Tati Westbrook is finally ready to speak about Dramagedon 2.
After a year of silence (aside from the occasional cryptic message) Tati is speaking out on what actually led her to upload her infamous BYE SISTER… video against James Charles. The video kicked off one of the most dramatic “cancellations” in YouTube history, creating a domino effect that’s lasted over a full year— first James, then Tati, then Jeffree Star, and most recently, Shane Dawson.
Now, Tati is setting the record straight. The beauty guru took to YouTube this morning to explain exactly WTF happened during Dramagedon 2.
Tati starts by saying she will be reading from a statement approved by her legal team. She says she has tried to rebuild her reputation after the scandal, but that it’s followed her ever since.
“I’ve lost over a year of my life terrified of social media and terrified of speaking up against people that used, coerced and manipulated me into uploading my video in May of last year.”
She will not be releasing receipts
Tati explains that she will not be releasing receipts against anyone involved in Dramagedon 2. “The platform that I love— this platform that saved my life and that changed my life, has become toxic and what it needs now more than ever are peacemakers. We need to find our way back to the beginning through forgiveness and leading with love,” she says. “We need to rebuild a safe space to escape again.”
“Our world seems to be falling apart all around us so the last thing you need me to do, is fuel more hate by releasing my receipts and voice memos.”
James and Tati have forgiven each other
In December 2019, after Shane Dawson’s The Beautiful World of Jeffree Star series wrapped, James went over to Tati’s home.
“We compared DMs, texts, and stories about what had happened behind the scenes,” she explains. “We apologised to each other, forgave each other, and agreed to wait patiently until it was safe for me to share my story.”
Tati also says that since that night, James requested to be by her side when making this video. “But I felt it was important that I do it alone,” she says tearfully. “Because he deserves my first apology. And I am really sorry James. And I’ve said that privately but I want you to hear it publicly.”
Shane Dawson and Jeffree Star fed her “poisonous lies” about James Charles
Tati addresses her history with James, explaining how they met and how their relationship progressed as mentor/mentee. She says prior to last May, she began to grow frustrated with what she perceived as a “progressing sense of entitlement” and felt James was making some very problematic choices that could jeopardize his career and safety.
“None of my concerns became overwhelming until after I met Shane Dawson.”
Tati clarifies that in her original video, she expressed her feelings over a particular situation between her and James, alluding to when James publicly promoted SugarBearHair at Coachella— a direct competitor to Tati’s vitamin brand, Halo Beauty.
“I did not lie in that video,” she confirms. “I never called James Charles a predator. And I never said that James Charles was a danger to society.”
Though she does not mention his name, these labels were used by Jeffree Star in the wake of Tati’s video.
“I did not make my video out because of vitamins,” she continues. “I made it as the result of all of the poisonous lies that were fed to me by Shane Dawson and Jeffree Star.”
She says her guard was down as she was “heartbroken” that James took a sponsorship with her biggest competitor and this allowed her to be manipulated by Shane and Jeffree.
Tati befriended Jeffree in hopes to change him
Tati then dives into her history with Jeffree Star, explaining how they became friends and that she thought she could be a positive influence.
“As time went on, I learned that being friends with Jeffree Star was like being friends with a lion. Yes, he may have been dangerous, but he was always really kind to me.” She says despite some setbacks, she thought overall, Jeffree was growing as a person and hoped she could be a good example to him.
“I was a fool for thinking that I could ever help him become a better person.”
Tati apologises to Jackie Aina
Through tears, Tati apologises to fellow beauty guru Jackie Aina, saying the minute Jeffree “went off” on Jackie, Tati should have “run for the hills.”
Tati claims she was told (presumably by Jeffree) that Jackie was was angry with her for collaborating with Jeffree— who has a racist past. “Jackie, I’m sorry that I did not do the right thing and walk away from him then,” she says. “I should have not been blind to the reasons behind the accusations of his racism. I shouldn’t have defended him and I regret any of the pain I may have caused you.”
Jackie Aina and Jeffree Star have a tumultuous history.
Jackie has been vocal for years about her criticism of Jeffree Star for his racist behaviour. In 2018 she penned an open letter to the beauty mogul which she posted to Twitter, writing, “I have not and will not excuse his blatantly racist behavior and — not his past references to me in derogatory terms, his use of the N words nor his efforts to eliminate spaces and opportunities for people of color.”
Shortly after, the two exchanged words on Twitter when Jeffree’s former hairstylist released claims that Jeffree had referred to Jackie as a “gorilla.”
