjoyed anime and Japanese culture, frequently streaming himself watching series such as Attack on Titan while providing commentary.[4][18][23]

Channel terminations (2018–2019)

[edit]

"Let my story be one that advises caution on too much of the social media shit, man. It can fuck you up. It can give you an image of what you want your life to be, and it can get blown completely out of proportion, dawg. Unfortunately, it consumed me. It made me forget about consequences to my actions. It made me forget that we have to pay for the things that we say. It made me forget that there are – there is weight behind words. I was so consumed with this great image that I had that I thought I was invulnerable to everything. I thought, 'oh, I'm destined for this, nothing can stop me'".

– Amofah in his final video.[‡ 4][19][32]

During the last months of his life, Amofah publicly demonstrated erratic behavior and signs of mental distress, which drew media attention while concerning both his fans and the YouTube community.[4][33] On October 23, 2018, Amofah was temporarily suspended from Twitter for using the word nigga in a tweet. He responded to the suspension by uploading a video of himself frequently saying the word and defending himself for using it. During the video, Amofah asserted that the word had been embraced among black people and should no longer be considered a racial slur. Amofah also mentioned rappers Travis Scott and Drake, who use the word in their songs.[4][17][18] Two days later, Amofah uploaded pornography to EWNetwork, which violated YouTube's policies and consequently led to the channel's termination.[34][35] Following the termination of the channel, Amofah posted cryptic messages to social media, including the statement "it's my turn to die", coupled with a screenshot of his terminated account.[34] Several of his followers felt that the messages and posts were suicidal, which quickly generated panic among his fanbase.[15][33] Inactive for three days after the incident,[18] Amofah checked into a mental hospital where he claimed he was examined by doctors and given anxiety medication.[36][37] He later apologized on his subreddit r/EtikaRedditNetwork.[34] Amofah also cited issues with YouTube's rules as one of the main factors for shutting down his channel, claiming on Twitter that he purposefully deleted the account "as a form of protesting against edgy content demonetization and PC policy".[37][38] Soon after the incident, Amofah was banned from Twitch for using the word faggot during a stream; he had read a conversation between him and a streamer which contained the word.[38][39]

After the termination of his first YouTube account, Amofah created a new channel in October 2018 called "EtikaFRFX", which he explained would comprise more sincere content where "he would be more himself". Although Amofah's new channel initially grew in popularity, the channel was terminated in April 2019 after Amofah again posted pornographic material.[14] Following said termination, Amofah posted several tweets related to suicide, the first one stating "Savonarola! I'm going to kill myself! You lot certainly have already. Shame on you all, silly humans".[‡ 5][39] He then tweeted he would kill himself by shooting himself in the head.[39][40] This tweet subsequently led to his detainment and hospitalization.[39] Christine "Alice Pika" Cardona, who had dated Amofah from 2011 to 2017,[41] confirmed that she was with him when he was taken to the hospital.[18][39] Days later, Amofah posted a photoshopped picture of himself holding a gun, which Cardona later confirmed was fake.[5][34] After his detainment, Amofah tweeted an apology on April 25, explaining his behavior as dark shock humor.[‡ 6][14]

Desmond Amofah on June 4, 2019, sitting on a gaming chair looking forward at the camera and commentating
Amofah on June 4, 2019, 15 days before his disappearance

Amofah continued to display erratic behavior throughout the rest of April. On April 29, after tweeting a vast quantity of cryptic messages, including homophobic and anti-semitic slurs which he later deleted,[42][43] he blocked close friends of his and other YouTubers.[18][34] Later that day, he livestreamed himself being detained by police from his apartment to over 19,000 viewers on Instagram Live, after a concerned fan notified police about his tweets.[34][44] Before his detainment, Amofah alternated between recording his reaction to the officers and the street outside which was surrounded by police vehicles, while refusing to allow officers to enter his apartment. Throughout the stream, he expressed his fear over the situation.[34][37][45] Amofah also shouted phrases and quotes from his apartment window, including "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised".[‡ 7][18][40] Lasting for 45 minutes and resulting in Amofah trending on Twitter, the stream culminated in the police escorting Amofah out of his apartment, after which he was carried on a stretcher and taken to a Brooklyn hospital in an ambulance.[34][40] Amofah was soon released from the hospital, posting a picture of himself holding a release form which revealed his diagnosis of agitation.[45][46]

