HE’S the media megastar who went from quitting college and making YouTube videos in his bedroom to being a multi-millionaire Britain’s Got Talent judge.
KSI – real name Olajide Olayinka Williams “JJ” Olatunji – is set to gain a whole new legion of fans after stepping in for Bruno Tonioli, 68, on the BGT panel while the dancer carries out his judging duties on Dancing With The Stars, the US equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing.
Inside KSI’s extraordinary rise to fame from being a college dropout and bedroom Youtuber to becoming a multi-millionaire Britain’s Got Talent judge[/caption]
KSI is so excited to be a guest judge on the much loved talent show during Bruno’s absence[/caption]
KSI with his younger brother JJ[/caption]
The jump into mainstream telly is an exciting one for the global star, and KSI said: “I’m so excited to be a guest judge for BGT. When I got the call up, I couldn’t believe it.
“I remember watching old BGT episodes and going from being amazed to laughing my arse off.
“I’m buzzing to see all the fresh new talent, and I’ll be sure to leave a mark.”
We take a look at his incredible rise to fame from humble beginnings:
EARLY LIFE
KSI was born in London and brought up in Watford[/caption]
As a baby with his mum[/caption]
KSI was born in London and brought up in Watford. His mum Olayinka worked as a PA and his dad Olajide managed a bingo hall.
He once told The Sun how his parents came to the UK from Nigeria as teenagers and “worked their asses off” to provide for him and younger brother Deji.
I remember being a kid and seeing how s**t it was. But that was life — it was just how it was.
KSI
KSI said: “My mum would always be working, my dad would always be working.
“I remember being a kid and seeing how s**t it was. But that was life — it was just how it was.”
JJ was privately educated at the £20,000-a-year Berkhamsted School, Herts, where he was just one of two black pupils.
He recalled facing “obvious racism” and remembers being so shy and introverted that he “couldn’t even speak to a girl”.
The star is still very close to his family[/caption]
The brothers have spoken about a difficult childhood[/caption]
At 15, he spent his time filming himself in his bedroom playing video games, including FIFA, and uploading them to YouTube under the name KSI — which stands for Knowledge, Strength, Integrity.
Explaining why he used the pseudonym, which he took from the name of a group of players in the video game Halo, JJ said: “I didn’t want to tell anyone.
“Back then, people would be like, ‘What are you doing? You’re such a weirdo. Why are you making videos online?’”
But he paid so much attention to his online career, he failed his exams. And when he got his results, hid in the loo to avoid his parents.
My mum was screaming. She was breaking glasses in the kitchen.
KSI
He said on the Headliners podcast: “We were in Portugal — I was in the toilet for about an hour and a half. I’d had a text from my teacher sending me the grades that I got for my AS levels.
“It was C, D, F and U, and I was terrified. I was like, ‘How am I going to show my parents this?’
“We were in so much debt because they were trying to get me into private school, and they were hoping I’d become a lawyer, doctor etcetera.
“So for me to come to them and be like ‘I failed,’ it was traumatic.
“I eventually told them my grades and my dad’s head was in his arms. He was just so disappointed.
“My mum was screaming. She was breaking glasses in the kitchen.”
His parents persuaded him to enrol on an International Baccalaureate course instead.
But JJ quit sixth form in his second year when he began making money from lucrative YouTube ads and sponsorships.
YOUTUBE FAME
KSI joined up with other YourTube artists to create Sidemen[/caption]
It wasn’t long before KSI realised he was out-earning his teacher and an exciting career was born.
He said: “I started making good money, to the point where I told my teacher I didn’t want to go to school.
“I told him I was making £1,500 a month, and it turned out it was more than him.
“As soon as I heard that, I realised YouTube was my calling. It was what I had to do.”
That year, he joined forces with YouTubers Zerkaa (Josh Bradley), TBJZL (Tobi Brown), Behzinga (Ethan Payne), Vikkstar123 (Vikram Barn), W2S (Harry Lewis) and JJ’s school friend Miniminter (Simon Minter).
I told him I was making £1,500 a month, and it turned out it was more than him.
KSI
As The Sidemen, their clips comprised sketches, challenges, video-game commentary, as well as charity football matches — and they soon began earning millions.
JJ’s parents eventually came round when he earned enough to buy them a house in 2014.
He also splashed out on a specialised £280,000 Lamborghini Aventador, which he called his “pride and joy”.
From 2016 to 2021, JJ and three of the Sidemen lived in a £4.5million London mansion which boasted six ensuite bedrooms, cinema, gym, large indoor swimming pool, sauna and 24-hour security.
With more than 150million subscribers across their channels, Sidemen are the UK’s biggest YouTube collective.
