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KSI: From Gaming Nerd to YouTube Star to Working with Rick Ross

KSI: From Gaming Nerd to YouTube Star to Working with Rick Ross

9:14·By Gemma G
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About this video

In the Internet Age, anything is possible--and we don't just mean being able to chat with artists remotely during the Quarantine! We also mean the endless possibilities for creative individuals to express and make names for themselves, and nobody embodies this phenomenon more than Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, better known to his millions of fans as KSI! Young Hollywood chats with the rapper via Zoom to get the scoop on his debut album 'Dissimulation', which includes his poppin' single "Poppin" feat. Lil Pump & SmokePurpp, and reflecting on his incredible journey to stardom that started over a decade ago when he was just a humble gaming nerd on YouTube! He also explains how his infamous boxing match against fellow YouTuber Logan Paul--and subsequent victory--helped both his YouTube and music career, and lead to amazing opportunities like working with the legendary Rick Ross! Plus, he reveals who he hopes is listening to his music, who he would like to box next, and we drop some mind-blowing stats on him!

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KSI

Yo, yo, yo. Hello. What's up? How's it going?

Young Hollywood

Good, good. Good. How are you?

KSI

Yeah, chill. Very chill. Um, first few uh, weeks, it was a bit hard, obviously because a lot of times I was just outside. I was traveling a lot and uh, I was hardly in my house. And um, now, you know, I'm forced in my house and I can't do anything and it's quite, it's quite annoying.

Young Hollywood

And what's your what's kind of like, what time do you wake up? What time do you go to bed? What's your like new routine?

KSI

I have no idea. Sometimes it's 9:00 a. m. Sometimes it's uh, 11:00 a. m. Sometimes it's 7:00 a. m. It's so random. Like, I don't know, I just I just there isn't really any structure to my life right now.

Young Hollywood

So, what day is it?

KSI

I know it's um, Tuesday. Yep. No, it's Wednesday. Wednesday. Oh, shit. I was like, I didn't even know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Wait, you sure? No, it's Yeah, it is. You see, it don't it don't matter.

Young Hollywood

Okay, so I want to talk about first poppin', your single with Lil Pump and Smoke Purp.

KSI

Yeah.

Young Hollywood

So, when you're hanging out around your house, working out and everything like that, do you listen to the song?

KSI

Of course, of course. I mean, I'm I listen to my whole album like almost every day. Like, it's I'm just excited, man. I'm excited for people to hear my music. And I know who do do well, especially in the UK. It's just got a nice dancing vibe to it. Even even you're getting into it right now. Oh, yo, I just know it's one of them songs where I know like people are going to hop on it, especially because of TikTok.

Young Hollywood

Oh, for sure. Is there a lyric in there that you think will people be able to do a dance to or?

KSI

Um, I everything I've everything there's I think there's going to be certain there's certain a few lyrics that people are going to be like, "Oh yeah, this will be TikTok worthy."

Young Hollywood

Oh, how does it go?

KSI

Um, Bring the thing to the place when you need the big thing, you're the one that's on it. You can't even get me a mate on the real. I just want to get a feel of it. What do you want to play hard to get. I want to play to get bigger and better, huh? I'm playing. That's the one. I'm going to listen to the song right now. That's a live performance. Uh, but she on fleet, check. Booty, check. Breath, check. Money, check. Later in the night, she a freak. Check. Hey, man, winning everything that I'm throwing. Like, and I just know there's going to be a few thoughts. I'm already picturing what I'm going to do. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's just like they could be like doing the breath and all of that. And then the booty. And then the booty. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know that. The booty's going to go hard. That one and the money. Yeah. And obviously, like when I was writing, I was like, all right, let me invest, you know, let me try and hop on this TikTok thing. Because, you know, it's It's a huge thing for artists. I mean, look at what Drake's done. Like, he he, you know, Toosie Slide is literally for TikTok. It's it's genius to think to do like something where you have to do the moves. Exactly. So, it's uh, it's smart and uh, yeah, that's why I, you know, I didn't want to be as obvious as that, but I wanted it to, you know, I want to definitely let people have something to play with when it comes to TikTok.

Young Hollywood

And you've literally amassed 250 million streams globally with your music. Out of all of them, who

KSI

Wait, how do you even know that?

Young Hollywood

I know people. I I know things.

KSI

Is that, wait, is that in total?

Young Hollywood

Yeah, I mean, that's what we that's what we got from your your people.

KSI

Oh, snap. You didn't know that? No, they don't no one tells me stuff.

Young Hollywood

Well, I am now telling you. This is exclusive. This is the tea.

KSI

Oh, man. I want to try and get a billion, man, by the end of this year. That'll be sick.

Young Hollywood

I I'll be sure to let you know when you do.

KSI

All right, sweet. Thank you.

Young Hollywood

So, so out of the 250 million people, who's one person that you hope is listening to all your songs?

KSI

Oh, that's a good question. Um, I mean, it'd be cool if um, I guess Tyler the Creator. I mean, that'd be pretty cool. Uh, I mean, everyone would obviously want Drake, you know, if Drake's listening, that'll be dope. Um, Skepta. Uh, I actually I know Skepta definitely listens to some of my tracks. Yeah.

Young Hollywood

One more question related to, you know, the whole rap scene and your music. Do you think that winning the fight against Logan helped to elevate your rapping career?

KSI

Oh, tremendously. Oh, if I lost, I I don't think I'd be able to do the music that I wanted.

Young Hollywood

Do you think some rappers might not have hopped on a track with you if you hadn't?

