Mizkif

Early Life and Entry into Streaming

Matthew Rinaudo was born on February 16, 1995, and grew up in Montclair, New Jersey, with an Italian heritage. He began his foray into content creation on Twitch in 2016. For two years, he cultivated a relatively small audience. His breakthrough moment arrived in 2018 when he took on the role of cameraman for the streamer Ice Poseidon. This exposure to a larger viewer base proved instrumental, providing the initial momentum that would propel him toward a full-time streaming career.

Building an Audience and Early Controversy

The early stages of Mizkif's rise were not without incident. On April 30, 2019, he and his friend, streamer Esfand, were banned from Twitch. The ban followed an incident at the PAX East convention where they made an insensitive joke towards cosplayer and streamer Jenna Meowri during a live broadcast. The suspension lasted seven days, after which both were unbanned. Despite this setback, his popularity continued to grow through his own streaming concepts.

In March 2020, he executed a now-famous sleeping stream. The broadcast, where he simply slept, generated over $5,600 in revenue. In an interview, Mizkif reflected that the stream was a welcome and easy break from his usual routine of playing games, which he found draining. His viewership numbers saw another major spike during the 2020 United States presidential election coverage, where he became the third-most-watched streamer on the entire Twitch platform.

Founding One True King and Peak Recognition

A defining professional achievement came on October 11, 2020. Mizkif, alongside fellow prominent streamers Asmongold, Esfand, Rich Campbell, and Tips Out, publicly launched the gaming organization One True King (OTK). This move confirmed his status as an industry figure beyond just a content creator. Shortly after, in January 2021, he surpassed one million followers on Twitch.

His financial success was later quantified by the Twitch leaks in October 2021. The data revealed he was the 23rd highest earner on the platform from August 2019 to October 2021, with a total payout of $2,086,548.21. The following March, at the 2021 Streamer Awards, this success was formally recognized when he won the award for Best Just Chatting Streamer. He also received a nomination for the top honor of Streamer of the Year at the same event.

The 2022 Allegations and OTK Investigation

September 2022 became a damaging and complex period. Fellow streamer Trainwreckstv accused Mizkif of downplaying and attempting to cover up a serious incident. The allegation involved Mizkif's roommate, streamer CrazySlick, who was accused of sexually assaulting female streamer AdrianahLee. The controversy deepened when Ice Poseidon published a series of Mizkif's past comments from 2018 and 2019, which were characterized as racist and homophobic.

In response to the storm, One True King placed Mizkif on leave pending an investigation. The organization hired a Texas-based law firm, Jackson Walker, to conduct the inquiry. The counsel's findings stated there was no direct evidence that Mizkif had attempted to minimize or cover up a sexual assault, as had been alleged. Based on this, his status as an OTK member was reinstated. On January 2, 2023, Mizkif uploaded a video apology addressing his insensitive and tone-deaf behavior in an earlier broadcast related to the situation.

Platform Bans and Legal Battles

Mizkif's relationship with Twitch has been repeatedly tested by short suspensions. On January 13, 2023, he was banned for watching the banned streamer Grossgore on his live stream, but was unbanned in less than 24 hours. Another ban followed on February 7, 2023, for a DMCA violation after he watched an episode of the reality TV series MILF Manor. This ban also lasted only a day. In May 2023, he announced he would begin streaming some content on the alternative platform Rumble.

A more severe and personal controversy erupted in October 2025. His former partner, streamer and cosplayer Emiru, accused him of misconduct during their relationship, which ended in 2024. The allegations included unwanted physical contact, emotional abuse, and stalking. Mizkif denied the more serious claims and disputed parts of her account. Shortly after, OTK disclosed on Twitter that Mizkif had actually been terminated from the organization for unrelated reasons some time earlier and held no stake in it. Mizkif then filed a federal lawsuit against Emiru, Asmongold, OTK Media Inc., and other associated companies, seeking damages for reputational harm, lost earnings, and emotional distress.

Entrepreneurship and Side Projects

Mizkif has diversified his activities with several business ventures. In 2021, he announced he was developing a platformer video game titled Unrooted, citing Jump King as a primary influence. The game was featured in the platformer category at the 2022 OTK Games Expo and saw its official release on Steam on August 2, 2024.

On January 17, 2024, he and Norwegian streamer Knut announced the opening of Iron Forge Gym in Austin, Texas. The facility offers full-service weight lifting alongside MMA and wrestling classes. He also entered the audio space, launching the Just Chatting Podcast on May 6, 2024. The weekly podcast features Mizkif conducting one-on-one interviews with various guests.

Personal Life and Health

Mizkif was in a public relationship with fellow Twitch streamer and wildlife rehabilitator Maya Higa from 2019 until September 14, 2021, when he announced their separation on Twitter. He has been open about his health challenges, including a heart condition diagnosed as viral myocarditis. He has also spoken publicly about managing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

His personal interests include cars, notably purchasing an Audi R8 in early June 2021. The vehicle was involved in an accident in a parking lot, sustaining $100,000 in damages, which he announced on Twitter in January 2022. On a philanthropic note, in December 2019 he organized a charity stream for St. David's Children's Hospital in Austin. His community raised over $5,000, which Mizkif used to purchase toys for the hospital's young patients.