KSI registered his main YouTube account in 2009 and built a following posting gaming-commentary videos of the FIFA video game series. As his fan base has grown, his YouTube content has diversified to include vlog and comedy style videos. As of March 2021, he has over 34 million subscribers and over 8 billion video views across his two YouTube channels.
KSI's 2020 debut studio album, Dissimulation, debuted at number 2 on the UK Albums Chart. He has achieved eleven top 40 singles on the UK Singles Chart, six of them ending up in the Top 10 and four of them ending up in the Top 5. KSI featured in the British comedy film Laid in America (2016), and was the subject of KSI: Can't Lose (2018), a documentary film following the build-up to his first amateur boxing fight against British YouTuber Joe Weller. He was involved in two further boxing events against American YouTuber Logan Paul, the second of which was a professional bout.
2015–2016: Early releases
Having written and produced comedy–rap songs for his YouTube channel in 2011, KSI released his debut single, "Lamborghini", featuring British grime MC P Money, on 23 March 2015, with Dcypha Productions. The song charted at number 30 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Keep Up", the title song for KSI's debut extended play of the same name, featuring Jme, was released on 13 November 2015, reaching number 45 on the UK Singles Chart.The full EP was released on 8 January 2016, through Island Records, debuting at number 13 on the UK Albums Chart and number one on the UK R&B Albums Chart.
On 29 April 2016, KSI released "Goes Off", featuring Mista Silva, as the first single from his second EP titled Jump Around. The EP's second single, "Friends with Benefits", featuring MNDM, was released on 29 July 2016, reaching number 69 on the UK Singles Chart.[56] The full EP was released on 28 October 2016 through Island Records. One of the EP's songs, "Touch Down", featuring rapper and singer Stefflon Don, appeared on the soundtrack of the 2017 film Baywatch.
2017–2019: Independent releases
KSI performing in 2019 on his New Age tour
On 23 June 2017, KSI independently released "Creature", which reached number 100 on the UK Singles Chart. "Creature" was the first single from KSI's third EP, Space, which was released independently on 30 June 2017. On 6 October that year, KSI released his fourth EP, Disstracktions, which includes diss tracks against fellow Sidemen members W2S and Behzinga. The EP reached number 31 on the UK Albums Chart and number one on the UK R&B Albums Chart. One week before its release, KSI announced that the EP would be his "final release" with Island Records and that he would be releasing music independently.
On 2 February 2018, KSI released "Uncontrollable", featuring Big Zuu. The song played during KSI's ring walk for his boxing fight against Joe Weller and charted at number 89 on the UK Singles Chart. KSI released "On Point" on 17 August 2018, which was played during his ring walk for his second boxing bout.
On 12 April 2019, KSI released a collaborative album with Randolph titled New Age. It debuted at number 17 on the UK Albums Chart and at number one on the UK R&B Albums Chart.
2019–2020: New record label signing and Dissimulation
On 4 November 2019, it was announced that KSI had signed with RBC Records and BMG to "take [his] music to the next level" and "further develop his music career in the US and internationally". In addition to managing KSI's future releases, it was confirmed that the label would be administering and reissuing KSI's independent catalogue recordings. That day, it was confirmed that KSI had already started recording his debut studio album. On 8 November 2019, "Down Like That", featuring Rick Ross, Lil Baby and S-X, was released as the album's lead single. It was performed live by the three featured artists as KSI's entrance music for his boxing rematch against Logan Paul. The song peaked at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart and it has been certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales of 200,000 units in the country. A further three singles preceded the album: "Wake Up Call", featuring Trippie Redd, which debuted at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart; "Poppin", featuring Lil Pump and Smokepurpp, which charted at number 43 in the UK; and "Houdini", featuring Swarmz and Tion Wayne, which debuted at number six on the UK Singles Chart and received a silver certification from the BPI.
KSI's debut studio album, titled Dissimulation, was released on 22 May 2020. The album debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart and further charted in 15 other countries. It was the UK's best-selling debut album by a British artist in 2020 and it has been certified silver by the BPI for sales of 60,000 units in the country. The album spawned two further UK top 40 singles, "Cap", featuring Offset, and "Killa Killa", featuring Aiyana-Lee. KSI was scheduled to perform at Parklife, Longitude and Reading and Leeds music festivals in 2020 to promote Dissimulation, but these were later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
KSI featured on "Lighter" by British DJ and record producer Nathan Dawe. The song peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart and became one of the UK's best-selling songs of 2020. It has been certified platinum by the BPI for sales of 600,000 units in the UK and it was nominated for Best British Single at the 2021 BRIT Awards. KSI also featured on "Loose" by Zimbabwean-British artist S1mba, which peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart.