A day after the stream, Amofah was interviewed by the host of Internet news show DramaAlert, Daniel "Keemstar" Keem.[45][47] In the interview, Amofah made various statements primarily referencing death and his views on the world, at one point mentioning that he was the "antichrist" and that he wanted to "purge all life".[45][47] Keem questioned whether Amofah's actions leading up to the interview were publicity stunts, and if Amofah had a genuine mental breakdown.[47] Denying that his actions were a publicity stunt, Amofah later claimed that life was a "video game" and that "death means nothing";[47] Keem then asked Amofah if life is a simulation, "then why live?... Just jump off a cliff? If it's just a simulation, who cares?"[45] The interview climaxed with Amofah and Keem arguing for several minutes before Amofah abruptly left; Keem stated that Amofah blocked him on Twitter shortly after their call.[47] The same day, Amofah posted a livestream of himself consuming raw eggs while making monkey noises, and then playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.[14]

Following the interview, Amofah was detained again on May 1 for assaulting a police officer.[3][48] Recorded on video, the altercation showed Amofah approaching the officer and raising his middle fingers before pushing the officer, who retaliated by attempting to hit Amofah.[48] He was not arrested for the incident but instead taken to a hospital, as confirmed by a tweet from Cardona.[33][48] Detained for two weeks, Amofah was released on May 14 and continued making reaction videos on his TR1Iceman channel; he also claimed that the officer had attacked him in response to his gesture, and that he had hit the police officer in self-defense.[14][36] His last videos included reactions to the Sonic the Hedgehog film and Black Mirror along with Nintendo Direct presentations.[13]

Amofah's erratic behavior around this time was perceived by a significant portion of the online world as humorous in nature, rather than indicative of genuine mental ailment.[3] The video in which Amofah assaulted a police officer was posted online with the caption "LMFAOOOOOOOO", with the clip featuring witnesses to the event laughing.[3] On social media, many viewers mocked his behavior by spamming clown emojis.[3][49] Among his fanbase, rumors circulated that Amofah's various controversies formed part of an alternate reality game,[3][18] with such rumors emerging from a stream Amofah posted in September 2017 and becoming more prominent following his first channel termination.[4]

Disappearance and death

[edit]
Amofah's last video, "I'm sorry", uploaded at midnight on June 20, 2019, EDT

At midnight on June 20, 2019, a pre-recorded video titled "I'm sorry" was uploaded to Amofah's TR1Iceman channel.[4][33] In the video, Amofah walks through the streets of New York City talking about his mental health and suicidal thoughts along with the negative aspects of social media.[4][50] He apologizes for pushing people away from him while also advising caution towards the overuse of social media.[19][50] The video's description contained an apologetic note written by Amofah that expressed a similar sentiment.[51][52] YouTube soon removed the video for violating its Community Guidelines, although the video was later reposted to other outlets.[32][33] After leaving some of his personal belongings on the pedestrian walkway, Amofah jumped from the Manhattan Bridge and drowned.[4]

Amofah was reported missing to the New York City Police Department (NYPD) the day after the "I'm sorry" video was uploaded. Shortly after his disappearance, fellow Internet personalities and his fans tried reaching out to him to offer help and show their appreciation for his work over the years.[33][35] A tweet Amofah had posted on June 2 where he asked when his next mental breakdown should occur received notice amid his disappearance.[‡ 8][46] Amofah's belongings were soon discovered on the pedestrian walkway of the Manhattan Bridge.[c] They included a backpack, wallet, laptop bag, cell phone, a change of clothes, and a Nintendo Switch.[2][55]

On the evening of June 24, a body was observed near Pier 16 at the South Street Seaport, approximately half a mile (0.8 km) down the East River from where Amofah's belongings were recovered, and reported to the NYPD.[1][52] By the morning of June 25, the NYPD and emergency medical services had recovered the body, confirmed it was Amofah, and stated that he was dead at the point of discovery.[50][56] The following day, the Office of Chief Medical Examiner confirmed the cause of death was suicide by drowning.[1][57] He was 29 years old.[50]

Reactions and analysis

[edit]

Following the announcement of his death, Amofah became the top trending topic on Twitter worldwide as many of his fans posted tributes for him.[15][35] Several YouTubers also offered their condolences to Amofah on social media.[58] Felix Kjellberg, known as PewDiePie, was one of the first YouTubers to post a tribute to Amofah, stating in a tweet, "Hard to grasp that he's actually gone, left us way too soon. You will continue to live on in our hearts. Rest in peace Etika". Beauty YouTuber James Charles expressed on Twitter: "My heart is so so heavy hearing this news. I hope that the community FINALLY realizes that creators are human beings with real, valid feelings". The official "YouTube Creators" Twitter account posted a tribute to Amofah: "We mourn the loss of Etika, a beloved member of our gaming creator community". Rapper Lil Nas X also shared his condolences, stating that he "didn't know Amofah very well" but did know that he "inspired many and made a lot of people very happy".[58] Other personalities who offered condolences included Keem,[5] DanTDM,[59] and SonicFox.[60]

