Biography
Who is KSI?
Early life and real name
Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji was born in London on June 19, 1993. He grew up in Watford, Hertfordshire, with his parents and his younger brother, Deji Olatunji. His father moved to the United Kingdom from Ibadan, Nigeria, while his mother was born in London. The family shares a Yoruba ethnic heritage. During his school years, he attended Reddiford School and later Berkhamsted School, where he met his future business partner Simon Minter.
While studying for his A-Levels, he began earning a steady income from his online activities. He especially asked a teacher for advice on leaving sixth form college after his monthly earnings reached 1,500 pounds, which exceeded the teacher's own salary. Although his parents were initially hesitant about his choice to drop out, they eventually supported his career and appeared in several of his early videos. His younger brother followed a similar path, eventually becoming a successful creator and boxer under the name ComedyShortsGamer.
YouTube career and the Sidemen
KSI registered his primary YouTube account in July 2009. He initially focused on the FIFA video game series, providing energetic commentary and comedic skits from his bedroom. The name he chose stands for Knowledge, Strength, and Integrity, which originated from a gaming clan. By 2012, his channel reached one million subscribers, and he expanded his content to include vlogs and various challenges. In October 2013, he helped form the Sidemen, a group of seven British creators who collaborated on sketches and merchandise.
His influence grew rapidly, leading to a ranking as the second most influential creator in the United Kingdom by The Sunday Times in 2019. Forbes also recognized his success by including him in their 30 Under 30 Europe list in 2021. Across four different channels, he has amassed more than 46 million subscribers and 16 billion views. Despite his long history with the Sidemen, he announced his departure from the group in May 2026 to focus on his individual business ventures and busy schedule.
Music and boxing highlights
He launched a serious music career in 2015 with the single Lamborghini, which featured the rapper P Money. His first studio album, Dissimulation, reached the second spot on the UK Albums Chart in 2020. He followed this with All Over the Place in 2021, which debuted at number one and earned a platinum certification. His musical achievements include fourteen top 40 singles and a Brit Billion Award in 2024 for reaching one billion streams in the United Kingdom. He has also worked as a judge on the television show Britain's Got Talent starting in 2025.
In addition to music, KSI became a pioneer in the influencer boxing scene. He competed in a white-collar match against Joe Weller before moving into professional bouts against Logan Paul. In 2022, he performed the feat of fighting two opponents, Swarmz and Luis Alcaraz Pineda, in a single night. His later matches included bouts against FaZe Temperrr, Joe Fournier, and Tommy Fury. After his loss to Fury in late 2023, he eventually retired from the sport in October 2026. He remains active in the business world as a co-owner of Prime Hydration and the Misfits Boxing promotion.
Birthday and age
KSI was born on June 19, 1993, which makes KSI 33 years old today. That birthday falls under the Gemini sign. KSI shares the date with 37 other famous people.
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