kSI Biography 2024: Age, Net Worth, Family, Relationship, Height, Education, Personal Life, Music, Boxing and Influencer Career, Awards and Nomination
Olajide Olayinka Williams “JJ” Olatunji, born on the 19th of June, 1993, is a renowned English personality in the realm of social media.
Professionally known as KSI, he has made a significant impact as an influencer, boxer, and musician.
KSI holds the position of CEO at Misfits Boxing and is also a co-owner of Prime Hydration, XIX Vodka, Sidemen Clothing, the restaurant chain Sides, and the cereal brand Best Breakfasts.
He established his primary YouTube channel back in 2009 and has since garnered a substantial following by sharing gaming commentary videos of the FIFA video game series.
Over time, his content expanded to include vlogs and comedy-style videos.
| Born | Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji 19 June 1993 London, England | ||||||||||||
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| Occupations |
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| YouTube information | |||||||||||||
| Channel | |||||||||||||
| Years active | 2009–present | ||||||||||||
| Genres |
41.53 million (combined) | ||||||||||||
| Subscribers | 24.1 million (February 2024) | ||||||||||||
| Total views | 5.95 billion (main channel) 10.55 billion (combined) | ||||||||||||
| Associated acts | Sidemen | ||||||||||||
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| Last updated: 23 January 2023 | |||||||||||||
| Musical career | |||||||||||||
| Genres |
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| Years active | 2015–present | ||||||||||||
| Labels |
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| Boxing career | |||||||||||||
| Other names | The Nightmare | ||||||||||||
| Statistics | |||||||||||||
| Weight(s) | Cruiserweight | ||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||||||||||||
| Reach | 76 in (193 cm) | ||||||||||||
| Stance | Orthodox | ||||||||||||
| Boxing record | |||||||||||||
| Total fights | 5 | ||||||||||||
| Wins | 4 | ||||||||||||
| Wins by KO | 3 | ||||||||||||
| Losses | 1 | ||||||||||||
| No contests | 1 | ||||||||||||
As of October 2022, he boasts more than 41 million subscribers and over 10 billion video views collectively across his three YouTube channels.
In 2016, he made an appearance in the British comedy film Laid in America.
Additionally, he was the focus of the documentary film KSI: Can’t Lose in 2018, which chronicled the lead-up to his inaugural boxing match.
Furthermore, the Amazon Prime Video documentary film KSI: In Real Life, released in 2023, offers an insight into his life from June 2021 to October 2022.
His first studio album, Dissimulation, hit the shelves in 2020 and debuted at number 2 on the UK Albums Chart.
Following this success, his second studio album, All Over the Place, was released in 2021 and debuted at number 1.
Notably, he has secured fourteen top 40 singles on the UK Singles Chart, with seven landing in the Top 10 and five in the Top 5.
In February 2018, he participated in a white-collar boxing match against Joe Weller.
Subsequently, he engaged in two boxing matches against American YouTuber Logan Paul, with the second being a professional bout that he won via split decision in November 2019.
In August 2022, he faced off against two opponents in a single night, emerging victorious against rapper Swarmz and professional boxer Luis Alcaraz Pineda.
Throughout 2023, he fought FaZe Temperrr in January, Joe Fournier in May, and Tommy Fury in October, the latter of which he lost via unanimous decision.
Early Life
Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji was born in London on 19 June 1993 and grew up in Watford, Hertfordshire.
His father, Olajide Olatunji, hails from Ibadan, Nigeria, while his mother, Olayinka Olatunji (née Atinuke), is originally from Islington, London.
They all belong to the Yoruba ethnic group.
Olajide was educated at Berkhamsted School in Berkhamsted, where he crossed paths with his future collaborator and Sidemen member, Simon Minter.
KSI’s younger brother, Deji Olatunji, is also a YouTuber and professional boxer.
In 2015, both brothers were recognized as the top two “UK’s Most Influential YouTube Creators” by Tubular Labs.
YouTube Career
KSI created his initial YouTube account in 2008 under the username “JideJunior” during his early teenage years.
