KSI Flashcards
PRODUCT CONTEXT
- JJ Olatunji is better known as KSI, a British
(with Nigerian heritage) YouTuber, rapper,
entrepreneur, and boxer. - KSI is the co-founder of British rap band
The Sidemen. He is also the CEO of Misfits
Boxing and co-owner of Prime Hydration,
XIX Vodka and restaurant chain Sides. He also
holds the ICB Cruiserweight Championship in
professional boxing. - KSI came to fame by uploading comedic
gaming–commentary videos of the FIFA video
game series. His video channel then diversified
to include a vlog and comedy clips. As of August
2022, he has over 24 million subscribers to his
YouTube channel, and almost 6 billion video
views across his channels. - KSI is also a successful recording artist. His
second album All Over the Place debuted at
number one on the UK Album Chart.
YouTubers operate quite differently to traditional
celebrities. Instead of attracting fans with their
beauty and luxurious lifestyles, influencers rely on
two main qualities: authenticity and relatability.
KSI has used the following YouTuber/influencer
conventions that suggest authenticity and
relatability:
- Direct address to camera, sat in a bedroom or
small studio – cheap, lo-fi production. - Use of language associated with young urban
men: slang mixed with street dialect and
gaming/social media terms. This reinforces
KSI’s authenticity. - He regularly has guests – sometimes these
are members of his own family (particularly
his brother Deji) or other internet celebrities.
This helps to build a personal relationship with
his fanbase, who feel like they’re part of his
‘family’. - In earlier videos especially (e.g. ‘FIFA 13/Blacks
vs The World’), the video is based around banter
between Olatunji and his brother. The language
and humour are crude, but unpolished, and this
adds to the authenticity. - Some of the humour borders on racist or
homophobic – this adds to the ‘unpolished’
feel of the video. Consider how and why
comments like these might not be permitted on
a mainstream TV channel. - In recent years, KSI has produced media
products in more mainstream genres: hip-hop
albums, music videos and live sporting events
that are produced using professional crew. He
has also appeared as a guest on broadcast TV
shows like The Big Narstie Show (which would
fit with his ‘edgy’ comedy image), Celebrity
Bake Off and even Blue Peter (which go against
the image). Consider how KSI’s image has
changed over time.
Consider the processes through which
meanings are established through
intertextuality:
- Like many YouTubers – especially ‘e-sports’
players/commentators – their own product exists
adjacent to the main text (the videogame). - KSI moved beyond this: he harnessed the
popularity of his ‘Let’s Play’ videos and used it
as a launchpad to publicise his scripted comedy
and music products with the Sidemen. - The training montages, ‘call-outs’ (challenges
to other potential boxing rivals) and live events
use all the conventions of the big budget
professional boxing match. The video to Not
Over Yet also draws on cinematic representations
of the sport, particularly the Rocky franchise.
Theoretical approach: Postmodernism –
Baudrillard
- Jean Baudrillard asserts that in our mediasaturated contemporary culture, it is difficult to
discern what is ‘real’ and what is ‘artificial’.
Often media texts pretend to reflect ‘reality’ by
mimicking the conventions of news reportage or
documentary. - Baudrillard calls this ‘simulacrum’ – an
imitation that appears more real than the thing it
is imitating. - YouTubers build a strong relationship with their
audiences by appearing ‘authentic’ and free from
the trappings of traditional celebrity culture
– they need to appear relatable, rather than
idealised. In addition to this, their success needs
to appear achievable (KSI says his whole career
is based on simply ‘proving people wrong’). - However, this ‘authenticity’ is just as
constructed as any other media product. The
static computer camera, domestic mise-en-scène
and edgy banter are designed by KSI to create
the impression of ‘reality’ and construct his
persona as the ‘cocky, cool older brother’. - Influencers struggle to maintain the sense of
authenticity when they become mainstream
celebrities and business people (e.g. Zoella). KSI
has tackled this by maintaining the ‘cocky older
brother’ persona, albeit one that is more mature,
responsible and inspirational. This has been best
achieved through his boxing career. - When asked how genuine his ‘beefs’ are with
the YouTubers he has boxed against, KSI has
admitted ‘Some [of it] is real, some isn’t.’
Consider the processes which lead media
producers to make choices about how to
represent events, issues, individuals, and
social groups
- KSI has become far more sensitive to the way
he represents different social groups in his media
products. As he has said in interviews, he was
16 years old when he began posting videos. He
is now 29 years old and is more conscious of the
impact he has on audiences. This could be seen
as a kind of self-regulation. - You could consider an early KSI video (one of
his ‘Let’s Play’ series or an early prank clip).
What could be considered offensive in the
‘banter’ or who the videos mock? How might
some (especially younger) audiences see this as
more authentic than mainstream media? - Compare this to his more recent videos,
especially those in the build-up to the Logan
Paul fight. How have his values developed, and
his tone changed? How does his labelling of
the Paul brothers as ‘bad influences’ represent
internet communities? - The ‘cocky, cool older brother’ persona could
be seen as a combination of many traditionally
masculine traits: highly competitive (sports
and videogames); suspicious of femininity;
motivated by success and victory; lack of
compromise; ‘rude’ and impolite humour;
physical strength and endurance.
