Kendall Kyndall is everyone’s “best fran” and a hilarious social media star who’s being dubbed the King of Commentary. He quickly rose to fame through posting videos on social media of his “gut-busting” commentary on various reality shows, including “Love & Hip Hop.” When he first started, he went from 700 followers to 2K in one night, based on a couple of videos he posted to his Instagram. From there, it was only a matter of time before the world would discover how hilarious Kyndall really was. In just about a year’s time, Kyndall quickly amassed over one million followers, and that’s no easy feat. Before he knew it the BET, TNT and VH1 TV networks were knocking at his door, and the rest is history.
Rolling out spoke with the comedic genius to find out what makes him so funny. He gave us some background on how he got started, touched on his deals with the TV networks, and discussed the fascination he has with the reality stars’ hairlines. Read below to get the full scoop. Drop a line or two in the comments section to let us know what you think.
What’s going on with everyone’s #BestFran?
Everything is going on with me! I’m getting ready to move to L.A. It’s nothing here in Detroit for me. I’m leaving the middle of October. I’m still working right now. My last day at work is Sept. 8. I can’t wait to leave corporate. I’m leaving to go do what I love to do best.
Give us some background on who you are and share some of your journey on how you became the huge social media superstar that you are.
Well, of course, y’all know that I’m the world’s “best fran.” I didn’t sit down and have this plan like “I’m about to start doing these videos, so I can be famous on the ‘Gram.” I was sitting there doing homework one day because I was still in school, and “Love & Hip Hop” was on [TV]. And I [overheard something they said] and I was like “what did they just say?” and it was so funny, I bust out laughing. I was in the house, by myself, of course, I live alone, so I was just [laughing]. I kind of stopped like somebody [lives] there with me. So, I [continued] to do my homework and they said something else, and I was like “What!?” So, I took the phone and [started recording]. That’s when I only had 15 seconds to do a video, and I put the phone up [to start recording] and flipped it and said my response. I put my phone down, and I flipped my phone over so I could stay focused on school. So, when I got done, I flipped it back over and I had all these notifications. The next day I woke up and I had 2K followers. The next week, I didn’t do videos again, people were [asking] “Where you at? We need you?” So, I did some more [videos]. People were really starting to hit me up and I was like “let me do this.” From there I just kept doing it and that’s when I discovered my gift.
You have deals with Claws on TNT, where you guest star and you were a host for the BET NETWORK, hosting BET PEEP That and also the BET Experience itself. Then you went to the VH1 network and hosted their Facebook Live for the premiere of the new season of “Love & Hip Hop.” Tell us how about your experiences.
It was great. I got a message from [VH1 asking] if I was available this date. And I [said] “yeah, I can be.” [They told me they wanted me] to do this FB Live for the premiere of “Love & Hip Hop Hollywood,” which was the first “Love & Hip Hop” season I did when I did my videos, and I [said] “OK.” So, they sent the travel info and sent that coin, I secured that bag and went over there. But it was so much fun because everybody on the cast likes me. There’s no beef. Nobody takes it personally. They know it’s all fun. And on top of that, they’re getting followers off of me, they’re getting exposure. A couple of them were like “If you don’t get talked about by Kendall, you ain’t nobody.” And that’s the truth because if I talk about you, I really like you. Honestly, I really like you.
You quickly rose from 700 followers to one million followers in a year. That’s not an easy feat. How did you do that?
By just being me. My personality is contagious. So, you can’t deny it. I mean, it is what it is. I [didn’t say] “Ooh, I gotta get these many followers up. I want these many followers.” I’m just doing my thing, and [the followers] just keep coming. And I’m welcoming them with open arms. It’s just me being me. Have you noticed I really don’t do skits? I just jump up in there and talk. I’m just talking about stuff that’s happening. And on top of that, if [I’m] going to have all these followers, I have to be motivational. I want to inspire people because I’m funny, but I’m also about the business too. A lot of people say, your laugh, your commentary helps me through a bad day.
So, at what point did you realize you had made it? When did you call your family and tell them?
Actually, I didn’t call because I didn’t tell my family. I didn’t say I was going to do this because sometimes when you tell people stuff they always have an opinion about it, like “you gotta do this, you gotta be careful with this.” And it was working. So, I just felt like at the rate it was going, they were going to find out. When I felt like I made it was probably when BET reached out and [asked me] to do the American Black Film Festival. They wanted me to take over social media on the carpet. And I was so nervous. That was in February. I did the ABFF Honors in L.A.
Was there ever a point where you wanted to give up? How did you overcome that feeling?
Yes. Well, sometimes people can be very rude in the comments section. I had to pray about helping me to get this tough skin because I know it comes with the territory. So, I think it was an Alicia Keys comment [I made]. She was on stage and I said something like, “Alicia, girl, you forgot to stop at glam and get your make up done?” because she wasn’t wearing any makeup. And I [said], “Dang, she could’ve at least got her hair done.” So, of course, her fans came for me. And I said, is it that serious? [At that point I had] that moment where I felt like I wanted to stop, and I [said to myself] “you know what? Maybe I shouldn’t do these videos.” Then I [thought] “Ain’t nobody about to stop me!” But for that moment, I had that [doubt]. But then Kendall kicked in and I [remembered], “Ain’t nobody about to stop me.”
Let’s get into the shows for a bit. We see you getting along so well with the cast of all the shows you commentate on. How well do you know them?
I know them through social media. We talk a lot through social media. We exchanged numbers, so we text a lot. And then we run into each other, like at the BET Awards, I ran into a lot of them. Me and Tammy Rivera got cool the first day. For the BET Awards after-party, I hung out with [Tammy] and Tommie. And Tommie had got cool with me just through social media. You know, just talking back and forth. She’s always like “that’s my boo, that’s my boy.” And that’s basically how my relationships start. Lyrica, Safaree, Brooke, most of them hit me up, or we DM each other back and forth or we swap numbers or we FaceTime. Peter Gunz, I’m cool with Yandy, Tara, a lot of them. It just depends.
Now, what’s up with you and these women’s edges — and well Safaree’s edges too? Every show we see you go in hard on the edges. Why do you have such a fascination with edges? And who in the heck is Da Real BB Judy?
That’s my boo. That’s Judy. She’s in New Orleans. But, you know I do my promo drops. You know I get my money, I’m monetizing. So, what better way to do it than when I’m having fun [commentating] on “Love &Hip Hop”? Because sometimes they are on [TV] with their edges tore up; like did you forget you were going to be on TV? So, you know, at the same time I’m helping them out. I’m helping everybody out. I’m helping whoever’s watching, and I’m also talking to the cast too – like “get these [hair] drops because next season I don’t want you on here looking a whole fool.”
