Mathew Alfred Best is an American internet personality, entrepreneur, and former U.S. Army Ranger. He enlisted in the Army shortly after graduating high school, completing five deployments with the 2nd Ranger Battalion. Following his military service, Best worked as a private contractor for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Best is widely recognized for his comedic YouTube channel, authorship of a military-themed memoir, and appearance in a veteran-led independent film. He is also a co-founder of the Black Rifle Coffee Company, a veteran-owned coffee brand based in the United States.
Born in El Paso, Texas, and raised in Santa Barbara, California, Mat Best grew up in a family with a strong military tradition. His father served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, and his two brothers served in the Marine Corps during the Iraq War.
At 17, just three months after completing high school, Best enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served five combat tours—four in Iraq and one in Afghanistan—with the prestigious 2nd Ranger Battalion, part of the 75th Ranger Regiment.
After leaving the military, Best went on to work as a private security contractor for the CIA. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from Ashford University.
Best gained popularity through his satirical YouTube channel, where he creates humorous content centered around military life, veterans’ issues, and gun culture. After returning from overseas contracting work, he collaborated with then-Air Force member Jarred Taylor to produce videos in El Paso, Texas.
The channel produced several music videos, with the most notable being "Bitch I Operate," which charted at number 36 on Billboard’s Top Comedy Albums. As of 2021, the channel had amassed approximately 1.46 million subscribers.
In 2012, Best co-founded Article 15 Clothing alongside Jarred Taylor and other veterans. The brand gained popularity for its humorous and military-inspired apparel intended for the veteran and firearms communities. The company expanded to include a whiskey line, rum, and a craft wheat beer, further broadening its appeal among military and civilian supporters alike.
In 2016, Best co-produced and starred in "Range 15," a crowdfunded comedy-action film created in collaboration with Ranger Up, another military apparel company. The movie featured a cast of U.S. military veterans, including three Medal of Honor recipients and Marcus Luttrell, the Navy SEAL whose memoir "Lone Survivor" was adapted into a major motion picture. "Range 15" won Best Film at the GI Film Festival.
Building on the success of "Freedom Roast" under the Article 15 brand, Best co-founded Black Rifle Coffee Company in 2014 with fellow veterans Evan Hafer, Jarred Taylor, and Richard Ryan. The coffee roasting company was established to provide premium coffee while promoting veteran employment and advocacy.
The company utilized viral and often provocative YouTube videos to build its brand. In a 2017 interview with CBS News, Best acknowledged the approach as "far over the top." The brand faced criticism following two major events that year: an endorsement from Donald Trump Jr., and a public pledge to hire 10,000 veterans following Starbucks’ announcement to hire 10,000 refugees in response to then-President Trump’s executive order on immigration.
Mat Best is married to Noelle Best, a social media personality known for her own following online. The couple has not publicly shared details about how they met. Known for his charismatic personality, Best often shares glimpses of his life with Noelle on social media.
The couple currently resides together and leads a relatively private and content lifestyle. Although they do not have children, they enjoy spending their time cooking and listening to music. No credible reports have surfaced to contradict the stability of their relationship.