Consider how media representations convey
values and how these may be systematically
reinforced across a wide range of media
representations
- KSI also represents a very positive portrayal
of young, Black, British men. He failed his A
levels, yet through hard work and innovation
KSI has become a millionaire. Many of his
fans describe him as being inspirational, and
some have followed his example to become
influencers themselves. His acronym stands for
‘Knowledge, Strength, Integrity’ – and the way
he seeks to manifest these values creates a very
positive portrayal of young people (and their
relationship with technology). - His boxing career is another way he represents
these positive values. He had never boxed
before, and the first fight with Joe Weller seemed
more like a scuffle that escalated – an example
of stereotypical machismo. However, the
commitment with which KSI trained (detailed in
his videos), and subsequent victories showed his
ambition rather than arrogance. - Dedication that leads to success, from underdog
to victor, is a traditional narrative in the sports
movie genre, especially boxing dramas like
Rocky.
Consider how audience responses to and
interpretations of media representations
reflect social, cultural and historical
circumstances
- KSI has a very blunt, honest relationship with
his fanbase, and often personally responds to
comments they make about his media products. - He has responded to negative comments from
fans about comments that have been perceived
as sexist, homophobic or racist; often he has
apologised and thanked the audience for raising
his awareness. - Like many YouTubers, he knows the value
of shocking, politically incorrect material for
gaining hits on the site, and therefore popularity
and success.
* The interactive nature of social media
however means that shifts in cultural values,
and phenomena like the MeToo or Black
Lives Matter movements, are reflected in the
comments of KSI’s audience.
* You may want to compare KSI’s early videos
with more recent products – how could it be said
that KSI has become more politically correct or
‘woke’?
Theoretical approaches: Gender
performativity – Judith Butler
- Butler asserts that gender is not a fixed,
biologically determined characteristic, but rather
a fluid social construct. She suggests people
‘perform’ a gender role composed of clothes,
hair/make-up, posture and other behaviours. - KSI could be said to be performing a
traditionally masculine gender identity.
Consider the Not Over Yet music video:
the costume, the dance/boxing posture, the
‘challenges’ he faces in the montage. How
do these reinforce KSI’s image of traditional
masculinity? - In addition, David Gauntlett might say
Olatunji’s relatable persona and modelling of
how anyone can potentially be a success could
be used by the audience to help construct their
own identities. In addition to this, the way
KSI has changed roles – from commentator
to musician and sportsman – reflects the fluid
nature of identity. His ‘New vs Old KSI’ videos
where he reacts to the ‘old’ him reinforces this
idea.
Consider the processes of production,
distribution and circulation by organisations,
groups, and individuals in a global context
- KSI has moved from zero-budget videos made
in his bedroom, to massive on-line sporting
events (his fight with Joe Weller had more
viewers than the 2017 FA Cup Final). - One way he has achieved success in the
US market is by making content that is
internationally resonant. His
super-confidence/arrogance appeals to many
young men, and then his ability to actually do
what could be considered macho is seen by his
fans as inspiring (and achievable). - By using a global platform like YouTube, but
cultivating a distinct young, Black British
voice, KSI achieves the model of ‘make local,
distribute global’. - His ‘beefs’ with prominent American Youtubers
also extends all the participants’ reach and
notoriety and has further aided his success in
the US. The fight with Logan Paul especially
cemented this reputation. - KSI’s recent album also features famous US
artists like Lil Wayne.
Consider the significance of economic factors
to media industries and their products.
- In interviews, Olatunji has been blunt about
his materialist values. His content has always
been designed to get hits on YouTube and he
has produced whatever is on-trend in order
to capitalise on and, through sponsorships,
monetise this. - Though his most recent content has been based
around his boxing and music careers, he uses
these as a strategy to generate more sponsorships
and sell his own merchandise. His website is
completely devoted to these income streams. - In addition, he formed the Misfits Boxing
Company to organise further fights. He is also
the director of Nemedis, a video production
company that runs the pay-per-view streaming
for the boxing matches since 2018.
Theoretical approaches - Cultural industries:
Hesmondhalgh
- One of Hesmondhalgh’s key ideas is that
the radical potential of the internet has been
limited by the domination of large cultural
institutions (which are increasingly indivisible
for technology giants like Google, Apple and
Amazon). - KSI’s career refutes this idea. All of his content
is produced independently, with no limitations
imposed by large cultural institutions. - His ownership of a video production company
and streaming platform also illustrates his
independence from the usual ‘gatekeeping’ and
limitations on creativity. - One obvious exception to this is the reliance on
YouTube to distribute his content. The world’s
largest video streaming site has much looser
regulations regarding content than traditional
broadcast TV stations.