He then established his current YouTube channel on 24 July 2009 as KSI Olajide BT, where he shared gaming-commentary videos of the FIFA video game series from his bedroom at his parents’ home in Watford.
The acronym “KSI” represents Knowledge Strength Integrity.
Upon earning a consistent monthly income from his uploads, he made the decision to leave sixth form college and focus on his YouTube career.
In a 2014 interview, he mentioned seeking advice from his teacher about dropping out.
When asked about his YouTube earnings, KSI revealed that he was making approximately £1,500 per month, surpassing his teacher’s income.
Initially disapproving, his parents eventually became supportive and even appeared in some of his videos.
Over time, KSI diversified his content with vlogs and various gaming videos, leading to his channel reaching one million subscribers in 2012.
However, his journey to fame was marred by controversy, particularly surrounding his ‘rape-face’ joke and allegations of sexual harassment at a gaming event in 2012.
Despite the backlash, KSI issued an apology for any offense caused and expressed his desire to move forward and focus on creating valuable content for his audience and partners.
KSI joined Polaris, a sub-network of Maker Studios, in October 2013.
Since then, he has been a member of the Sidemen, a popular British YouTube group.
The Sidemen create various online videos, including challenges, sketches, and video-game commentary.
They also sell exclusive Sidemen merchandise.
In 2015, KSI released his biography titled “KSI: I Am a Bellend.” The book was well-received and KSI went on a tour to promote it.
However, in August 2017, KSI announced his departure from the Sidemen due to conflicts with fellow member Ethan Payne.
This led to a series of diss track videos from both sides.
KSI also faced visa issues in the United States and claimed to be facing deportation.
He later revealed that the drama surrounding his departure from the Sidemen was a mix of reality and fiction.
In terms of influence, KSI was ranked second by The Sunday Times in 2019 and was named Britain’s biggest influencer by The Times in 2020.
In 2023, Forbes ranked him as the second top creator, estimating his earnings to be around $24 million.
Boxing Career
The tensions between KSI and British YouTuber Joe Weller emerged in late 2017.
After engaging in public disputes on Twitter and releasing diss-tracks against each other, they decided to settle their differences through an amateur boxing match.
This match took place on 3 February 2018 at Copper Box Arena in London.
During the announcement of the fight, KSI taunted Weller about his struggles with depression and his use of antidepressants.
However, KSI later apologized for his remarks.
In the fight, KSI emerged victorious, achieving a technical knockout just 1 minute and 37 seconds into the third round.
Following the match, KSI expressed his admiration for Weller, acknowledging that he was much tougher than he had anticipated.
He also commended Weller for his efforts in raising awareness for mental health. KSI then called out American YouTubers Logan Paul and Jake Paul, as well as retired footballer Rio Ferdinand.
On February 24, 2018, it was officially announced that KSI would be participating in a white-collar boxing amateur match against Logan Paul.
The fight resulted in a majority draw, with two judges scoring the fight as a tie at 57-57, and another judge scoring it 58-57 in favor of KSI.
A rematch between KSI and Paul took place on November 9, 2019, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
This time, the fight was promoted by Eddie Hearn and was classified as a professional fight without the use of headgear.
KSI received training from professional boxers Viddal Riley and Jeff Mayweather, who is the uncle of Floyd Mayweather Jr.
KSI emerged victorious in the rematch, winning via split decision.
Two judges scored the bout 56-55 and 57-54 in favor of KSI, while the third judge scored it 56-55 in favor of Paul.
After a period of hiatus, KSI announced his next fight against Alex Wassabi, scheduled to take place on August 27, 2022, as the main event of MF & DAZN: X Series 001.
However, due to a major concussion, Wassabi was replaced by Swarmz, as announced on August 6.
This event marked the debut of KSI’s promotion company, Misfits Boxing.
On August 16, it was revealed that KSI would be facing a second opponent, making the event “2 Fights 1 Night.”
Initially, the Bulgarian boxer Ivan Nikolov was scheduled to be KSI’s second opponent, but he was pulled from the fight due to his association with white supremacist and Neo-Nazi tattoos.