2020–present: Second studio album and The Online Takeover
On 23 October 2020, KSI released the first single for his second studio album, "Really Love", featuring Craig David and Digital Farm Animals, which peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart and has been certified silver by the BPI.
On 15 January 2021, KSI featured on "Don't Play" by Anne-Marie and Digital Farm Animals. The song debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart, becoming KSI's highest-charting single in the UK to date, and was also certified silver by the BPI.
On 16 February 2021, KSI announced on Twitter the creation of his own record label named "The Online Takeover" in partnership with his music manager Mams Taylor. Shortly after, he announced the first signee of his label, which was American-British singer "Aiyana-Lee", who featured on the track "Killa Killa" on KSI's debut album "Dissimulation".
On 12 March 2021, KSI released the album's second single, "Patience", featuring YUNGBLUD and Polo G, which debuted at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart.
Ares
ksi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You dare test me
Zeeshan
Ares looking down on the boy feeling like he at the top
Now you better listen 'cause this nigga never wanted hippodrome
But I gotta let them know you're a flop
Not a single boom with four records on the trot
'Til he spoke about his idol
Now he's going viral
Biggest song you'll ever make is author of the Bible
I'm the creed of the crop
The rocky with the cash
While you're tryna say the words, suffering succotash
Baby panicking awkward like mannequin
Motherfucker we're battling
This the fall of the Anakin, make you missing like Madeleine
You're a fan, FIFA to the football to the rapping
My reply got you jizzing, was fishing and baited the stan
Please don't speak again, hold up with your venting
Ain't it wonderful that I'm out here reinventing your career?
Keep it measure for measure where is your Isabella (Hm)
Shorty left and you struggled to keep it all together (Ay)
Not the first time you're dissing, remember me and Weller?
Looking back at the reinstating that you're a fan forever
Fuck your grade five, you don't need to lie
Glad I made you better 'cause your other shit was dry
Had to make you wait 'cause I'm always up-lifting
Scrawny with your size maybe try some weightlifting
Between me and you, no one wants to be you
Looked at your past even you know it's true
Look at that baby face, look at that baby face
You can't intimidate
Boy it's my creed to assassinate
I'm not one to agitate
Crying that my roster overpowered like the Golden State
Corny rappers tryna build a coup so they can elevate
No one's even ever heard of you
Until I commentated and slated, got irritated and hated
But deep inside you're elated
You even tweeted and rated the lyrical miracle
This you peaking at pinnacle
Taste of your medicine going and flowing at minimal
Show me you're unusual
Spit a verse where I'm not as a feature
Bet it's never better than the dissing at your teacher
Bet it never blows up all according to your preacher
Calculated moves, I'm the instigator
Forever in my shadow blessing like your given name
I'm drinking Desperado, you can't even do the same
Commend your new bravado thank me 'cause I'm here to blame
And if we ever played, I'll still beat you at a FIFA game
Hahaha
Dax
Stop it man you ain't that
Poor man's Hopsin now wanna box
Please, you're gonna get dropped
Now Crypt wanna hop on my dick
Stupid little prick, you were never involved
You can rap fast but you can't make a hit
Lullaby, rap or die, hope you die, bitch
I got no label
And I always kill it like Cain and Abel
Can't be broke, I'll revoke your progress
'Cause I am the table
You bitches are botching
I'm the one that they paid to be watching
You tried with the diss
Got you bare views with the vids
Tried to score but you missed
Hah
I am the king of the drama
Cream of the crop, I'm the new age farmer
Puppet man, I don't stop it man
I give all the shit with no karma
I am untouchable, I got the rocket fuel
I am unstoppable nothing impossible
Album impeccable touring while winning as me
Years in the game and I do it so easily
"I'm a Celebrity" called for me
I said no to that shit
I don't need to eat dick
I'm self made in this bitch
I'm like Raid when I spray
People die when I prey
People lie when I slay
Jack of all trades and I mastered it all as I win
Bring out the Perry and prove I'm a king
Q-Q-Quad
Hahaha
This shit's easy for me
All day, every day
Number one, ay
Ay ay, ay ay
GG, motherfucker
The lyrics to KSI's song "Ares" contain various references to Greek mythology, especially the god of war, Ares. The rapper compares himself to the powerful deity, looking down on his opponents who dare to challenge him. He mentions other rappers who have tried to make a name for themselves but have failed, and he mocks their lack of success. KSI also references various events and people from his personal life, such as his involvement in the "FIFA" video game community, his beef with other rappers, and his rejection of reality TV offers.
