KSI has left YouTube collective the Sidemen

KSI has announced that he is leaving the Sidemen, a hugely popular U.K.-based YouTube collective. (Dominic Lipinski/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

Content creator KSI has left the Sidemen after more than a decade with the massively popular YouTubers.

In a video posted on his own YouTube channel, KSI, 32, told his 18.4 million subscribers about his departure. Describing it as the “hardest video I’ve ever had to make in my life,” he said: “I’ve gone back and forth on this decision for a very long time. I’ve spent months trying to figure out what the right thing to do is but after a lot of thought, I’ve decided that I will no longer be doing Sidemen videos.”

Olajide “KSI” Olatunji — or JJ as he is also known — is a British gamer, vlogger, rapper and boxer. He shared his message in a video lasting almost 13 minutes on Sunday, saying that would be the last day he would post with the hugely popular, seven-person collective, which he described as his “second family.”

He said: “We’ve traveled the world together. We built something that none of us ever thought was possible, especially back then when we were making random videos together playing GTA. I still remember those early days with no idea that tens of millions of people were going to be watching us on the channel, and somehow this turned into an incredible journey together.”

That journey has included appearing on stage in sold-out stadiums, making shows for Netflix and staging celebrity soccer matches, he said, adding: “We’ve been there for each other through some of the highest highs and the lowest lows of our lives.”

In 2023, Forbes estimated KSI to be worth $23.9 million and listed him as the second top content creator of that year, overtaken only by MrBeast.

Until now, the Sidemen have delighted their huge following with their regular videos on sports, gaming and other trending topics. According to their agent’s website, they have a combined audience of 47 million across their YouTube channels and social platforms.

KSI, which stands for “knowledge, strength, integrity,” said that “nothing bad has happened” and that the decision is “completely my own.” He said he felt like he’s been running at “100 miles an hour,” and added: “I spent so long trying to be everything for everyone, trying to be everywhere, trying to do it all, trying not to let anyone down, but somewhere along, somewhere along the way, I started losing the balance of my own life.”

“I found it hard to make enough time for myself … I definitely found it hard to find time for my family. I found it hard to make time for the people I love, and I realized that something has to change. The Sidemen deserve someone who can give 100% and right now I know I can’t do that. It just wouldn’t be fair on the boys, it wouldn’t be fair to you, and it wouldn’t be fair to myself.”

He said the decision has been “painful,” but he knows “it’s the right thing to do.”

It appears that KSI did not share the news with his fellow Sidemen in advance, as they said in an Instagram post that it “came as a surprise to us.”

Referring to KSI by his nickname JJ, they wrote: “We’re sad to share the news that JJ has decided not to continue as part of the Sidemen.”

“We had an amazing time on this journey with him and we wish him all the best with his future endeavours.”

They said that it “doesn’t change anything for the rest of us” and that they will continue to create “the best content, events and shows.”

They ended by saying: “This came as a surprise to us and we know it will be an adjustment for you, but we’ve got lots of exciting stuff planned that we can’t wait to share.”