Summary

YouTube rap star KSI has quit alcohol, citing its negative impact on his personality and his desire to focus on health, purpose, and creativity.

Abstract

In a recent interview with the Daily Mirror, KSI, a renowned UK rapper and YouTuber, opened up about his decision to quit alcohol after the BRIT Awards last year. He explained that alcohol was causing him to act in ways that were not true to himself, and he realized that fame and success were not fulfilling him. Instead, KSI now prioritizes his physical and mental well-being, family and friends, and his entrepreneurial ventures, such as co-founding the Prime energy drink with Logan Paul. The article draws parallels between KSI's experiences and those of the author, who also quit alcohol, highlighting the shared sentiment of not wanting to limit their potential with substance use. KSI's choice reflects a broader trend among successful individuals who are openly embracing sobriety to achieve their goals and lead more authentic lives.

Opinions

KSI found that alcohol consumption was incompatible with his true self and led to a lifestyle that didn't align with his values.
The author identifies with KSI's restlessness and the pursuit of a life unhindered by alcohol, suggesting that both share a creative entrepreneurial spirit.
KSI's success with Prime energy drink is indicative of his business acumen and his ability to channel his energy into productive outlets.
The article emphasizes the author's and KSI's belief in the importance of embracing one's true nature and not conforming to societal expectations regarding alcohol consumption.
KSI's sobriety is presented as part of a larger movement among high-profile individuals who are redefining success by prioritizing health and personal growth over traditional measures of status.
The author appreciates KSI's honesty in discussing his struggles with alcohol and views his sobriety as an inspiration for others facing similar challenges.

‘Staying still scares me’: Why YouTube rap star KSI quit alcohol

I never thought a mega-popular UK rapper and YouTuber would perfectly describe what drove me to quit alcohol, but here we are.

That rapper, KSI, did an interview this week with the Daily Mirror in which he discusses why he quit alcohol after last year’s BRIT Awards.

In it, he told the newspaper that alcohol changed who he was as a person, and he didn’t like who that person was.

“I was trying to fill a void with fame and success — trying to live a certain lifestyle, like an old school rapper with girls all around me throwing money around and going clubbing.

“I had money and fame, but also a lot of baggage.

“I realized that’s not me — that what matters is having a purpose, friends and family, being fit and healthy, working hard.”

To be perfectly honest, I’ve never heard KSI perform.

I’ve never heard any of his music, either (though I’ll look some up when I’m done writing this article).

Actually, I’ve never come across his work on YouTube either.

But I do know who he is, and we do have common ground: he’s a restless (possibly ADHD?), creative entrepreneur who no longer wants to limit his potential with booze.

Rapper, YouTube star, fighter, promoter, and beverage entrepreneur KSI (credit: Instagram.com)

KSI in his Prime

The reason I knew who he was before I even came across the aforementioned article is that I see his face every time I walk into our local convenience store in Canada.

KSI is co-founder, with megastar fighter and YouTube star Logan Paul, of Prime energy drink. Their images adorn the promotional poster on the front glass.

Prime isn’t like Red Bull or Monster, it’s more like a low- or zero-sugar electrolyte beverage. The Canadian equivalent is Biosteel, which is massive in the hockey world.

Anyway, to give you an idea of how big a success this is for KSI, the demand so out-stripped the supply here that the moment any of it showed up in store, kids would fill their backpacks with it and sell it at school at a huge markup.

I overheard my nine-year-old son and his friend saying one kid at school had raked in $500.

Despite his YouTube success, despite his fledgling music career, KSI is always looking for new ways to challenge himself (and maybe make a few bucks along the way).

While that restlessness and creative energy can be a gift, it can also be a curse.

Believe me, I know.

Musicians choosing sobriety

I used alcohol excessively for a few reasons, two of which KSI touches on in the article.

The first: pretending to be someone I wasn’t.

I’m an introvert, and as I wrote in this story this week, I came to realize that one of the reasons I drank was because I was taught that being quiet and keeping to myself was a character flaw.

I drank to become who I thought others wanted me to be.

For KSI, that meant getting wasted and trying to live the “old school rapper” lifestyle.

Now, he told the Mirror, he’s happier staying home, staying sober, and doing a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle (seriously!).

The second: slowing my active brain down instead of letting it flourish.

Honestly, being an ADHD creative can be exhausting.

My brain doesn’t have an off switch. Actually, it doesn’t even have a natural brake pedal.

In the past, I would slow it down the only way I knew how: by drinking.

That would allow me to do things most people consider “normal”, like sitting on my butt for three hours watching TV (this kind of thing was impossible for me without alcohol).

When I made the decision to cut out daily drinking, I also had to decide that I was going to live my life my way even if it upset people.

I would be less social and more protective of my time. I would go to the gym and write and make videos and create things.

In some sick way, I was using alcohol to prevent myself from reaching my potential.

That’s over.

And I’m encouraged to see more and more successful people are being loud and proud about shaking off the chains of alcohol so they too can reach their goals and dreams.

A few months ago, I wrote about how rapper Jack Harlow had quit boozing at age 24. He told Rolling Stone magazine:

“I’m sick of waking up with a dry throat, sick of feeling bloated, I’m sick of the decisions I make on it.

“I’m in my well-oiled-machine era, because I can see my future right in front of me, and I feel there’s so many people counting on me outside of myself.”

And KSI is a great illustration of that too, as the Mirror quotes him saying:

“I don’t think I’m talented at all. I’ve just worked hard. I believe everything is down to belief, focus, determination, and hard work, not talent.”

“I’m addicted to the unknown … I have lots I want to achieve. The idea of staying still scares me.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Friends, thanks a bunch for reading this post all the way to the end! If you enjoyed it or found it inspiring, please take a moment to give it some claps and let me know in the comments!

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