The circumstances surrounding Amofah's death prompted discussions on social media about dealing with mental health as a content creator.[3][49] In an article from The Verge, internet personalities such as Asmongold and CoryxKenshin lamented how the negativity targeted towards content creators can be detrimental to their well-being, and that people who leave negative remarks on social media do so with the perception that online content creators are immune to such criticism, due to their ability to make money online.[49] Doctor of internal medicine Alan Bunney echoed similar sentiments, also claiming that struggles with mental health have been "increasingly common" in content creation.[49] Fiona Nova, content creator and friend of Amofah, also condemned his fans on Twitter for disregarding his mental health struggles as jokes, while Cardona stated that Amofah was often attracted to the vitriol he received.[49] Amofah's death also highlighted social media platforms' handling of posts by users who appear at risk of mental illness or who are contemplating suicide. YouTube, in removing Amofah's final video, stated that removal of such videos is standard practice to "reduce the potential for copycat acts of self-harm, videos that express suicidal ideation" and that as part of this, it sends information to users relating to national suicide hotlines to provide help.[35] The website also offered resources regarding mental health concerns among creators, such as courses and videos.[49] However, Amofah's situation was noted as emblematic of YouTube's passive approach to aiding creators in coping with the pressures of content creation.[3][40]

Journalists and mental health researchers found several videos Amofah had posted that showed evidence of his troubled state but were construed as jokes by some of his viewers.[3][5] As a result, some perceived Amofah's final video as another joke and disregarded any concern over his well-being.[40] Keem initially thought Amofah's final video was a premeditated publicity stunt, stating after Amofah's death, "I was never fully convinced that he was mentally ill or in trouble because of our private convos".[3] Such researchers suggested that Amofah's situation reflected the need for more research on the effects of social media on content creators' mental health.[5] Researchers Kaylee Kruzan and Victor Schwartz acknowledged the discrepancies in the number of studies between social media's effects among adolescents and adults and among content creators and influencers.[5] In a Rolling Stone article on Amofah's death, psychologist April Foreman, PhD, discussed general information surrounding the awareness of mental health issues and suicide concerns among online gaming communities.[61] Analyzing his final video, Margi Murphy of The Daily Telegraph viewed Amofah's demeanor as an example of a claim from psychiatrist Richard Graham about the shifting perceptions between the real and online world due to the prevalence of livestreaming.[40] Writing about his struggles with mental health, Patricia Hernandez of Polygon reflected on how Amofah was not taken seriously enough by both his fans and mental health facilities.[3] Hernandez opined of Amofah's situation that "it's the gnawing, uneasy realization that everything was unfolding in front of our eyes, clearly and openly, and it didn't make any difference. It's the sinking feeling that maybe, just maybe, we – viewers, social media, platforms like YouTube – let this happen".[3]

Keem briefly became a target of some of Amofah's fans, who blamed him for Amofah's suicide due to the DramaAlert interview and statements made in tweets before and following the interview.[62] Keem later posted screenshots of a series of texts allegedly sent to him by Amofah's mother Sabrina, which stated that "Etika loved Keemstar's show" and had only wanted to make a memorable appearance on it; Cardona also confirmed the veracity of the texts.[8][62] He also shared that Amofah's mother encouraged fans to donate to mental health organizations instead of the family for funeral costs.[59] Despite Sabrina's alleged defense of Keem, he was later accused of influencing Amofah's death in a May 2020 video by internet personality Ethan Klein.[63][64] Klein also referred to the allegation on the Frenemies podcast while discussing Amofah.[65] In response, Keem stated: "His mother came out with a statement saying that I am in no way responsible for the tragic loss of Etika, and he's still doing it. He just made this big rant and said stuff that I have never said".[65] Keem also claimed that Amofah's friends and family had told Klein to stop using Amofah's suicide to attack him.[65] Along with his other controversies, the video resulted in Keem ending his sponsorship with the energy drink company G Fuel.[63][64]

Legacy

[edit]