On August 20, it was announced that the Mexican professional boxer Luis Alcaraz Pineda would be KSI’s new second opponent.
KSI emerged victorious in both fights, defeating Swarmz in the second round via knockout and retaining his MFB cruiserweight title by defeating Alcaraz Pineda in the third round via knockout.
After the conclusion of the match, KSI expressed his frustration towards Fury, claiming that the outcome was a “robbery.”
This sentiment was echoed by many online and those in attendance, who believed that KSI had done enough to win the fight.
Even English sports promoter Eddie Hearn, who was present at the event, sided with KSI. However, on 15 October, the results were revised to a unanimous decision victory for Fury.
This change came about due to judge Rafael Ramos, who had initially scored the bout 57-57 on the scorecard, which was later determined to be a mathematical error.
In response to this outcome, KSI decided to appeal to the Professional Boxing Association (PBA) on 19 October.
However, on 1 December, the PBA took to Twitter to announce that they had rejected the appeal, stating that there were no valid grounds to overturn the result.
Despite this setback, KSI’s manager, Mams Taylor, confirmed that the appeal process is still ongoing and they are now entering the second stage out of the three possible stages.
Misfits Boxing
On June 22, 2021, KSI made an announcement regarding his partnership with Wasserman Boxing to establish a boxing promotional company named ‘Misfits Boxing’.
This collaboration aimed to bring exciting boxing events to the audience.
The inaugural event was scheduled for August 27, 2022, where KSI himself would make his boxing comeback as the main attraction.
Additionally, a series of boxing events titled “MF & DAZN: X Series” was revealed in association with DAZN, who had previously distributed KSI’s rematch against Logan Paul.
The KSI vs Swarmz and Luis Alcaraz Pineda event was designated as MF & DAZN: X Series 001, with more events to follow.
On January 10, 2023, it was announced that Misfits Boxing and DAZN had entered into a 5-year agreement to continue distributing events, including two pay-per-view events each year.
This partnership aimed to provide fans with ongoing thrilling boxing experiences.
Other Ventures
In 2016, KSI and Caspar Lee starred in the British direct-to-video comedy film Laid in America.
The film, written and directed by Sam Milman and Peter Vass, was produced by The Fun Group LLC and Max Gottlieb. It was released direct-to-video by Universal Pictures on 26 September 2016.
Jason Best of Movie Talk gave the film a rating of 1 out of 5, describing it as “Crass and witless.”
In 2018, KSI released a documentary film titled KSI: Can’t Lose.
The film delves into the behind-the-scenes journey that led KSI to become the YouTube champion of the world following his boxing debut against fellow YouTube star Joe Weller.
It also explores how KSI plans to apply his newfound knowledge in his fight against Logan Paul.
The film was produced by Callux’s film studio After Party Studios and distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
KSI made a brief appearance in the Amazon Original sports docuseries All or Nothing: Arsenal, which provided an inside look at the club by following the coaching staff and players both on and off the field during the 2021–22 season.
In 2023, KSI released a documentary titled KSI: In Real Life, produced by Amazon Prime Video and Louis Theroux.
The documentary focuses on KSI’s life and career, offering viewers a different perspective on JJ, his journey to success, the world of online content creation, and his foray into the music industry. Theroux described it as “an opportunity to see another side of JJ.”
In 2016, KSI collaborated with Endemol Shine Group to release KSI Unleashed, a video game available on iOS and Android platforms.
KSI criticized PewDiePie for charging users to download his mobile app game, contrasting it with his own free game.
KSI Unleashed was later removed from the Google Play Store and App Store for reasons undisclosed.
In 2018, KSI participated in the promotional campaign for EA Sports UFC 3, where he trained with former UFC middleweight world champion Michael Bisping.
In January 2022, KSI and Logan Paul established a beverage company called Prime, offering a variety of sports drinks, drink mixes, and energy drinks under the brand Prime Hydration, LLC.
WWE
On April 1, 2023, KSI made a special appearance at WWE’s prestigious event, WrestleMania 39.