In March 2020, Jackie publicly announced she and Tati Westbrook had reconciled.
Jeffree allegedly has blackmail on brand owners and YouTubers
Tati says one of the biggest things that worried her about Jeffree Star from the beginning was how much “dirt” he claimed to have on brand owners and fellow YouTubers.
“I believe that he actually held blackmail material on many people and was capable of destroying the entire community,” she says. “I stayed and I tried my best to be a positive influence.”
Off the record, Tati says her opinion is that after this video, Jeffree will “go off” and that she doesn’t think Jeffree will “hold back.” “We need to forgive the people that he is holding hostage,” she says tearfully.
“We need to be prepared to forgive them. Otherwise, this won’t stop.”
Shane Dawson’s docuseries was allegedly meant to expose James Charles
Tati reveals how she came to know Shane Dawson, claiming that Jeffree facilitated their friendship.
The first time Tati met Shane IRL, Tati says she ended up telling Shane personal things about herself that she only shares with her closest friends, including that she has been a victim of sexual assault. Tati alludes to Shane playing on her emotions during that conversation.
She says Shane told her that Jeffree wanted Tati to have a small role in their next docuseries. “But the entire series was quickly changing because there was something horrible happening in our community with James Chares,” she recites. “He said that James Charles was a monster…with many victims.”
Tati explains that she believed Shane Dawson’s accusations against James because of his reputation as the “king of YouTube documentaries” and the “king of truth on YouTube.”
Shane and Jeffree gaslit Tati into believing James was an alleged predator
“Shane said that James Charles was a monster and that James Charles was hurting minors,” Tati claims. “Shane said he was planning to interview victims for the docuseries.”
Tati alleges that Shane’s motivation was to “stop [James] from hurting more people.”
Tati says that’s when Shane and Jeffree began feeding Tati information about James’ alleged behaviour and it made her feel sick.
“Eventually, I started believing what they were saying because they said they had evidence,” she reveals. “By the time the drama around James Charles’ promotion of SugarBearHair reached its peak, I was beyond gaslit.”
“Shane Dawson didn’t just know about my ‘BYE SISTER…’ video, he offered to help edit it. He even offered to design the thumbnail and help title it.”
Tati says the night before posting her BYE SISTER… video, she texted Shane out of concern for James and what this would do to his mental health. Shane allegedly told Tati that James is a narcissist and he would never hurt himself.
No victims of James Charles ever came forward
Tati says Jeffree and Shane led her to believe that after posting her video, alleged victims of James Charles would come forward. “No victims appeared as they had stated would happen, and no evidence came forward as they stated would happen.”
Tati says the last time she spoke with either Shane or Jeffree was last May. She says after realising she was gaslit, she asked Shane not to include any of the drama in his docuseries.
Tati will eventually release her reciepts
Tati explains that by autumn 2019, she no longer felt safe staying at her L.A. home. She relocated and began fertility treatments. However, as more and more people close to Jeffree and Shane started sharing pieces of what had happened with Dramagedon 2, she had to relocate again two months ago out of fear.
“On the advice of my attorneys, I cannot share with all of you right now the evidence that we have accumulated of the events that have occurred,” she states. “However, there will soon come a day, where we will be able to present this evidence and you will be able to see why it is we believe that Jeffree and Shane are responsible for so much of the damage that has been caused.”
Tati elaborates, saying her opinion is that Jeffree and Shane were both “bitterly jealous” of James Charles’ success and that they needed James “out of the way” for the launch of their Conspiracy Palette and Shane’s new merch.
Tati implicates Morphe
Tati reveals that she has been made aware that Jeffree Star is allegedly a co-owner of Morphe— a theory that’s been floating around the internet for years.
Tati also says she was made aware that prior to ‘BYE SISTER…,’ James was in discussions to create an entire makeup line with the founders of Morphe.
“A year later, it is now my opinion that James Charles was not their only intended target. I believe that there are many different people with unclean hands in all of this,” she says. “And there was a coordinated plan to keep me quiet and push me out of the way for other business reasons.”
“I do not think it is a coincidence that Morphe is about to launch their own brand of hair, skin, nail gummy vitamins,” she reveals. “I do not think it was just Shane and Jeffree who stood to benefit from my being silenced.”
Tati will be taking legal action
Tati finishes this monster video by saying she will be taking legal action and her attorneys will be deposing all those involved.
She tearfully apologies to her fans for all the hurt she has caused and notes that the Adsense from this video will be donated to Spirit Awakening Foundation.
Tati and James are vindicated. And we’re so ready for the next chapter of the beauty community.