KSI

Oh, of course. Like Rick Ross and Lil Baby were already set to do the music video. Yeah. So, if I lost, man, I I don't know. I I personally I felt like they would have just

Young Hollywood

You think they would have backed out? You filmed the video two days later.

KSI

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think they would have just gone like, "Oh, it's nah. I just we'll give it a miss." Or they'll just say, "Oh, we couldn't make it," etcetera. Like, it's one of those things where like, people want to be around people who are great and, you know, people want to be around winners. You know, and that's one of those things where I realized that, and I knew that. And that's why for me, I I knew I was never going to lose that fight. And I knew how much was on the line. Like, the music career, my YouTube career, my, you know, everything was on the line, so I had to make sure I had to win it. I had to win it, and I did. So.

Young Hollywood

Did they did anybody text you like them knowing you were doing the video two days later text you afterwards?

KSI

Yeah, yeah, Rick Ross has congratulated me. Yeah, that

Young Hollywood

How does that feel? All these people congratulating you.

KSI

It's insane. He's just Yeah, he's he's literally a boss, man. Like, even when he talks, it's so like, it's just so calm and charismatic. Yeah, he was yeah, I have so much respect for him. So. Where I started from, I started from a gaming nerd, uh, introverted, and to be able to, you know, be in front of millions and fight and win fights. You know, it's And, you know, be doing songs with Rick Ross, Lil Baby, uh, Trippie Redd, you know, um, pop uh, Lil Pump, um, you know, like, it's it's crazy. It's just like, to get to that point is just I don't know. It's it's crazy. And again, it's just self-belief. You've just got to believe that you can do it. And then you just got to, you know, work hard and Yeah, the sky is the limit, man. Not not even not not even the sky. Anything's the limit, man. You can literally just keep going. But uh, yeah, I've I've definitely come a long way for sure.

Young Hollywood

What would you sitting right now in your room tell your nerdy self way back then?

KSI

Uh, I don't think I'd tell him anything. I think I I would I think I'd scare the hell out of him if I told him everything that I've accomplished. I think I there's no way there's no way he'd believe it. He'd just be like, "You're lying. This is you're this is a joke. What's going on? Why are you telling me all of this?" Like, "This How am I going to be a boxer? What? I don't know how to box. How are you going to tell me I'm going to win a fight in front of millions at the Staples Center? What? In America? Manchester Arena? What? What are you This no, it doesn't make sense. What? You're going to do a song with Rick Ross, Lil Baby, Trippie Redd? What? No. No. Like, I I just be like, what's it's all of it too mad. You're going to have an album, first album? Like, nah. Like, you know, the amount of subscribers I have, like 20 plus million subscribers on one channel, almost 10 million subscribers on another channel. Like, you know, I have a successful YouTube group. Like, all of this I if I told my guy at 14, 15, you know, when he's just starting out YouTube, like, this is all going to happen to you. Uh, it it'd fry his mind, man. It just he wouldn't he couldn't comprehend it. He wouldn't be able to comprehend it. So. It's one of those things where I I don't I I hardly ever step back and go, "Damn, this is what I've done," because, you know, it's scary. It's a scary. It is scary. Scary just again, just to know how far you can go with just self-belief.

Young Hollywood

So, last time you rewatched the fight?

KSI

Oh. Hmm. That's a good question. Uh, I guess January.

Young Hollywood

January?

KSI

Yeah, I'd say January. It's been a while since I've watched it.

Young Hollywood

Did you rewatch the whole thing?

KSI

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Just to see what I could improve on and do better on. Uh, yeah, I'm always trying to improve myself. And uh, yeah, I definitely got a bit wild, but I just wanted to knock him out, man. I just Ah, he didn't want to fight me. He was so annoying. He just kept running like a Anyway, yeah.

Young Hollywood

And before we sign off, just a little bit of tea, who is one person that you would fight next?

KSI

Oh, Jake Paul.

Young Hollywood

Oh, so you're you're fully Jake Paul.

KSI

Yeah, yeah, yeah, 100%.

Timestamps are approximate — click one to jump the player.

PEOPLE MENTIONED

  • Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji

    Known as KSI, the artist interviewed

  • KSI

    The artist interviewed

  • Lil Pump

    Featured on KSI's single 'Poppin''

  • SmokePurpp

    Featured on KSI's single 'Poppin''

  • Drake

    Referenced for his 'Toosie Slide' TikTok success

  • Tyler the Creator

    Artist KSI hopes listens to his music

  • Skepta

    Artist KSI knows listens to his music

  • Logan Paul

    Opponent in KSI's boxing match

  • Rick Ross

    Collaborated with KSI on music

  • Lil Baby

    Collaborated with KSI on music

  • Trippie Redd

    Collaborated with KSI on music

  • Jake Paul

    KSI's desired next boxing opponent

FAQ

What is the title of KSI's debut album?+
KSI's debut album is titled 'Dissimulation'.
Which artists are featured on KSI's single 'Poppin''?+
KSI's single 'Poppin'' features Lil Pump and SmokePurpp.
How did KSI's boxing match against Logan Paul impact his career?+
KSI believes his victory against Logan Paul tremendously helped elevate both his music and YouTube careers, leading to opportunities like working with Rick Ross.
Who does KSI hope listens to his music?+
KSI hopes artists like Tyler the Creator and Drake listen to his music, and he knows Skepta already listens to some of his tracks.
Who does KSI want to fight next in a boxing match?+
KSI stated that he wants to fight Jake Paul next.

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