Who Is Controversial Kick Streamer 'Mellstroy'? The Eastern European Streamer's Arrest And Viral Dance Explained

Kick has the tendency to attract some of the more provocative streamers out there, and Andrey Burim a.k.a. Mellstroy is certainly someone who can be categorized as a provocateur. Best known for his "trash streams," a Russian live streaming genre that involves raucous parties, violence, and humiliation, Mellstroy first grew to fame playing Minecraft and Counter Strike.

The streamer was banned from YouTube in 2020 after he brutalized model Alena Efremova during one such "trash stream," leaving her with bloody facial injuries. But in 2024, the streamer once again found viral prominence online thanks to a barbershop dance trend where he shuffles around to the song "Mr. Saxobeat." Here's a recap of the controversial streamer's history and rise to fame.

Who Is Mellstroy, And How Did He Gather His Audience?

Mellstroy is a 26-year-old streamer from the Republic of Belarus who began his internet career through his own Minecraft server, created by him at the age of 14. In 2014, Mellstroy began streaming Counter Strike gameplays, but the 16-year-old only began gathering notable attention after he conducted streams where he asked girls to strip in exchange for subscriptions and likes.

Why Was Mellstroy Banned From YouTube And Who Did He Assault?

In October 2020, Mellstroy went viral online after he took things too far at one of his classic "trash streams." In a live stream shared via YouTube, Mellstroy can be seen grabbing model Alena Efremova and slamming her head on the table, giving her severe facial injuries and causing her to bleed from the mouth.

The horrifying event went viral and eventually led to a magistrate court finding Mellstroy guilty of assault in July 2021. The streamer was sentenced to six months of corrective labor with a 10 percent deduction of the convict's salary as state revenue.

Did Mellstroy Ever Return To Streaming?

It seems as though the streamer's stint in prison did not deter him from continuing life in the limelight, with Burim's audience only growing alongside the TikTok boom of the early 2020s. An October 2021 fan edit featuring the streamer gathered over 40 million plays in three years, months after the streamer's history of violence had come to light.

What Is Mellstroy's 'Mr. Saxobeat' Dance Trend?

Clips of the streamer doing an odd little shuffle to the song "Mr. Saxobeat" went viral on TikTok in 2024, as seen in a clip posted by @mellstroyy09 in February 2024. The Mellstroy shuffle continued to gain traction on the platform in subsequent weeks, with clips of people dancing to Mr Saxobeat in barbershops taking over the video-sharing app.

For the full history of Mellstroy, a.k.a. Andrey Burim, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.