Creature (song)
"Creature" is a song by British YouTube personality and rapper KSI. It was released independently on 23 June 2017. The song is the first single from KSI's third extended play (EP) Space, which was released one week later on 30 June 2017.[2] The song charted at number 100 on the UK Singles Chart.[3]
"Creature" | ||||
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Single by KSI | ||||
from the EP Space | ||||
Released | 23 June 2017 | |||
Recorded | March-April 2017 | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 3:27 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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KSI singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Creature" on YouTube |
Background and promotion
In February 2017, KSI "blacked out" all of his YouTube and social media accounts, as well as deleting around 600 YouTube videos, worth over two billion views, and deleting all of his social media posts.[4][5][6] On 23 February 2017, in an interview with DramaAlert, KSI explained his actions, confirming that he wasn't "promoting anything" and saying that he doesn't "care about the fame or the money" and that he is "sick of trying to portray himself as a certain thing which he isn't", describing himself as being "a clown for many years", as well as confirming that he would not be uploading to YouTube for the foreseeable future.[7][4]
After taking a four month break from uploading to YouTube, on 23 June 2017, KSI uploaded a forty seconds-long snippet of "Creature" to his YouTube channel titled "It's been a while".[8]
Commercial performance
The song charted at number 100 on the UK Singles Chart.[3]
Music video
The music video, directed by Ghanaian director Gyo Gyimah, was filmed in Ghana in May 2017 and was uploaded to KSI's YouTube channel on 27 June 2017.[9] It has 25 million views.[10] The video opens with KSI sat in a psychiatric hospital wearing a straitjacket, talking to a doctor. The rest of the video consists of various scenes of KSI sat in a collapsing building, KSI walking through a rainforest, and KSI standing in a desert valley, before being charged at by a group of African tribespeople at the end of the video.
On 15 August 2017, KSI revealed during his YouTube vlog titled "I'm Getting Deported" that the scene of himself sat in a collapsing building was originally a scene of himself sat in a burning building with firefighters coming to his rescue. However, the intensity of the scene was toned-down due to the then-recent Grenfell Tower fire which happened on 14 June 2017.[11][12] The music video was also intended to be released during the same week that the fire happened, but was delayed because of it.[12]
The music video's description says "For Alfie" in dedication to Alfie Jones, a 12 year-old fan who died in July 2017 as a result of a type of bone cancer called sarcoma; KSI had visited him in June 2017 shortly before his death.[13][14][15]
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Creature" | 3:27 |
Credits and personnel
Charts
Chart (2017) | Peak position |
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UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[18] | 100 |
UK Indie (Official Charts Company)[19] | 10 |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
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Various | 23 June 2017 | [16] |
Notes
- "Creature" was originally released independently, but has been licensed to RBC Records, under BMG Rights Management, since November 2019 after KSI signed to the record label.[1]
References
- "Artist and YouTube personality KSI signs with BMG". Music Week. 5 November 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
- "Space - EP by KSI". Apple Music. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
- "KSI | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
- "Where has KSI been? YouTube Star KSI may be back!". PMYB. 8 May 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
- "GRM Exclusive: KSI talks new music, his evolution & the state of YouTube". GRM Daily. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
- "KSI Self-Releases Space EP". TenEighty. 5 July 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
- "KSI QUITS being KSI #DramaAlert KSI INTERVIEW!". YouTube. 23 February 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
- "It's been a while..." YouTube. 23 June 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
- KSI (6 May 2017). "Growth". Instagram. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
- "K.S.I - CREATURE (Official Music Video)". YouTube. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
- "I'm Getting Deported". YouTube. 15 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
- Gyo Gyimah (7 August 2017). "We burnt down the whole set to achieve this scene but took it out of the final edit because of the Grenfell tower unfortunate disaster.🙏🏽🙏🏽 It happened the same week @ksi meant to release the video. #creature @sway_dasafo @phamousphilms". Instagram. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- "Funeral to take place for "brave and courageous" Liphook boy". Eagle Radio. 26 July 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
- "Seriously ill Liphook boy meets heroes in magical visit". Eagle Radio. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
- "Alfie meets his heroes, KSI and Deji". YouTube. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
- "Creature - Single by KSI". Apple Music. 23 June 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
- "Creature by KSI". Tidal. 23 June 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
- "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 July 2017.