From the screen to the ring, to the pen, social media influencer and boxer Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji (KSI) weaves ice-cold bars in his latest singles, “Thick of It (feat. Trippie Redd)” and “Low”.
When I first listened to “Thick of It,” my immediate reaction was that it was a typical, catchy song—nothing out of the ordinary. After I learned the song’s theme was to describe KSI’s rise to fame, I felt the lyrics did an excellent job representing that in such a KSI manner—flashy and dramatic. It had all the right parts for a solid song: good production, popular collaboration with Trippie Redd and a high-energy feel that would fit well on any Gen Z listener’s playlist.
Many listeners appreciated the collaboration with Trippie Redd. However, by no means is “Thick of It” a display of KSI’s vocal skills. It is heavily adjusted with autotune, but the high-energy track gets people moving, and in that sense, it does its job. KSI’s verses aren’t the most complex, not poetic at all, but they complement the confident, swagger vibes of the track. The rhymes flow throughout the song, with fun lyrics like “I don’t know no nothin’ ’bout no ice, I’m just cold.”
“Low” has a more emotional, introspective tone and fans seem to love it a lot. It’s softer and feels more personal. It’s difficult to take KSI seriously as in most of his videos, he’s always laughing or carefree, however, I feel like he was trying to show another side opposite to his internet personality. The part of the song where he said “I’m trying to figure it out
and get away from the doubt. Wish you could understand the feelings that I’m talking about,” highlights the pressures of maintaining appearances while having internal conflicts, connecting to his growing levels of fame in the past few years.
The same people who appreciate “Low” are quick to tear down “Thick of It,” which feels hypocritical to me. Both songs show KSI’s artistry and just because “Thick of It” centers on energy rather than emotion doesn’t mean it’s any less of a track. Music is subjective and not every song will resonate with every listener, but the level of backlash KSI is receiving feels overblown. I think the main problem is how people haven’t taken the song seriously, making memes out of it simply because it’s by KSI. The memes sensationalize the song and overexaggerate its low quality. Personally, this track is fire and it doesn’t deserve the harsh criticism it’s receiving. Overall, I would give “Thick of It” a rating of 4 out of 5 stars and “Low” 3 out of 5 stars.