Amofah's death led to numerous tributes across social media honoring his career.[35][66] In December 2019, The New York Times Magazine published an article acknowledging Amofah's impact as a YouTuber, with writer Jamie Lauren Keiles noting that his content's appeal "had always been figuring out which parts were real", and that he "was himself until the end".[4] The same month, Kotaku included Amofah in their list of the top gamers of the year, remarking that his death prompted many of his fans and other internet personalities to discuss the impact of social media on mental health.[66] BBC News listed the news of Amofah's death as one of the biggest technology stories of 2019, noting the various commemorations of him throughout the year; writer Leo Kelion stated that "Etika's claim in his final video that 'this world's gonna forget me' shows no sign of coming true any time soon".[67] In an article from NBC News, esports journalist Rod Breslau avowed that Amofah "will go down as one of [the] greatest entertainers in video game history".[5]

In the aftermath of Amofah's suicide, both fans and YouTubers on social media asked for YouTube to re-upload Amofah's final video to help memorialize him.[68][69] A Change.org petition, which also asked for Amofah's original channel to be restored to preserve his legacy,[21][68] was started and garnered 370,000 signatures.[70] Another Change.org petition which reached over two million signatures called for Amofah to be buried at YouTube headquarters, which he stated was his wish during an earlier livestream; however, this was considered unlikely to occur due to private land regulations.[71] YouTube also attracted criticism for not including a tribute to Amofah in the 2019 installment of YouTube Rewind.[67][72] Kjellberg later uploaded his own version of the video titled "YouTube Rewind 2019, but it's actually good", which featured a homage to Amofah among other deceased content creators in 2019.[73]

The Manhattan Bridge located in East River, New York, USA, as viewed from the south.
The Manhattan Bridge, where a memorial was erected by Amofah's fans following his suicide in June 2019

Several days after his death, fans erected a memorial on Amofah's behalf on the pedestrian walkway of the Manhattan Bridge, leaving letters, fan art, Twizzlers (a candy Amofah enjoyed),[4] Nintendo-related products, and other memorabilia.[74] Various fans changed their social media profile pictures to resemble Amofah's channel logo, alongside posting pictures of themselves with tattoos of his logo.[75] A Twitter account, "Memories of Etika," was also established in dedication of Amofah.[67][75]

In the Super Smash Bros. community, an online tournament was held as a tribute to Amofah featuring the antagonist Ridley from the video game series Metroid, a character Amofah often played.[76] Posthumously, he was awarded the "Best Reaction" award at the 3rd Annual Smashies Awards which took place at Super Smash Con 2019.[77] Fans of Amofah later pointed out on social media that the second DLC Fighter Pass for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate contains several characters Amofah had expressed a strong liking towards – including Pyra and Mythra from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Min Min from Arms – following the February 2021 Nintendo Direct, leading Amofah to trend on Twitter.[31][78]

In addition to tributes, various fundraisers for mental health charities came to fruition following Amofah's death. YouTuber and web designer Abe Hunter, along with YouTuber Double-A, converted Amofah's website into a fundraiser site where 100% of the profits were to be donated to National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Amofah's name.[79] They raised $11,315.25 in total, which Hunter donated to the NAMI on July 15, 2019.[79][‡ 9] Several days later on July 21, 2019, Kjellberg along with American actor Jack Black started a fundraiser on the crowdfunding website GoFundMe for the NAMI.[67] Kjellberg and Black streamed themselves playing Minecraft together to raise money for their fundraiser, with the former donating $10,000 and the stream raising over $30,000.[80] The YouTube group "im salt", a channel that posted highlight clips from Amofah's livestreams, also organized a charity stream which raised over $3,000.[75]

After raising money for charity, Abe Hunter and Double-A worked with mural artist BK Foxx and graffiti artists Kestaadm and JMZWalls to create a 40-feet-long mural dedicated to Amofah in Bushwick, Brooklyn.[79] Completed on November 6, 2019, the mural was created to celebrate Amofah's life and to help bring awareness to mental health issues.[27][79] Dutch YouTuber Reversal, who was friends with Amofah, organized a campaign with his 350,000 fans for the company Niantic to add the mural's location as a virtual "PokéStop" in the augmented reality game Pokémon Go in memory of Amofah.[81] The mural was added to the game in February 2020.[82] Abe Hunter, Double A and BK Foxx would organize another mural in dedication of Amofah in October 2022.[83]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Amofah passed 100,000 subscribers on three channels; EWNetwork in 2015, EtikaFRFX in 2018 and TR1Iceman in 2019.[‡ 1]
  2. ^ Amofah was officially reported missing by the New York Police Department on June 20, 2019, but his last known communication was around 8 p.m. EDT the day before.[1][2]
  3. ^ Sources differ on the date that Amofah's belongings were found; The Daily Dot claimed that the police found his belongings on June 19,[53] while The Verge, Kotaku and Digital Trends claim his belongings were found on June 22.[33][54][52]

