KSI says YouTube has hindered his music career.
The 26-year-old viral rapper-and-boxer released his debut album, ‘Dissimulation’ last month but he believes his fame as a YouTube star has led people to pigeonhole him and not take his music seriously.
Speaking to NME, he explained: "I definitely have to work harder than the average musician to prove that I can do music… It’s just one of those things where you have to change people’s mindsets. Eventually we’ll get there, it just takes time. But it’s definitely happening.
"I’m very defensive when it comes to music. But I’m learning to take criticism."
However, he has no intention of turning his back on YouTube despite his success in music.
He said: "There are plenty of YouTubers who have become artists, but there hasn’t been a YouTuber that has become an artist and then still does YouTube. [Troye Sivan and Joji] don’t do YouTube anymore. There’s definitely people who have gone from YouTube and then done music and forgotten about YouTube. But YouTube is my home, it’s my core, it’s what’s allowed me to do everything I’ve wanted to do so I’m not just going to ‘peace out’ and leave. I want to do everything."
And KSI admitted he has no idea what he will do next.
He said: "I don’t really know. My whole life has been just… random. I just capitalise on opportunities that come and make the most of them. But I don’t have any goals and I think that’s why I’m so successful. I don’t go, ‘This is what I want to be’. If I got to that point, I would then realise, like, ‘I’m good, I’m done, I’m sorted.’ And I would just want to stop. Whereas I always have stuff to do… I want to make sure I’m playing hard and working hard."