Last year, Netflix covered their rise to fame for a documentary — and they now also have a fast food chain called Sides, which produces £1million a week in revenue.
MUSIC CAREER
KSI with Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, Bruno Tonioli on the set of BGT[/caption]
Having written and produced comedy–rap songs for his YouTube channel in 2011, KSI released his debut single, “Lamborghini”, featuring British grime MC P Money, in 2015.
He released his first studio album Dissimulation in 2020 and his second studio album All Over The Place debuted at number one on the UK charts.
Throughout his career, he has scored five hits in the UK Top Five and fourteen top 40 singles.
The star performed at Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball alongside a line-up of artists including Katy Perry, Coldplay and Perrie.
KSI performed hits including Thick of It, Patience and Holiday.
IN THE RING
KSI expressed his respects for his opponent Joe Weller after the fight[/caption]
KSI at the Misfits Cruiserweight fight between KSI and Tommy Fury[/caption]
Hostilities between KSI and British YouTuber Joe Weller began towards the end of 2017.
Following public disagreements on Twitter and diss-tracks between the pair, they announced that they would host an amateur boxing match on 3 February 2018 at Copper Box Arena, London, to settle the feud.
During the announcement, the pair confronted each other, with KSI mocking Weller’s struggles with depression and his use of antidepressants for which he later apologised.
I’m the YouTuber, you are the boxer so you have to win?
KSI
The fight was won by KSI 1 minute and 37 seconds into the third round by way of technical knockout.
KSI expressed his respect for Weller after the fight for being “way harder, way tougher than I thought,” and praised him for his commitment to raising awareness for mental health.
He went on to fight Logan Paul in an amateur boxing match.
The fight ended as a majority draw, with two judges scoring the fight even at 57–57 and a third judge scoring 58–57 in favour of KSI.
A rematch between KSI and Logan was held on November 9, 2019 at the Staples Center, Los Angeles, and KSI defeated Paul via split decision.
After a four-year long rivalry, KSI came face to face with former Love Island star – and brother to heavyweight champion Tyson Fury – Tommy Fury.
The fight took place in Manchester on Saturday 14th October 2023, at the AO Arena and Tommy was the majority decision winner.
After the bout had concluded, KSI lashed out at Fury and insisted that the result was a “robbery.”
He said: “That is a robbery, bro. How many jabs did you land? Look at your face, look at your eyes. I’m the YouTuber, you are the boxer so you have to win?”
Many online and attendees sided with KSI, beveling that he did enough to win the fight, including English sports promoter Eddie Hearn, who was in attendance.
DOWN TO BUSINESS
Logan Paul and KSI revealed Prime-themed colourful outfits for a Misfits Boxing fight night[/caption]
KSI and the Sidemen have founded multiple businesses throughout their online careers.
In 2014 the group launched a clothing brand under the Sidemen Clothing banner, founded a restaurant chain known as Sides, and launched their own vodka brand known as XIX Vodka.
Last year they also launched a breakfast cereal brand known as Best Cereal in collaboration with Mornflake.
Alongside KSI’s own record label he launched a boxing promotional company called ‘Misfits Boxing.’
But what really took the world by surprise was the launch of drinks company Prime in January 2022, founded by KSI and his former rival Logan Paul.
At the time of Prime’s launch, KSI and Logan had over 39 million subscribers between them (on their main YouTube channels), with the marketing of the popular drink becoming a some-what phenomenon.
But that’s not all because last year, KSI, Paul, and MrBeast founded a kids lunch kit company known as Lunchly – a joint venture between Prime and Feastables.
Last year KSI also, announced that he would be the president of the UK version of Baller League, a six-a-side football league.
As well as all his business ventures, KSI took to writing and published an autobiography titled KSI: I Am a Bellend in 2015.
A year later, KSI and the Sidemen released a book titled Sidemen: The Book, published by Coronet Books, and embarked on a UK-wide promotional tour.
A number one best-seller in the UK, the book sold 26,436 copies within its first three days release.
MONEY MAN
KSI and the Sidemen have a collective audience of 69 Million people and a host of merchandise[/caption]
In November 2021, KSI made it onto heat’s Rich List, with the rapper reportedly worth an estimated £19.6 million.
In 2019, he was ranked second by The Sunday Times in its list of the top 100 UK influencers. An incredible achievement.
Last year, it was reported that KSI’s net worth is around the $27 million mark.
It seems to be that the talented star has really worked hard to ensure his meteoric rise rise to stardom.
KSI & Sidemen pictured at the opening of a brand new store in the Bullring Shopping Centre, Birmingham[/caption]
KSI is a guest judge on the much loved talent show BGT[/caption]