Throughout the song, KSI asserts his dominance and superiority over his rivals, both in terms of lyrical skill and financial success. He presents himself as a master of his craft, with a devoted fanbase and a steady stream of hits. At the same time, he takes pleasure in tearing down other rappers' careers and reputations, suggesting that they are no match for him. The overall tone of the song is one of confidence, swagger, and triumph.
KSI's "Ares" is a bold and ambitious track that showcases the rapper's skills and ambition. It's a statement of intent, proving that KSI is not just a YouTuber or a gamer, but a serious artist and competitor in the rap game.
Line by Line Meaning
Ares looking down on the boy feeling like he at the top
Ksi feels powerful and victorious, superior to his opponent.
Now you better listen 'cause this nigga never wanted hippodrome
Ksi warns his opponent to pay attention to his words, as he never wanted to have a dispute in the first place.
But I gotta let them know you're a flop
Ksi is expressing his disappointment in his opponent's lack of success.
Not a single boom with four records on the trot
He is mocking his opponent's lack of successful music releases.
'Til he spoke about his idol
Ksi's opponent's career only gained traction when he talked about his idol
Now he's going viral
His opponent finally gained some popularity for talking about someone else.
Biggest song you'll ever make is author of the Bible
Ksi believes his opponent's biggest achievement will be writing some variation of the Bible.
The rocky with the cash
Ksi sees himself as a financial force to be reckoned with.
While you're tryna say the words, suffering succotash
Ksi is mocking the way his opponent is speaking, in a somewhat childish way.
This the fall of the Anakin, make you missing like Madeleine
Ksi sees himself as the Luke Skywalker of this rivalry, taking down the once-powerful Anakin. The 'missing like Madeleine' line is a reference to the unsolved disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
Ain't it wonderful that I'm out here reinventing your career?
Ksi sees himself as having the power to change his opponent's career for the better (or worse).
Not the first time you're dissing, remember me and Weller?
Ksi's opponent has dissed Ksi in the past, and he is reminding him of when he faced Weller (another YouTube personality).
Fuck your grade five, you don't need to lie
Ksi is unimpressed with his opponent and their level of education.
Had to make you wait 'cause I'm always up-lifting
Ksi is saying that even when he's making his opponent wait, he's still on top, successful, and 'lifting' in a metaphorical sense.
Between me and you, no one wants to be you
Ksi thinks poorly of his opponent and believes that nobody wants to be like him.
No one's even ever heard of you
Ksi is questioning his opponent's popularity and relevance in the world of music and entertainment.
And if we ever played, I'll still beat you at a FIFA game
Ksi is so confident in his abilities that he could even beat his opponent at something they both know well - FIFA (a popular soccer video game).
You can rap fast but you can't make a hit
Ksi is suggesting that his opponent may have a talent for rapping quickly, but he still can't manage to create a popular, successful song.
I got no label
Ksi is saying that he doesn't need an official record label to be successful.
Can't be broke, I'll revoke your progress
Ksi is so successful and wealthy that he could prevent his opponent from ever reaching his level of success.
I am untouchable
Ksi is so powerful that nobody could bring him down or harm him in any way.
Album impeccable
Ksi is proud of his musical accomplishments, asserting that his albums are flawless.
People die when I prey
Ksi is saying that he is so talented he can destroy his opponents with ease, metaphorically 'killing them'.
Bring out the Perry and prove I'm a king
Perry is a designer brand whose clothing Ksi wears. Ksi is saying that by bringing out his Perry clothes, he can prove that he is the king - he holds all the power and success in the industry.
This shit's easy for me
Ksi is so confident in his abilities that he finds the whole situation (the feud with his opponent) to be easy and not very challenging.
Number one, ay ay, ay ay
Ksi firmly believes that he is the best and most successful in his industry.
Writer(s): Olajide Olayinka Olatunji, Zeeshan Ali Azad
Contributed by Sadie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Kaelem..
@@kyusiv9026 ur biased perspective is off lol. I also recommend watching the actual videos. Fantano’s reviews are obviously biased bc they’re coming from a human with an opinion, but they’re not j based fully in his feelings he’s not j like “yea it’s a strong 9 bc I like it”.
There’s still method to the ratings, and while I agree he can be pretty off base, like w the newest brakence album for example, he rlly underscored it. But he highlights the diversity of the multitude of influences going into the production and vocal performance. To say he isn’t credible at all is pretty baseless considering how much music he has reviewed over his extensive career, and that’s coming from a borderline fantano hater.
Also, a light 9 on a collection of throwaways is far more than what anyone could say about ksi’s best music.
Majority of Quadeca’s current fanbase also discovered him thru his “From Me to You” Era more than anything, and stuck around w “idmthy”. Ppl have only stuck around from the disstrack era bc he genuinely has something interesting to offer. His fanbase has only grown immensely since then. I’m not saying ksi hasn’t or anything, j it’s funny to see how wrong quad proved everyone to be. And i guarantee it’s only up from here.
