Rachell “Valkyrae” Hofstetter Apologizes for Using AAVE Language on Stream
Rachell “Valkyrae” Hofstetter recently issued an apology to her YouTube community after one of her moderators alerted her to her use of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) during one of her streams.
Valkyrae’s Apology and Understanding of AAVE
In her apology, Valkyrae acknowledged that her understanding of AAVE is that it consists of words that non-black people should avoid using.
The Phrase in Question
Although she didn’t explicitly mention the specific phrase she used, one Reddit user claimed that Valkyrae said “no cap on a stack fr fr” multiple times while playing VALORANT, and another viewer supported this claim.
According to Valkyrae, she picked up the phrase from her friends and thought it was cute and rhymed. However, after her moderators brought it to her attention, she now understands the issue.
Mod’s Explanation and Valkyrae’s Response
The moderator who flagged the language sent Valkyrae a well-written document explaining why using AAVE terms can be problematic. After reading it, Valkyrae understood the message and expressed her apologies for any offense caused.
Valkyrae and Pokimane’s Similar Experiences
Valkyrae is not the first streamer who has faced criticism for using AAVE language. Pokimane also received backlash for using AAVE terms in one of her Twitch stream titles. Both streamers have since apologized and admitted that they were unaware of the AAVE association with the terms they used.
Moving Forward with a Better Understanding
Now that both Valkyrae and Pokimane have been educated on the issue, they are more aware of what constitutes AAVE terms and will be more mindful of their language choices in the future.