Dizzee Rascal

Dylan Kwabena Mills, born on 18 September 1984 and known professionally as Dizzee Rascal, is a British rapper and MC. Often credited as a pioneer of British hip hop and grime music, he was ranked by Complex as one of the greatest British rappers of all time. His musical style incorporates elements of UK garage, bassline, and R&B. His work is widely recognized for bringing UK rap into the mainstream, making him the country's first rapper to achieve international recognition.

Born in Forest Gate, London, Mills was raised on a council estate in Bow by his mother, Priscilla. After attending a series of schools in east London, he was encouraged by his music teacher Joseph Robson to create music on a school computer and attended a workshop with Tower Hamlets Summer University. By age 14, he was DJing drum and bass and rapping on local pirate radio stations. At age 16, he self-produced his debut single, "I Luv U." In 2002, he jointly formed the garage collective Roll Deep Crew and signed a solo deal with XL Recordings.

In 2003, Dizzee Rascal released his self-produced debut album, Boy in da Corner. The record received universal critical acclaim, was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry, and won the 2003 Mercury Prize, making him the youngest recipient at 19 years old. The album featured successful singles including "Fix Up, Look Sharp" and "Jus' a Rascal." He followed this in 2004 with his second album, Showtime, which entered the top ten of the UK Albums Chart and was certified gold. That same year, he won the NME Award for Innovation and contributed to the UK number-one charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" with Band Aid 20.

His third album, Maths + English, was released in 2007, reaching the top ten, earning a gold certification, and securing a Mercury Prize nomination. During this period, he collaborated with cross-genre artist Beck and rock group Arctic Monkeys. In 2009, he released his fourth studio album, Tongue n' Cheek, which marked a departure from grime toward a pop-oriented sound. Certified double platinum, the album generated four UK Singles Chart number-one hits: "Dance wiv Me", "Bonkers", "Holiday", and "Dirtee Disco". In 2010, he received the Brit Award for Best British Male and performed on Shakira's international single "Loca".

In 2012, Dizzee Rascal performed during the opening ceremony of the London Olympics. His fifth album, The Fifth, was released in 2013 and peaked within the UK top ten. He returned to his grime roots with the 2017 album Raskit, subsequently releasing E3 AF in 2020 and Don't Take It Personal in 2024. Throughout his career, he has established commercial partnerships with brands like Eckō Unltd. and Nike, and collaborated with prominent artists including Florence + The Machine, Robbie Williams, Ty Dolla Sign, UGK, and will.i.am.