British rapper Derek “Sway” Dasafo has died on the age of 44.
In response to a report in U.Ok.’s The Guardian, printed on Thursday (Sept. 17), Sway Dasafo handed away at his residence in Ghana, Africa. The reason for loss of life has not been disclosed. The information of his loss of life was introduced by the MOBO Awards on the group’s Instagram account. Sway made historical past as the primary unsigned artist to ever win the Greatest Hip-Hop Act honor on the 2005 MOBO Awards, beating out hip-hop heavyweights 50 Cent and The Sport.
“Sway will all the time maintain a particular place in MOBO historical past,” the assertion learn partly. “At a time when British rappers have been nonetheless preventing to be recognised alongside their US counterparts, his win made an actual assertion concerning the expertise, creativity and potential popping out of the UK.”
“Sway went on to go away his mark as an artist and champion of British music, however we’ll all the time be proud that he was a part of the MOBO story and of the historical past we shared collectively,” it continued. “Our love and deepest condolences exit to his household, family members, associates and everybody who grew up with and was impressed by his music.”
Born in Hornsey, North London, to Ghanaian dad and mom, Sway developed his abilities as a rapper and producer as a member of the rap collective Phynix Crew and One, earlier than branching out as a soloist with a collection of mixtapes. He had a minor hit together with his breakout single, “Up Your Pace,” that includes Pyrelli, in 2005. However his subsequent single, “Little Derek,” a tune impressed by the hurdles he confronted as a British rapper, cracked the U.Ok.’s High 40 chart in 2006. That very same yr, he dropped his debut studio album This Is My Demo, which garnered him important reward.
Outdoors of music, Sway was additionally recognized for his mentorship. He found and nurtured a younger, unsigned Ed Sheeran in the course of the early levels of his profession. He additionally mentored British artists equivalent to Mr. Hudson, Tiggs Da Writer, Riz Ahmed, Tinchy Stryder, Kaiser Chiefs and YouTuber-turned-rapper KSI.
“You believed in me when many did not. You gave me an opportunity when many did not,” wrote KSI in his heartfelt tribute to Sway on IG. “Musically, individuals laughed me off as a joke however you noticed my potential and helped me develop as an artist.”
“You have been one in all a form man,” he concluded.
Sway Dasafo is survived by his spouse Helen and his 4 kids: Jalil, AJ, Inaya, and Imara.
Learn MOBO Awards Tribute to Sway Dasafo
Learn KSI’s Tribute to Sway Dasafo
Watch Sway Dasafo’s “Grace” Video That includes Ben Hughes
Hearken to Sway Dasafo’s Music “Little Derek” That includes Child Blue
Hearken to Ed Sheeran’s Music “Nightmares” That includes Random Impulse, Sway and Wretch 32
See the Hip-Hop Artists We Misplaced in 2026
Tay Keith, Lil Poppa and extra.