References

[edit]

Secondary sources

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Jacobo, Julia (June 26, 2019). "YouTube gaming personality Desmond 'Etika' Amofah's died by suicide, officials say". ABC News. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Romine, Taylor; Andone, Dakin (June 23, 2019). "Missing YouTuber Etika's belongings recovered on the Manhattan Bridge, police sources say". CNN. Archived from the original on June 23, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Hernandez, Patricia (July 2, 2019). "Too many people took Etika's mental health struggles as a joke". Polygon. Archived from the original on July 2, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Keiles, Jamie Lauren (December 23, 2019). "Etika, a Charismatic YouTuber Who Struggled Through His Online Fame". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 23, 2019. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Rosenblatt, Kalhan (June 26, 2019). "Etika was a larger-than-life YouTube star. Researchers are unsure how that affected his mental health". NBC News. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  6. ^ "Former Dept minister's son, Desmond Amofah, found dead in Manhattan". Graphic Online. June 26, 2019. Archived from the original on June 28, 2019.
  7. ^ "Former Deputy Minister's son found dead in Manhattan". GhanaWeb. June 26, 2019. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Asarch, Steven (January 21, 2021). "A debate is swirling around who gets to profit from late-streamer Etika's legacy after his half-brother's resurgence on social media". Insider. Archived from the original on March 11, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  9. ^ a b c Lentz III, Harris M. (October 28, 2020). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2019. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 123. ISBN 9781476640594. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Ghanaian-American YouTube star Etika reported missing after posting a suicide note". GhanaWeb. June 22, 2019. Archived from the original on September 27, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Asarch, Steven (March 3, 2020). "Remembering Etika With Those That Knew Him: 'I Got To See His Light'". Newsweek. Archived from the original on March 4, 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  12. ^ Rudgard, Olivia (June 25, 2019). "YouTube star Etika found dead at 29". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on June 25, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  13. ^ a b McWhertor, Michael (June 25, 2019). "Police: YouTuber Desmond 'Etika' Amofah dead at 29". Polygon. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Casado, Samuel Hubner (June 26, 2019). "De Nintendo-rebel die te ver ging – een ode aan Etika" [The Nintendo rebel who went too far – an ode to Etika]. Power Unlimited (in Dutch). Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  15. ^ a b c Romano, Aja (June 25, 2019). "YouTube gaming star Desmond "Etika" Amofah dies at 29". Vox. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  16. ^ Valdez, Nick (October 19, 2018). "'JoJo's Bizarre Adventure' Fans Find the Perfect Live-Action Double". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on March 26, 2023. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Farrell, Paul (October 26, 2018). "Is Etika OK? YouTuber Writes 'It's My Turn to Die' on Reddit". Heavy. Archived from the original on October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i Okutani, Kaito (July 8, 2019). "Access Accepted第617回：ある人気YouTuberの死" [Access Accepted #617: The Death of a Popular YouTuber]. 4Gamer (in Japanese). Archived from the original on July 8, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  19. ^ a b c "Etika: Body found in search is missing YouTuber". BBC News. June 25, 2019. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  20. ^ a b D'Anastasio, Cecilia (June 25, 2019). "Popular YouTuber Etika Dies At 29". Kotaku. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  21. ^ a b Spangler, Todd (June 25, 2019). "Gaming YouTuber Desmond 'Etika' Amofah Found Dead, NYPD Says". Variety. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  22. ^ a b Frank, Allegra (November 17, 2016). "Why do people keep making fake Nintendo consoles?". Polygon. Archived from the original on April 26, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  23. ^ a b c d Netorabo (October 28, 2014). "スマブラ、ミュウツー参戦に海外ファンが大歓喜 優勝候補は通称・ガイルくん" [Smash Bros., overseas fans are very happy to participate in Mewtwo, the winning candidate is known as Guile-kun]. ITMedia (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  24. ^ Rodriguez, David (June 26, 2019). "Fallece el popular youtuber Etika a los 29 años de edad" [The popular youtuber Etika dies at the age of 29]. HobbyConsolas (in Spanish). Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  25. ^ D'Anastasio, Cecilia (June 22, 2017). "YouTuber Reminds Fans How Much Fake Donations Can Hurt". Kotaku. Archived from the original on June 24, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  26. ^ D'Anastasio, Cecilia (November 17, 2016). "That YouTuber's Infamous 'Nintendo Switch' Is Fake [CORRECTED]". Kotaku. Archived from the original on May 22, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  27. ^ a b Kim, Matt (November 8, 2019). "Mural Honoring YouTuber Etika Created by Fans in New York". IGN. Archived from the original on November 9, 2019. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  28. ^ Kawase, Ayuo (June 24, 2019). "リアクション芸が有名なYouTuberのEtika氏が行方不明に。自殺を示唆するビデオを投稿した後、4日以上足取りつかめず" [YouTuber Etika, who is famous for his reaction art, has gone missing. He was stranded for over four days after posting a video suggesting suicide]. Automation (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 10, 2020. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  29. ^ Jessica (June 26, 2019). "知名遊戲實況主 Etika 失蹤數日後 紐約市警局已尋獲並證實死亡" [Well-known game streamer Etika has been found and confirmed dead by the NYPD days after his disappearance]. Gamer News Network (in Chinese). Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  30. ^ Travers, Sean (October 13, 2022). Trauma in American Popular Culture and Cult Texts, 1980–2020. Springer International Publishing. p. 193. ISBN 9783031132872. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  31. ^ a b Asarch, Steven (February 18, 2021). "Fans of late gamer Etika rejoiced when Nintendo revealed 2 of his favorite characters would be in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate". Insider. Archived from the original on March 11, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  32. ^ a b Nashrulla, Tasneem (June 25, 2019). "YouTuber Etika Has Been Found Dead In New York After Posting A Video Expressing Suicidal Thoughts". BuzzFeed News. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  33. ^ a b c d e f g Alexander, Julia (June 25, 2019). "Popular YouTuber Desmond 'Etika' Amofah found dead". The Verge. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  34. ^ a b c d e f g h D'Anastasio, Cecilia (April 29, 2019). "YouTuber Etika Livestreams Himself Getting Detained By Police To 19,000 Viewers". Kotaku. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  35. ^ a b c d e Hauser, Christine (June 26, 2019). "Etika, a YouTube Personality, Is Mourned by Fans". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  36. ^ a b Falcone, Dana Rose (June 25, 2019). "YouTuber Desmond Amofah, Known as Etika, Found Dead at 29 Days After Sharing Suicidal Video". People. Archived from the original on June 25, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  37. ^ a b c Golgowski, Nina (June 25, 2019). "YouTuber 'Etika' Found Dead In New York's East River". HuffPost. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  38. ^ a b Asarch, Steven (October 31, 2018). "Streamer Etika Banned on Twitch for Using Homophobic Slur". Newsweek. Archived from the original on November 1, 2018. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  39. ^ a b c d e Katzowitz, Josh (April 16, 2019). "Popular streamer Etika freaks out fans with suicidal message". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on March 11, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  40. ^ a b c d e f Murphy, Margi (June 29, 2019). "Burnout, bullies and blurring the lines of reality: What the tragic death of Etika tells us about YouTube obsession". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on April 13, 2020. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  41. ^ Nolan, Caitlin (June 21, 2019). "YouTuber and Gamer Desmond Amofah Missing After Posting Worrying Video Online, NYPD Says". Inside Edition. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2023. Amofah's former girlfriend, Christine Cardona...who dated him from 2011 to 2017.
  42. ^ Katzowitz, Josh (April 29, 2019). "Etika tweets anti-Semitic, homophobic messages—then gets detained (updated)". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on May 14, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  43. ^ Vincent, Brittany (April 29, 2019). "YouTuber Etika potentially swatted by NYPD live on Instagram". Shacknews. Archived from the original on April 30, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  44. ^ Valentine, Rebekah (June 25, 2019). "Desmond 'Etika' Amofah found dead at 29". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on December 26, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  45. ^ a b c d e Selk, Avi (June 25, 2019). "YouTuber Etika found dead in East River, following a series of erratic videos and police confrontations". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  46. ^ a b D'Anastasio, Cecilia (June 21, 2019). "YouTuber Etika Reported Missing Following Mental Health Struggles". Kotaku. Archived from the original on June 21, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  47. ^ a b c d e Bonfiglio, Nahila (May 1, 2019). "Twitch star Etika says he wants to 'purge all life' in bonkers interview". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  48. ^ a b c Katzowitz, Josh (May 2, 2019). "Etika reportedly detained after fighting police officer". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on May 16, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  49. ^ a b c d e f Alexander, Julia (June 27, 2019). "YouTuber Etika's death spurs conversation about how viewers react to creators' mental health struggles". The Verge. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  50. ^ a b c d Lewis, Sophie (June 25, 2019). "Missing YouTuber Desmond "Etika" Amofah found dead in New York". CBS News. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  51. ^ Tamburro, Paul (June 20, 2019). "Etika concerns fans with distressing 'I'm Sorry' video". GameRevolution. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  52. ^ a b c Miranda, Felicia (June 25, 2019). "Missing YouTube gaming creator and Twitch streamer Etika confirmed dead at 29". Digital Trends. Archived from the original on June 29, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  53. ^ O'Sullivan, Eilish (June 23, 2019). "Missing YouTuber Etika's belongings found alongside bridge". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on June 23, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  54. ^ D'Anastasio, Cecilia (June 23, 2019). "Police Find Belongings Of Missing YouTuber Etika On Manhattan Bridge". Kotaku. Archived from the original on June 23, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  55. ^ "Missing YouTuber Etika's belongings found". BBC News. June 24, 2019. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  56. ^ Orjoux, Alanne (June 25, 2019). "Body pulled from the East River is that of missing YouTuber Etika, New York police say". CNN. Archived from the original on June 25, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  57. ^ Orjoux, Alanne (July 1, 2019). "YouTuber Etika died by suicide, medical examiner says". CNN. Archived from the original on July 28, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  58. ^ a b Robidoux, Brandy (June 25, 2019). "Pewdiepie, KeemStar & More YouTubers Mourn Etika After His Death: It's 'Hard To Grasp That He's Gone'". Hollywood Life. Archived from the original on October 10, 2021. