Inside KSI’s meteoric rise from gamer with ‘rape joke scandal’ to millionaire YouTube star and Prime energy drink baron
YOUTUBE sensation KSI rose from making videos in his parents’ house to amassing a multi-million pound business empire.
The face of viral energy drink Prime, which Brits fight each other for in supermarkets, launched his channel in 2008.
Videos of the then 15-year-old playing FIFA and pulling pranks at home in Watford, Herts., became an instant success.
But KSI sparked controversy in 2013 when he asked women at a gaming conference what STI’s they have.
And many said pulling his “rape face”, which would regularly appear in his videos, trivialised rape.
Apologising for is past content, KSI, real name Olajide Olatunji told The Guardian in 2020: “Obviously I’m not proud of it.”
Since then the 29-year-old has built an empire boasting a fleet of supercars and a multi-million pound property portfolio.
Among a fleet of eye-popping motors, his £280k Lamborghini Aventador, complete with a Tron-theme wrap, takes the biscuit.
Previous Snapchat posts show the YouTuber showing off a £60k Porsche Cayenne and a Porsche Boxster that costs upwards of £65k.
And he is an avid collector of jewellery, the centrepiece being a £390k custom diamond necklace, featuring Beerus from the Dragon Ball Z series.
The 18k gold shining medallion has around 2,000 stones gems including sapphires and yellow diamonds.
A 2021 estimate said he owned a £10 million property empire.
MONEY
In 2019 his property development firm Kilimanjaro Your Mum Ltd spent £1.5million on new addresses to add to the £8million of property he’d bought in previous years.
On top of this, a production company called Ksiolajidebt Ltd had cash reserves of almost £1million in 2021.
It is therefore estimated, alongside revenues generated from YouTube and boxing fights, that KSI has a net worth north of £16 million, according to The Mirror.
Money gravitates towards me
KSI, speaking to The Guardian
Discussing his success, KSI, which stands for ‘Knowledge, Strength, Integrity’, told The Guardian “money gravitates towards me”.
“I’m in a position now where I don’t have to worry about that side of things”, he added.
Despite all this, his parents initially wanted him to become a doctor, but after struggling to get the grades he left school at 16.
More than 24m people now subscribe to his YouTube channel, which has garnered nearly 6 billion views.
The social media influencer, who has over 12.4 million followers on Instagram, found success in creating quick-fire, funny videos which appealed to a younger teenage audience.
Coupled with a love of football, he supports Arsenal, he forged a following which catapulted him into the mainstream.
BOXING AND RAP
It is therefore no surprise that the channel gave him a crucial launch pad to explore other ventures, most notably boxing and music.
Known as JJ to family and friends, the YouTuber has won four of his five fights, drawing one.
His draw came against YouTuber Logan Paul, who he’d go on to defeat in their second bout.
The 29-year-old’s rap music career has also been a success: performing at Wembley Arena in February 2022, while his music videos have garnered millions of hits.
But he has achieved his most recent notoriety for being the face of Prime energy drinks, launched alongside boxing rival Paul in 2022.
The £2 drink – created by publicity shy US businessmen Trey Steiger and Max Clemons – exploded onto the scene sparking chaos on supermarket floors.
PRIME
The drink went viral after a TikTok video showed a girl charged £145 for six bottles by a shop in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
Since then extraordinary videos appeared showing teenagers and even grown men fighting over the 500ml drink which chancers would later try to flog online for thousands.
One 12-pack of Prime was put up for sale for £50,000 and a 17-year-old in Kent was even arrested for stealing a case.
Prime flavours include Blue Raspberry, Ice Pop, Lemon Lime, Orange, and Tropical Punch and it contains zero added sugar, ten per cent coconut water, electrolytes and antioxidants.
Experts predict that, at its current rate, Prime will become a rival for “fitness drink” giants such as Gatorade and Powerade, generating millions for years to come.