Consider recent technological change and
media production, distribution and circulation
and the impact of digitally convergent media
platforms:
- The ‘We-Media’ revolution of the early 21st
century and the convergence of (affordable)
digital technology has completely transformed
the entertainment and culture industries. - Traditionally, media industries have been
dominated by large companies. Producers and
commissioning editors act as ‘gatekeepers’,
deciding what they think audiences will like, and
what will be profitable (usually from advertising
and sponsorship). - ‘Prosumers’ (a consumer who produces)
challenged this hierarchy by making low or nobudget content, free from creative limitations,
and using video streaming sites to distribute
it. Influencers like KSI have also adopted the
sponsorship model as a way to generate revenue
but have bypassed the big media institutions.
Consider how audiences are grouped and
categorised by media industries, including
by age, gender and social class, as well as by
lifestyle and taste:
- KSI’s content clearly targets a young, mostly
male audience. His ‘laddish’ banter, edgy
mischief and ‘beefs’ are stereotypically
masculine behaviours, though more light-hearted
and jokey than explicitly violent. - In addition, Olatunji’s DIY success – seemingly
doing whatever he enjoys and ‘proving people
wrong’ – appeals to young, ambitious, and
creative people. His ability to go from YouTuber
to professional boxer is a detailed narrative of
inspirational dedication.
Consider how audiences interpret the media,
including how and why audiences may
interpret the same media in different ways:
- KSI has been controversial. His banter in early
videos could be seen as offensive, and his use of
language has also provoked criticism. However,
Olatunji is sensitive to the social climate and
values of his fans and is keen to show how some
of his values have changed. The ‘Old vs New
KSI’ videos emphasise this and allow both sets
of fans to enjoy his content. - It is also likely that audiences from a
predominantly white, middle class, 35+ years
old audience won’t really comprehend what is
enjoyable or unique about the content. - Audiences over 60, with conservative values,
may feel suspicious that someone so young has
become so rich and successful by pursuing a
non-traditional career
Consider theoretical approaches: Reception
theory – Stuart Hall
intended meaning, an audience find ksi him as a cool older brother vibe
negotaited meaning, an auidnce find him funny, but miss his more unsanisted, risky humor
oppositional reading, he is unreconisbale now, he has become too mainstream and has lost who he truly is
Henry Jenks Fandom
Participatory Culture – Jenkins argues that modern fandom is not just about consumption but also about participation. KSI’s fans engage deeply with his content by making memes, reaction videos, edits, and even diss tracks. His community thrives on interaction across YouTube, Reddit, and Twitter.
Textual Poaching – Fans take KSI’s content and remix it for their purposes. Whether it’s clips from his videos turned into viral TikToks or fan theories about his boxing career, they “poach” elements of his brand to create new meanings and humor.
Community and Social Identity – Jenkins highlights how fandoms build communities with shared jokes and rituals. KSI’s fanbase, especially through the Sidemen, has inside jokes (like “fatneek”), recurring references, and shared reactions to his music, boxing, and content.
Convergence Culture – KSI is a prime example of convergence between multiple entertainment forms: YouTube, music, boxing, and business. His fans don’t just support one aspect of his career—they follow all of it, proving Jenkins’ point that modern media consumers engage across platforms.
down to earth and relatble
earlier videos
taken in bedroom
authentic and real, humble
slag colloquilamsm
freinds and family in vids
cocky and cool
‘why im beating logan paul’
lots of shirtless pics
arrogance
may appeal to a younger male audinec
funny
prank videos
humor is innapropraite
‘reacting to sexual harrasment’
‘sidemen being gay for 60s seconds’
the fact hes willing to make these jokes make him as edge rebellios
more family friendly posts
blue peter
celebrity bake off
mainstream audince
hes chnaged hes more of a role model now
macho
misfitsboxing CEO
hyper masclunie
sidement charity match
rap ‘beerus’
toxic masckkunity
attended gaming convention and made comments that were rude and crude to women
age
he was 16 when he started his ksi channel
makes young people appear sucsessful driven hard working
he often tells stories of him telling his teachers how much he earned it was more than them!
could also make young people seem imaature and silly
his autobiogarphy is called ‘i am a bellend’
TGFbro cenmenting head in microwave, immature
is he still immature
reaction videos
‘reading old messages to girls’
he seems embarrsed, laghing anf crinign
‘reacting the sexual harrasemnt’
Postmodernism: Simulation
KSI simulates multiple identities:
As a boxer, he’s not a traditional athlete, but he simulates the role — trains, fights, gets belts — yet the main goal is entertainment.
As a rapper, he produces music with themes of struggle, success, etc., but this performance is deeply tied to his brand more than his lived reality.
His YouTube persona is heightened, exaggerated, and performative — not a mirror of reality, but a curated simulation.
👉 He doesn’t represent reality — he performs simulations of different identities that audiences accept as “real.”
