KSI faces backlash over rape joke in unearthed 2012 YouTube video

Key facts

• KSI, real name Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, made the remark in a 2012 YouTube video that has since been deleted.
• The video shows him saying of a female character: 'Mate you’re getting raped. She is so getting raped.'
• He also stated: 'If she gets raped I’m not even going to feel sorry for her.'
• A second unearthed clip from 2017 shows him joking about punching an unborn baby if a partner became pregnant.
• In the 2017 video, his mother Yinka Olatunji urged him to use a condom; he replied: 'If she gets pregnant I’ll just punch the baby.'
• Lucy Duckworth of The Survivors Trust said: 'Trivialising rape creates violence and leads to loss of life.'
• Veronica Oakeshott of Women’s Aid said: 'Comments like this are never acceptable to make, even if it is meant as a joke.'

Resurfaced video sparks outrage

A decade-old video has reignited controversy around KSI, the 32-year-old Britain's Got Talent judge, rapper, and YouTuber. In the clip, originally posted in 2012 and since deleted, he is heard making a crude joke about rape while playing a video game. Referring to a female character, he said: 'Mate you’re getting raped. She is so getting raped.' He went on to say he wanted to 'smack' her 'in the face so hard' before calling her a 'dumb b****'. He added: 'If she gets raped I’m not even going to feel sorry for her.' The remarks have drawn sharp criticism from charities working with survivors of sexual violence. Lucy Duckworth of The Survivors Trust told The Sun: 'Trivialising rape creates violence and leads to loss of life. We can’t justify it. You can’t joke about somebody else’s lived experience of being victimised.'

Second clip shows joke about punching unborn baby

A separate unearthed video from 2017, also deleted, shows KSI making a joke about domestic violence. In the clip, his mother, Yinka Olatunji, presses him on the importance of using a condom. He responds: 'If she gets pregnant I’ll just punch the baby.' When his mother tells him he 'can’t say that,' he adds: 'I’m kidding, I’m kidding, I’m not going to do that, Jesus.' Veronica Oakeshott of domestic violence charity Women’s Aid condemned the comments. 'Comments like this are never acceptable to make, even if it is meant as a joke,' she told The Sun.

KSI’s rise from YouTube to mainstream fame

KSI, whose real name is Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, first gained fame in the early 2000s creating hip-hop music and posting gaming videos on YouTube. He later became a professional boxer and was appointed a judge on Britain's Got Talent in 2023. The resurfaced videos come at a time when KSI is enjoying renewed visibility as a television personality. The controversy threatens to overshadow his recent public appearances, including his praise for a magician on the talent show.

Charities condemn trivialisation of violence

Both The Survivors Trust and Women’s Aid have spoken out against the remarks, emphasising the real-world harm of normalising sexual and domestic violence. 'Unless you’ve experienced it yourself, then you shouldn’t be commenting on it at all,' Duckworth said. Oakeshott added that such jokes, even when intended as humour, perpetuate a culture that excuses violence. The charities have not indicated whether they will take further action, but the comments have already sparked public debate on social media.

Timeline of the deleted videos

The rape joke video was posted in 2012, when KSI was in his early twenties and building his online following. The second video, from 2017, shows him joking about punching an unborn baby. Both clips have since been removed from his YouTube channel, though they were captured and shared by other users before deletion. The timing of their resurfacing is unclear, but they have now been widely reported, drawing renewed scrutiny to KSI’s past content. Neither KSI nor his representatives have commented publicly on the videos.

Wider context: online creators and accountability

The controversy adds to a growing list of instances where past remarks by internet personalities have resurfaced years later, often leading to public backlash and professional consequences. KSI’s case highlights the tension between the informal, often edgy humour of early YouTube culture and the expectations of mainstream media roles. As a judge on a family-friendly talent show, KSI now occupies a position that demands a different standard of conduct. The resurfaced videos raise questions about whether past behaviour should disqualify individuals from such roles, and how much weight should be given to the passage of time and expressed remorse.

Outlook: what comes next

No official statement has been issued by ITV, Britain's Got Talent, or KSI himself. The show is currently airing its semi-finals, and KSI has continued to appear on the judging panel. It remains to be seen whether the network will address the controversy or if KSI will issue an apology. The incident also underscores the precarious nature of online fame, where content created years ago can resurface and alter public perception overnight. For KSI, the immediate challenge is to navigate the fallout while maintaining his role on one of Britain’s most-watched television programmes.

The bottom line

• KSI made a rape joke in a 2012 YouTube video that has since been deleted, saying a female character 'is so getting raped' and that he wouldn't feel sorry for her.
• A 2017 video shows him joking about punching an unborn baby if a partner became pregnant, which his mother admonished him for.
• Charities The Survivors Trust and Women’s Aid have condemned the comments as unacceptable and harmful.
• KSI has not publicly responded to the resurfaced videos, and Britain's Got Talent has not commented.
• The controversy highlights the tension between early YouTube culture and the expectations of mainstream media roles.