This occurred during the intense match between Logan Paul and Seth “Freakin” Rollins.
KSI accompanied Paul as he made his entrance, donning a striking Prime bottle costume.
During the match, KSI interfered, but his involvement was cut short when Paul executed a frog splash on him after Rollins swiftly swapped places with KSI.
This unexpected turn of events left the audience in awe.
Fast forward to March 8, 2024, KSI once again graced the SmackDown stage alongside Paul.
Their presence was intended to celebrate the partnership between Prime and WWE.
However, their joyous moment was abruptly interrupted by the formidable Randy Orton, who delivered a devastating RKO to KSI.
This unexpected attack left KSI reeling and added an element of surprise to the evening’s proceedings.
Personal Life
KSI, a known supporter of Arsenal F.C., disclosed his agnostic beliefs in his “Googling Myself” video.
However, in a Sidemen video, KSI faced backlash in March 2021 for misgendering a transgender individual and using a transphobic slur.
He later expressed remorse and clarified that he was unaware of the offensive nature of the word.
Another incident occurred in April 2023 when KSI used a racial slur, specifically the term “Paki,” in a Sidemen video that parodied the British game show Countdown.
He promptly apologized on Twitter and announced his decision to take a break from social media. The video in question has been removed.
In an effort to educate himself and make amends, KSI visited the Al-Hikam Institute, a mosque in Bradford, where he once again apologized for the pain and disappointment he had caused.
According to a report from Forbes, KSI was contracted to earn a minimum of $900,000 from his second fight against Logan Paul in 2019.
Back in 2015, Forbes estimated KSI’s earnings to be over $4.5 million, making him the fifth-highest-paid YouTuber in the world at that time.
In 2018, Esquire magazine reported that KSI could earn up to £250,000 in advertising revenue from a single video, and his social media endorsements were priced at around £75,000.
Additionally, Heavy reported that KSI was the director of three UK companies with a total equity of £1.7 million ($2.2 million).
According to Business Insider, KSI’s amateur boxing match against Logan Paul in 2018 generated approximately £8.5 million ($11 million) from pay-per-view revenue alone, and an additional £2.7 million ($3.5 million) from ticket sales.
While some estimates suggested potential earnings of £30 million to £40 million each, KSI dismissed these claims, stating that his actual earnings were high but nowhere near those figures.
In an interview with Men’s Health, KSI revealed that he owns over ten properties across England, with a combined worth of over £10 million.
The Sunday Times estimated KSI’s earnings to be £12 million per year in 2020, and a year later, they believed his estimated earnings had increased by another £13 million.
Although KSI has been open about his investments in cryptocurrency, he reportedly suffered losses of nearly £6 million and has since claimed to be finished with crypto.
Philanthropy
In 2015, KSI contributed $10,000 to an online charity stream organized by YouTuber Castro1021.
He also took part in the Race Against Slime event to raise funds for SpecialEffect, a foundation dedicated to developing technology to assist individuals with physical disabilities in playing video games.
Between 2016 and 2022, KSI and the other members of the Sidemen group organized and joined four charity football events, collecting nearly £400,000 for various charitable organizations such as the Saint’s Foundation, Childline, Young Minds, and the Charlton Athletic Community Trust.
On 8 May 2020, KSI volunteered at a food bank in support of The Independent’s Help the Hungry campaign.
Additionally, on 18 December 2020, KSI helped prepare meals to aid the Evening Standard’s Food for London Now campaign.
He also generously donated £10,000 to BBC Radio 1’s “Lol-a-thon” fundraiser for Comic Relief on 11 March 2021.
Furthermore, on 30 March 2021, KSI was part of an open letter, led by Lenny Henry, encouraging Black British individuals to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
On 15 December 2023, KSI will engage in a charity sparring match against American streamer IShowSpeed, following a year-long banter rivalry.
All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Anthony Walker Foundation.
