Who is KSI? Early Life, Career, Controversies and More

Meet KSI, the popular YouTuber, actor, musician, and professional boxer from England. His real name is Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, but he’s known by his initials. Let’s explore his early life, career, and net worth in 2023.

KSI Personal Life

Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, known as KSI, is a popular YouTuber, actor, musician, and professional boxer from England.

KSI or JJ was born in June 1993 to Jide and Yinka Olatunji. He has a younger brother named Deji, who is also a YouTuber. Both brothers have a peanut allergy. KSI’s parents and brother have appeared in several of his videos, especially in the early 2010s. Before KSI was born, his uncle and maternal grandfather passed away. KSI and his family have mentioned that he was a shy and introverted child.

KSI grew up in Watford and holds a yellow belt in karate. He attended Berkhamsted School, a private school in Hertfordshire. In Year 8, he became best friends with Simon Minter, and they have been close ever since. KSI has always been a supporter of Arsenal F.C. and in 2022, he signed a sponsorship deal with the team through his company called Prime. He also lost his virginity when he was 19 years old.

JJ had a well-known relationship with Seana Cuthbert from 2012 to 2014, and they appeared in several videos together. He got involved in YouTube drama and had clashes with PewDiePie in 2016, exchanging insults on Twitter. However, they later expressed respect for each other.

KSI Career Journey

JJ created his first YouTube channel, JideJunior, in April 2008 as a school project when he was 14 years old. He uploaded his initial video titled “LOOKING THROUGH SPACE” with his friend Patrick. He continued posting videos on the channel, mostly related to FIFA and rap, until March 2009 when he decided to stop and abandoned the JideJunior channel.

On July 24, 2009, JJ started his official YouTube channel under the name “KSI,” which was essentially a continuation of his JideJunior hobby. He mainly uploaded gaming videos, focusing on FIFA and Modern Warfare 2. He referred to his fanbase as the “KSI Army,” which was popular during his peak in popularity from 2009 to 2011 but has decreased since then.

In January 2011, JJ created his second YouTube channel called “KSIOlajideBT” to exclusively upload gaming videos. His main YouTube channels have evolved significantly since 2011 in terms of content. Around 2014, he collaborated with Rule’m Sports, participating in various challenges and activities with other YouTubers and celebrities.

JJ was also one of the founding members of the Sidemen, a YouTube group formed in October 2013. In February 2014, he moved into the first Sidemen House with Miniminter, Zerkaa, and Vikkstar123, allowing them to collaborate more and create real-life challenge videos. While he initially participated less in Grand Theft Auto V videos, focusing on his music career, his popularity increased alongside the Sidemen’s.

In the mid-2010s, JJ’s career soared, and he became one of the first YouTubers to transition into mainstream media. He made appearances on British television shows like The Gadget Show, Friday Download, and Backchat. He also conducted interviews with movie stars on his YouTube channel. In 2016, he hosted the series “Pass the Pad,” playing computer games with celebrities. He published a book titled KSI: I Am a Bellend in late-2015, providing insights into his life.

JJ received the “Diamond Play Button” in mid-2016, becoming the first British YouTuber to achieve this milestone.

KSI Controversies

KSI has been involved in several controversies throughout his career. These controversies have ranged from incidents at gaming expos to feuds with fellow YouTubers, hacking incidents, and even personal disputes within his own family. Here are some notable controversies that have marked KSI’s journey.

1. Eurogamer Incident: JJ was banned from the Eurogamer Expo in 2012 for allegedly harassing attendees in one of his “awkward in public” videos. He later apologized and wanted to move on without controversy.
2. GudjonDaniel Beef: KSI’s friendship with GudjonDaniel ended in 2013 when KSI realized he was being used for promotion. They made up after nearly five years of animosity.
3. 2015 Twitter Hack: KSI, W2S, and Miniminter were hacked, resulting in offensive remarks and leaked photos. KSI regained control and removed evidence of the hacking.
4. Evolving: In 2017, KSI took a break to evaluate himself and expressed his dissatisfaction with fame and the YouTube community. He lost views and returned to the public eye through collaborations.
5. Sidemen Diss Track Season: KSI left the Sidemen group and engaged in a series of diss tracks with other members, including Ethan, Harry, and RiceGum.
6. Beef with NetNobody: KSI and NetNobody exchanged diss tracks and personal information in their feud but eventually made up.
7. Feud with Quadeca and Dax: KSI called out Quadeca and Dax for their rapping skills, leading to diss tracks. KSI resolved the issue with Quadeca but still occasionally teases Dax.
8. Feud with MaximillianMus: KSI had a brief feud with MaximillianMus over a viral song but eventually made peace.
9. KSI vs Deji Drama: Family drama between KSI and Deji escalated with diss tracks and public conflicts, including the release of personal information.
10. Christmas Day 2018: Deji kicked KSI out of his house, which was made public on Twitter, leading to a public fallout between the two.
11. Deji’s Explanation: Deji released a video in which he accused KSI of abusive behavior and shared a story of KSI’s involvement with a girl he was seeing.

Conclusion

KSI’s journey has been quite remarkable. From a shy and introverted child, he became a global sensation through his YouTube channel. Along the way, he faced controversies and achieved significant success. With his net worth growing and his ventures expanding beyond YouTube, KSI’s future looks promising.