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  59. ^ a b Welsh, Daniel (June 26, 2019). "YouTube Star Etika, Real Name Desmond Amofah, Found Dead Aged 29". HuffPost UK. Archived from the original on April 5, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  60. ^ Gilbert, Ben (June 25, 2019). "A 29-year-old YouTube star's sudden death is sparking an outpouring of grief and frustration among his fans and colleagues". Insider. Archived from the original on April 28, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  61. ^ Whitehouse, Ginny; Troutman, Samantha; Kelley, Tricia; Smith, Shelby; Wilkerson, Kristen (April 2020). "Covering Pete Davidson: Gossip Headlines and Their Danger to Mental Health". Journal of Media Ethics. 35 (2): 130–138. doi:10.1080/23736992.2019.1659565. ISSN 2373-6992. S2CID 219063005. Archived from the original on December 23, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  62. ^ a b Katzowitz, Josh (July 1, 2019). "Etika's mom defends Keemstar, says YouTuber isn't to blame for suicide". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on July 1, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  63. ^ a b Haasch, Palmer (February 16, 2021). "Insider poll shows some of the most disliked influencers on the internet, from Jake Paul to Jeffree Star". Insider. Archived from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2023. In 2020, his sponsorship with energy drink company G Fuel ended (with Keem saying that he "walked away") following a video from h3h3Productions' Ethan Klein that raised claims that Keem had exploited Etika, a YouTuber who died by suicide in 2019.
  64. ^ a b Tomkinson, Sian; Elliott, Jordana (October 1, 2020). "Hype source: G Fuel's contemporary gamer persona and its navigation of prestige and diversity". Persona Studies. 6 (2): 29. ISSN 2205-5258. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  65. ^ a b c Bain, Ellissa (April 28, 2021). "Who was Etika? Keemstar and Ethan Klein drama explored". HITC. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  66. ^ a b Totilo, Stephen (December 18, 2019). "The Gamers Of The Year, 2019". Kotaku. Archived from the original on December 18, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  67. ^ a b c d Kelion, Leo (December 31, 2019). "Tech 2019: Our biggest technology stories". BBC News. Archived from the original on December 31, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  68. ^ a b Tenbarge, Kat (June 25, 2019). "YouTubers are calling for Desmond 'Etika' Amofah's emotional final video to be restored". Insider. Archived from the original on March 27, 2023. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  69. ^ Katzowitz, Josh (June 26, 2019). "Hundreds of thousands demand that Etika's previously deleted YouTube channel be restored". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  70. ^ Kim, Allen (June 26, 2019). "Fans petition YouTube to restore late vlogger Etika's account". CNN. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  71. ^ Melani, Giorgio (June 27, 2019). "Etika, la petizione per seppellirlo nella sede di YouTube va verso i due milioni" [Etika, the petition to bury him in the YouTube headquarters goes towards two million]. Multiplayer.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on June 29, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  72. ^ Sung, Morgan (December 6, 2019). "10 important moments from 2019 that should have been in YouTube's Rewind". Mashable. Archived from the original on December 6, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  73. ^ Bonfiglio, Nahila (December 31, 2019). "PewDiePie trolls YouTube with his own version of Rewind 2019". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on December 31, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  74. ^ "Fans Create Memorial for Gamer Etika in New York". Inside Edition. June 28, 2019. Archived from the original on July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  75. ^ a b c Gerken, Tom (July 6, 2019). "YouTube star Etika's fans tattooed in his memory". BBC News. Archived from the original on July 6, 2019. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  76. ^ Zawodniak, Melanie (June 26, 2019). "Smash Fan Hosts All-Ridley Tournament in Honor of Etika". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on June 29, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  77. ^ Tate, Dylan (August 13, 2019). "Smash community honors Etika at 3rd Annual Smashies Awards". Upcomer. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  78. ^ Byrd, Matthew (February 17, 2021). "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Who Are Pyra and Mythra?". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  79. ^ a b c d D'Anastasio, Cecilia (November 8, 2019). "Fans Honor Deceased YouTuber Etika With A Stunning Mural". Kotaku. Archived from the original on November 8, 2019. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  80. ^ Tamburro, Paul (July 22, 2019). "PewDiePie donates $10,000 to mental health charity in Etika's memory". GameRevolution. Archived from the original on January 30, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  81. ^ Hernandez, Patricia (February 25, 2020). "Etika's face is now a Pokémon Go stop, thanks to a YouTuber and his fans". Polygon. Archived from the original on February 25, 2020. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  82. ^ Gerken, Tom (February 25, 2020). "Etika mural becomes Pokemon Go spot in tribute to YouTuber". BBC News. Archived from the original on February 26, 2020. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  83. ^ YouTuber Etika's JoyConBoyz Hype Lives On Forever. Kotaku. October 8, 2022. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.

