YouTube screenshot ImJayStation
YouTuber ImJayStation, whose real name is Jason Ethier, 28, is under fire after posting a video where he claims to talk to rapper Mac Miller in the afterlife.
Pittsburgh MC Miller died last month. Days after, the YouTube star ImJayStation uploaded a video where he tries to summon Miller’s spirit, and alleges he did. Miller was just 26 when he suffered a fatal overdose.
Fans were outraged over what many saw as Ethier’s exploitative video. This isn’t the first time the YouTuber has recorded an alleged conversation with a recently-deceased rapper, like XXXTenaction, and others. But for the Mac Miller video, he caught a lot of flack.
Here’s what you need to know about ImJayStation:
1. ImJayStation is Known For His ‘3AM Challenge’
Ethier’s popularity may be in large part due to his controversial 3AM Challenge. It certainly has parents hand-wringing.
A dare, the challenge has participants doing things like using Ouija board or telephone or even praying to attempt to awaken a spirit at 3 a.m. called the witching or devils hour.
Ethier uses an electronic voice phenomenon (EVP) device which he says scans radio waves to find ghosts.
In the above 3AM Challenge from September of 2017, he says, “CALLING JESUS AND THE DEVIL AT 3AM!! *ACTUALLY WORKED* DO NOT CALL 666 AND 888 AT 3 AM CHALLENGE!! Today we decided to call jesus and the devil at 3am on two way calling! It actually worked and when we called 666 it was crazy. Do not call 666 and 888 at the same time at 3am in the morning and this is why! Calling god and calling the devil is sort of nerve wracking.”
2. YouTube Ghost Hunter Ethier Used a Spirit Scanning Device to Contact Miller
Even the video description upset some people but it was the fact that he was making money off the obviously bogus communication with the late rapper that incensed many.
“(RIP) MAC MILLER SPIRIT BOX CHALLENGE AT 3AM!! *SPEAKS ON ARIANA GRANDE*
Today ImJaystation contacts Mac Miller at 3am after his tragic death today. He uses a spirit box to get some EVP of rapper Mac Miller. Mac Miller dies at the young age of 26 and speaks about Ariana Grande during the spirit box session at 3am. For more 3am challenges subscribe to ImJayStation.”
The 14-minute video asked viewers to like the video with a thumbs-up which he says is a “prayer” for Miller. Ethier then breaks out the EVP to ‘speak’ with the ‘Blue Slide Park’ rapper. Ethier then uses captions to ‘translate’ the muffled and staticy sounds. He asks “Were you sad about Ariana Grande?”
Miller and Grande were a longtime couple. They broke up and Miller, who struggled with substance abuse and depression, appeared to go downhill after.
Ethier keeps up the questioning of the sounds coming from the EVP speaker. He asks about his reasons for his alleged suicide and then, incredibly, says he actually hears Miller’s voice say his death was a “mistake” and that he was “ok.” He stops the video when a Grande video appears on a monitor nearby.
3. Mac Miller Fans & Others Who Watched the Video Were Furious
The most ‘liked’ of the comments to Ethier was “You’re a delusional human being.”
People were mostly angry about the fact that Ethier was using his platform, which earns him hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars a day to exploit Miller.
“Mac Miller fan my ass! Why would u make this video. something is wrong with u?”
“You are wrong on so many levels exploiting people’s deaths.”
“Exploiting someone that sadly passed away for likes is actually disgusting. And then discussing the earlier passings of many influential people and also like ewww.”
And on and on. The video has been viewed nearly 600,000 times since its upload on Sept. 8 but, with the option of giving it a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down, this video has 32,000 likes and nearly 70,000 people gave it a thumbs-down.
4. Ethier, Who Also Tried to Summon the Spirit of XXXTentacion, Was Arrested at Disney World
Ethier, who did a similar video where he tried to contact murdered rapper XXXTenaction, was arrested and charged with trespassing and resisting at Disney World in May after he accused Disney security of stealing his camera bag. He was asked to leave and refused. Ethier was at Disney with fellow YouTuber James The Fam.
Ethier alleged after he went through the theme park security checkpoint his camera bad that had an expensive set-up and a lot of cash was gone. He said security stole his bag. He began fighting verbally with security, cursed and yelled at them.
“I was robbed and then arrested at disney world after having my items stolen when i gave them to security!! Do not go to disney world or disney land ever!! This is why.”
Ethier did a similar 3AM Challenge to contact XXXTentacion. And, claimed he did via Ouija board.
“Today ImJaystation played the Ouija Board at 3am to try to contact XXXTentacion aka Jahseh Onfroy. The Ouija Board is the original Spirit Box that is used to contact spirits or loved ones that have passed away. We actually contacted XXXTentacion with the Ouija board and it had gone wrong at 3am.”
He was also widely condemned for this video.
“You are one of the top 10 failed condoms.”
5. Ethier, Who is From Canada, is Reported to Earn Around $1 Million Annually From His YouTube Channel
Jason Ethier aka YouTuber ImJayStation
According to Social Blade, Ethier, who has 2.9 million subscribers, joined YouTube in November of 2016. His 399 videos, uploaded since he joined the video-sharing platform, have been viewed 463 million times.
Social Blade estimates that on any given day, he’s earning in the neighborhood of a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. It’s estimated that Ethier rakes in, at a minimum of $100,00 a year to a more realistic and closer to $1 million and possibly as much as $1.6 million annually on his monetized videos.