Akinola "Blakinola" Verissimo, the mind behind the TL;DR Patch Notes and one of the most known voices of the League of Legends community needs no introduction. After his awesome announcement of the NA LCS Spring Split finals, Blakinola took some time to announce himself to us.

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Welcome Blakinola and thank you for participating in this interview! Could I ask you to announce yourself in a few sentences?

Blakinola: Hi there, Marta! My name is Akinola Verissimo, I'm a large man that likes yelling at things. It used to be about patch note changes but now it's about announcing things, and perhaps one day: shoutcasting a match! When I am not yelling at things, I enjoy an occasional game of League of Legends, Dark Souls, or something old school from the Sega Genesis.

Your announcing NA LCS Spring Split Finals had nothing but good feedback. You've made people really hyped up about it. How nervous were you standing in front of that huge crowd?

Blakinola: A lot of people really seemed to enjoy the hell out of it. We were going for that boxing announcer sort of feel and we nailed it. Let me tell you, rehearsal was nothing like the real thing. I wasn't prepared entirely for the thousands of fans screaming but it was over as soon as I started talking and we made it through the end! Hopefully Riot will have me back for another event.

What were the steps you made to prepare yourself for that announcement?

Blakinola: There was a lot of mock announcing in my shower and bedroom. I was trying to figure out what tone I'd go for and what inflection I’d use. I asked myself repeatedly: "Do I need a catch phrase?", "Will this sound epic enough?" and "Will I have to sneeze when I'm on camera?" There were so many nerves.

When and how did you realise that being a Youtuber and Voice Actor/Announcer is where you want to go with your life?

Blakinola: When people started always complimenting me and making remarks about my tone of voice - I figured that is where I should focus my efforts. I am still trying to break ground with the voice actor part of things, but announcing/hosting an event was a big dream of mine that I am so happy to check of my list.

You are amongst the famous Youtubers in League community. Did that change you in any way?

Blakinola: Ha, I wouldn't go so far as to say famous. I'm the same Blakinola that started doing champion impressions. I remember where I came from and I can't forget the people who have helped me to get where I am. Nobody gets to the top of the mountain without a little help from friends, family, and people cheering at you to never give up.

Why do you think you've made it this far?

Blakinola: I would wager that it's a lot of persistence. I have failed a lot in my life and I'm convinced that if you want to be successful, you have to know what it is to fail, and fail often. This way, you find out what doesn't work and apply your energy to the next best thing. Even to this day, I am trying to experiment with different video ideas for Youtube to give it some new life. It is only when you don't get back up after falling that you're truly done for!

If you could change anything from the beginning of your Youtube career to this day, what would it be and why?

Blakinola: I think the only thing I would change is getting into shoutcasting. Luckily for me, there's no time like the present to get started on what you want.

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Of all the games out there, why League of Legends?

Blakinola: I ask myself this every day. The game has me hooked. I've spent way more money than I ever thought I would and it's a constant source of entertainment. It always keeps me coming back, even if I don't have as much time as I used to.

Since you're always in touch with League community, I must ask you: What do you honestly think about it?

Blakinola: The League of Legends community is awesome. A lot of people who say it's bad don't see the great things celebrated. The genuine happiness from this subculture of gaming is unlike any other game ever. The only other game I can think of that comes close is World of Warcraft and it can't even touch League. The "bad people" experienced online are not unique to League. Anyone who says this community is awful doesn't know sh*t about it.

In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of making a life out of Youtube videos?

Blakinola: Pros: it allows me to express my creative side, it brings me great happiness, I get to meet fans and see how positively my videos affect them - that one never gets old. Cons: it doesn't pay all the bills quite yet and Youtube comments can be literally the worst - apathy is the strongest trait of a lot of useless comments.

If your Youtube career didn't work out, what would you be doing today?

Blakinola: Probably something with computers. In fact, that's what I'm doing now. Perhaps one day that will change though.

Any shoutouts or thanks?

Blakinola: Thanks to my family and friends for always believing in me. Thanks to my fans for their constant support despite the changes. Thanks to Riot Games for working with me and giving me another reason to keep making content.

Thank you Blakinola for this interview and we wish you all the best in the future!