Primary sources

In the text these references are preceded by a double dagger (‡):

  1. ^ a b c d See:
  2. ^ Amofah, Desmond [@Etika] (September 7, 2014). "Where did the name "Etika" come from? Does it have an... — Sonic is my favorite series. In a game called 'Sonic..." (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 16, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2024 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ EWNetwork (July 23, 2015). 200,000 Subscriber Special #1: 25 THINGS ABOUT ME!. Archived from the original on August 25, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2024 – via YouTube.
  4. ^ TR1Iceman (June 19, 2019). I'm sorry. Event occurs at 5:44. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2024 – via YouTube.
  5. ^ Amofah, Desmond [@Etika] (April 16, 2019). "Savonarola! I'm going to kill myself! You lot certainly have already. Shame on you all, silly humans" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ Amofah, Desmond [@Etika] (April 25, 2019). "Back! Sorry for scaring ya with that tweet. Being born and raised on the dark side of the internet, I sometimes go too far in my attempts at edgy shock humor. I've apologized on similar instances in the past I know, so just trust when I say I learned my lesson. CUSOON!" (Tweet). Archived from the original on June 25, 2019. Retrieved April 29, 2024 – via Twitter.
  7. ^ Amofah, Desmond [@Etika] (April 29, 2019). "The revolution will NOT be televised" (Tweet). Archived from the original on June 25, 2019. Retrieved January 10, 2022 – via Twitter.
  8. ^ Amofah, Desmond [@Etika] (June 2, 2019). "When should I have my next mental breakdown y'all? what days y'all niggas got off?? 😂👌🏾" (Tweet). Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved April 24, 2024 – via Twitter.
  9. ^ NAMI [@NAMICommunicate] (July 15, 2019). "Thank you to the #JOYCONBOYZ for their donation of $11,315.25 in memory of Desmond Amofah aka "Etika" from Abe of Blockhead Entertainment LLC. We appreciate your support! https://t.co/kuTo2scmO9" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2021 – via Twitter.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Listen to this article (36 minutes)
Spoken Wikipedia icon
This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 20 June 2024 (2024-06-20), and does not reflect subsequent edits.
(Audio help · More spoken articles)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Etika.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Etika&oldid=1257399864"