Friends with Benefits (song)

"Friends with Benefits" was written, recorded and produced during a recording studio session in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in February 2016, as documented in KSI's YouTube vlog titled "Amsterdam Music Trip".[1] On 18 July 2016, KSI revealed the song's title, cover art and release date via his social media pages.[2][3] "Friends with Benefits" was released for digital download and streaming by Island Records and Universal Music Group on 29 July 2016.[4][5]

The music video for "Friends with Benefits" was directed by Harrison Boyce.[6] The video was released to KSI's YouTube channel one week after the release of the song on 5 August 2016.[7][8] It has received 50 million views.[7] The music video's opening scenes show KSI and several of his Laid in America (2016) co-stars, including Caspar Lee, Alex Wassabi and Gerry Bednob, exiting a limousine upon arrival at a premiere of their film, before walking down a red carpet.[9]

The remainder of the video stars KSI alongside American model Jena Frumes, who plays the role of his no-strings-attached ladyfriend, in a series of silly vignettes which show the pair dressing up as various characters to illustrate some choice lyrics from the song.[6] Scenes show the pair dressing up as penguins, a bride and a groom, and a pimp and his girl, as well as KSI dressing up as an old man, Tony Montana from Scarface, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix and Kendrick Lamar.[6][10] At the end of the music video, there is a 15 seconds-long snippet of the music video for KSI's next single "Jump Around" (2016), featuring American rapper Waka Flocka Flame, which was later released on 3 October 2016.[11]

In the United Kingdom, "Friends with Benefits" debuted at number 69 on the UK Singles Chart.[12] The song dropped to number 78 the following week, before dropping out of the chart.[12] "Friends with Benefits" also debuted at number 12 on the UK Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart and spent a total of seven weeks on the chart.[13]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[14]

• KSI – songwriting, vocals
• MNDM – production
• Sway – production, songwriting
• DJ Turkish – production, songwriting, mixing, mastering
• Charles Cook – production, songwriting
• Faried Jhauw – production, songwriting, drums, recording engineering
• Kris Coutinho – songwriting, drums, recording engineering
• Rutti Cruise – recording engineering
• Denise Kroes – additional vocals
• Gia Re Lodge-O'Meally – additional vocals