I’m not gonna argue it much more cause it’s not that deep, but ksi made decent rap and mid content. Personally I feel like Quad’s creating genuinely moving pieces of art that work to inspire creativity rather than farm engagement on rather soulless content. I know what I value in terms of the products, entertainment, and content that I consume.
Sorry if I came off hostile, it wasn’t my intention. I j figured i’d plate this all out in one serving and let it leave me mind. Respect to you, have a great night!
@theratking2100
0:26 Hippodrome is a stadium for events in rome or greece (gladiator events etc.)
0:35 Quadeca only blew up cause of KSI
0:43 Quadeca has a lisp, unable to say words with several S's like Sylvester
0:45 Quadeca claims he's awkward
0:47 Anakin died
0:48 Madeleine Mcann is a girl who went missing
0:51 Quadeca was a fan, KSI changed his style and so did Quadeca
0:56 Venting is a record made by Quadeca.
0:59 KSI is claiming he made his career
1:02 Isabella is Quadeca's ex.
1:07 Quadeca has dissed KSI before
1:08 A claim made by Quadeca
1:10 In Insecure Quadeca said he only was a fan in 5th Grade
1:14 Quadecas songs weren't that good
1:19 Quadeca is scrawny
1:21 KSI is more popular
1:26 Quadeca has a baby face
1:31 Assassins creed
1:35 Golden State Warriors is a dominating basketball team
1:37 Dissing KSI is making 'terrible' rappers increase their popularity
1:40 Quadeca wasn't as big as he is now before KSI mentioned him
1:44 Quadeca tweets about how good KSI's songs are
1:51 Unusual is a record made by Quadeca
1:52 Aimed at Paul brothers, Logan made a disstrack using KSI's clips, and Jake made a diss track on his teachers or Quadeca dissing his teacher KSI
1:59 KSI predicted there would be a Diss track
2:04 Quadeca is too young to drink Desperado the beer
2:09 KSI and Quadeca started as Fifa youtubers, KSI is saying he is better at Fifa than him.
2:14 Beat switch used in Insecure, so KSI followed.
2:18 Hopsin is another rapper, KSI is saying Dax copies him and wants to box KSI
2:19 KSI is saying he'd beat Dax.
2:23 Crypt was never involved in the Beef between KSI, Quadeca and Dax.
2:24 Crypt is known for fast rapping but isn't well known
2:27 Rap or Die is a music video by Crypt, KSI is saying he would rather he died.
2:29 KSI has no production company doing it completely solo
2:30 Cain and Abel are referring to the Catholic Bible they were the sons of Adam and Eve (the first people to enter Earth) the Bible says Cain killed Abel and out of anger God accepted Abels death but not Cain's sacrifice. KSI may be saying he blew up and Quadeca was jealous and tried to copy.
2:33 KSI is referring to wrestling fails 'Botchmania' they refer to fails as botches. In some fails being the table not being broken, in a Metallica song you can hear the lyrics, 'I am the table.'
2:36 KSI was paid to be seen boxing.
2:38 KSI is saying Quadeca tried but didn't succeed
2:43 KSI has used this term in other disses, saying he is the king of drama as he erupts so much, Ares the god of war.
2:44 Simon and KSI had an inside joke about this
2:49 KSI is untouchable like a god and is eruptive like rocket fuel
2:55 KSI has been doing this for many years
2:56 I'm A Celebrity get me out of here asked KSI to join
2:57 They eat strange food on IAC
3:02 Raid is a bug killer, he is saying he kills the under minor bugs that try and diss him.
3:03 Ares' power.
3:06 KSI is saying no matter what Quadeca will do, he will win.
3:08 Don Perrigon is an expensive wine, he is saying he is a King and will celebrate by drinking this.
3:11 Quadeca
3:14 KSI saying he could roll out more diss tracks as quick as he needed and said these are easy.
Please don't copy this. Tomato Potato wrote the original one, whether you see it or not.
@MuaazC
When youtube drama is boring in 2020 so we rewatch this
@kovahdyle6150
Legit
@abbyvaughn3819
YES.
@Sevster7
MuaazC facts
@tylerhansen606
Yooooo my g
@filipgod23
Trueeee
@chidorahim2437
Lowkey looking back on this it was underrated because insecure was so good but Ares isnt acually ass
@icetrae169
Facts
@archerwhite5647
Agreed insecure is fucking insane but doesn't mean this is trash, coming from fan of both
@sifprx
yeah quadeca set the bar too high with that diss track.This isnt bad at all.