AB Ayad

**Abdullah Ayad** (born March 19, 1992) referred to as "**AB**", known online as **Starkilla**, is an online personality who is the lead content creator, studio manager, associate producer, and head researcher of the *H3 Podcast*. He has appeared on the podcast since August 2020 as part of the main crew. He is married to Lena Ayad.

AB also livestreams on Twitch under the name ABstarkilla.

## Personal Life

Abdullah "AB" Ayad was born on March 19, 1992 in Detroit, Michigan. He is mixed-race, with his father being of Lebanese descent, and his mother being a White American. His father is an attorney whose family immigrated to the United States in 1975 to escape the Lebanese Civil War. His parents are now divorced, and have other partners. His mother is dating a Jewish man, which became the butt of many jokes from Ethan. Ayad was raised Muslim, and grew up in Dearborn, Michigan, which has a significant Arab population, being home to the largest Muslim population in the United States, as well as the largest mosque in North America.

AB met Lena Elreichouni in the summer of 2014, when the two worked together at a Mediterranean restaurant called The Lava Lounge in Dearborn, Michigan. They also took university classes together. The couple married on January 26, 2020.

AB originally went to college on a pre-med track, but was later convinced by his wife Lena, and grandmother, to follow his passion for videomaking. On October 15, 2018, Ayad started his Starkilla YouTube channel.

## History with H3

On December 7, 2018, AB posted an hour-long commentary video to YouTube defending Ethan Klein from many of the criticisms made against him at the time, specifically by Gokanaru. The video did not gain much traction until nearly two years later in May 2020, when it came to the attention of Ethan. The video resurfaced under new-found support and attention from the H3 audience, and AB's subscriber count grew to 800, inspiring him to start livestreaming. Ethan soon began watching AB's livestreams, subscribed to him on YouTube, and followed him on Twitter. After consistent communication, Ethan offered AB a job.

AB and Lena moved to Los Angeles in August 2020 to work for H3. AB is now lead content creator, studio manager, associate producer, and head researcher for the H3 Podcast. Lena is now executive assistant for H3 and Teddy Fresh. In an interview with Detroit Free Press, AB described his job as the following:

> "My job is to prepare the show (document) that we use each episode. I research topics and trending stories that we plan on talking about."
>
>

## Boxing Career

> See full article: Creator Clash
>
>

On May 14, 2022, AB participated in the first Creator Clash, a non-professional charity boxing event for online content creators, and fought against Hundar. AB trained out of the world-famous Wild Card Boxing gym in Los Angeles, California. AB was trained by Nigerian professional boxer Wale Omotoso, better known as "Luckyboy," who was interviewed on the podcast in April 2022 prior to the fight. The crew live-streamed a special episode watching the fight live. AB ended up losing his fight to Hundar.

On April 15, 2023, AB participated in the second Creator Clash, fighting against Dad. The crew live-streamed watching the fight live again. AB ended up losing the match, for the second year in-a-row. The match ended on a technicality after AB felt immense stomach pain.

## Trivia

* AB is a fan of video games, specifically Nintendo and The Legend of Zelda.
* The gym AB trained at for the Creator Clash, Wild Card Boxing in Los Angeles, was previously the gym that trained renowned Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao. AB even spent time with Pacquiao's son, Emmanuel Jr.

## Gallery

AB dressed as Link from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2023).Ethan with AB and his boxing coach LuckyboyAB and his wife, Lena
## References

1. ↑ ABstarkilla - Twitch. Retrieved on September 20, 2023.
2. ↑ Rahal, Nour (February 27, 2023). "Detroit content creator was set for medical career when 1 YouTube video changed everything". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved on September 20, 2023.
3. ↑ Population of Michigan Cities, Villages, Townships, and Remainders of Townships. www.michigan.gov.
4. ↑ Ayad, Abdullah [@Starkilla] (June 22, 2023). "The story of our “arranged” marriage". via YouTube. Retrieved on September 20, 2023.
5. ↑ Starkilla - About. YouTube. Retrieved on September 20, 2023.
6. ↑ Ayad, Abdullah [@Starkilla] (December 7, 2018). "Defending H3H3 (Video Vigilante Response)". via YouTube. Retrieved on September 20, 2023.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Corby, Donagh (February 8, 2023). "EXCLUSIVE: H3 Podcast's AB Ayad to make boxing comeback after vowing never to fight again". The Mirror UK. Retrieved on September 20, 2023.
8. ↑ H3 Podcast (April 27, 2022). "AB's Coach Luckyboy In Studio, Gross Food Challenge, Keemstar & Tim Pool - Off The Rails #33". via YouTube. Retrieved on September 20, 2023.