Pay-per-view bouts
| No. | Date | Fight | Billing | Network | Buys | Revenue | Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 August 2018 | KSI vs Paul | — | YouTube | 1,300,000 | £13,000,000 | [166][167] |
| 2 | 27 August 2022 | KSI vs Swarmz KSI vs Alcaraz Pineda | 2 Fights 1 Night | DAZN | 445,000 | £4,450,000 | [168] |
| 3 | 14 January 2023 | KSI vs Temperrr | — | DAZN | 300,000 | £3,000,000 | [169] |
| 4 | 13 May 2023 | KSI vs Fournier | — | DAZN | 300,000 | £6,000,000 | [170] |
| 5 | 14 October 2023 | KSI vs Fury | Judgement Day | DAZN | 1,300,000 | £26,000,000 | [171] |
| Total | 3,645,000 | £52,450,000 | |||||
| No. | Date | Fight | Billing | Network | Buys | Revenue | Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 November 2019 | KSI vs. Paul II | — | DAZN (US) | 1,784,000 | — | [172] |
| Sky Box Office (UK) | 216,000 | £2,160,000 | [173] | ||||
| Total | 2,000,000 | £2,160,000 | |||||
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Shorty Awards | Best in Gaming | Himself | Nominated | |
| 2016 | NME Awards | Vlogger of the Year | Himself | Won | |
| 2017 | Shorty Awards | YouTuber of the Year | Himself | Nominated | |
| British Book Awards | Non-Fiction: Lifestyle Book of the Year | Sidemen: The Book (shared with the Sidemen) | Nominated | ||
| BBC Radio 1’s Teen Choice Awards | Best British Vlogger | Himself | Nominated | ||
| 2018 | Global Awards | Social Media Superstar | Himself | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Shorty Awards | Best YouTube Ensemble | Himself (shared with the Sidemen) | Nominated | |
| The Ring Year-End Awards | Event of the Year | KSI vs. Logan Paul II (shared with Logan Paul) | Nominated | ||
| 2020 | MTV Awards | Hottest Summer Superstar | Himself | Nominated | |
| MOBO Awards | Best Media Personality | Himself | Nominated | ||
| Amazon Music UK | Best Song | “Lighter” (shared with Nathan Dawe) | Won | ||
| 2021 | The BRIT Awards | Song of the Year | “Lighter” (shared with Nathan Dawe) | Nominated | |
| Music Week Awards | PR Campaign | Himself (shared with Carver PR) | Nominated | ||
| MTV Awards | Hottest Summer Superstar | Himself | Nominated | ||
| MTV Europe Music Awards | Best UK & Ireland Act | Himself | Nominated | ||
| Artist & Manager Awards | Breakthrough Artist of the Year | Himself | Nominated | ||
| Forbes 30 Under 30 | Entertainment (Europe) | Himself | Included |
| MOBO Awards | Best Media Personality of the Year | Himself | Nominated | ||
| Streamy Awards | Best Creator Product | Prime Hydration (shared with Logan Paul) | Nominated | ||
| ESPN Ringside Social Award | Viral Moment of the Year | KSI defeating Swarmz & Luis Alcaraz Pineda in the same night | Third place | ||
| 2023 | Global Awards | Best Male | Himself | Nominated | |
| New Voice Awards | Best Social Series | 20 vs. 1 (shared with the Sidemen) | Nominated | ||
| Streamy Awards | Creator Product | Prime Hydration (shared with Logan Paul) | Won | ||
| National Television Awards | Authored Documentary | KSI: In Real Life | Nominated | ||
| Happy Punch Awards | Best Knockout | KSI’s knockout over FaZe Temperrr | Won | ||
| Male Fighter of the Year | Himself | Won |
Notes
- Subscribers, broken down by channel:
24 million (KSI)
16.2 million (JJ Olatunji)
1.22 million (KSIClips)
115 thousand (JideJunior) - Views, broken down by channel:
6.01 billion (KSI)
4.20 billion (JJ Olatunji)
1.82 billion (KSIClips)
1.32 million (JideJunior) - KSI stated in 2021 that his height was 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Net Worth
According to Forbes, KSI has an estimated net worth of $23.9 million and he was ranked 2nd among the top 30 Europe Creators.
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