“To do anything online in terms of being an online creator, and then venturing off into music, or into boxing it was impossible, there were gatekeepers in all these industries."
He’s broken through the same barriers and resistance in music as well, and the recent criticism online for his latest track “The Thick Of It” serves as a reminder that there are plenty of vocal KSI detractors that he has to contend with: “I have a lot of people who also hate on me, you know, wishing I fail and all of that. So the pressure of making sure I'm still operating at a high standard is definitely high, but pressure makes diamonds man, and for me, I just keep focused, and I keep doing my thing.”
The relatability is what ultimately keeps people engaged, and has been the key to all his success. The music might not be groundbreaking, but it's always fun and feels within our reach. If we work hard enough, then we might also get the chance to be in the studio with Lil Wayne or Rick Ross. His boxing career started off as a joke, but hard work turned it into a multi million pound enterprise, these occurrences make the impossible suddenly seem achievable for the rest of us.
Success looks a little different to KSI these days. “Right now, I'm just kind of just vibing, enjoying life man. I feel like I've done so well, and I’ve finally been able to appreciate all of it. Whereas before, I would just do something huge and then move on to the next thing.” Maybe this is because there might finally be nowhere else for him to dominate? But if history has taught us one thing, it's never to underestimate KSI.