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==Personal life==
==Personal life==
In May 2016, Stormzy endorsed [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] leader [[Jeremy Corbyn]] saying, "My man, Jeremy! Young Jeremy, my guy. I dig what he says. I saw some sick picture of him from back in the day when he was campaigning about anti-[[apartheid]] and I thought: yeah, I like your energy... I feel like he gets what the ethnic minorities are going through and the homeless and the working class..."<ref name="theguardian">{{cite news |last=Wolfson|first=Sam|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/may/21/stormzy-grime-skepta-kanye-drake|title=Stormzy: ‘My man Jeremy Corbyn! I dig what he says'|work= |location= |publisher=''[[The Guardian]]''|date=21 May 2016|accessdate=11 June 2017}}</ref>
In May 2016, Stormzy endorsed [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] leader [[Jeremy Corbyn]] saying, "My man, Jeremy! Young Jeremy, my guy. I dig what he says. I saw some sick picture of him from back in the day when he was campaigning about anti-[[apartheid]] and I thought: yeah, I like your energy... I feel like he gets what the ethnic minorities are going through and the homeless and the working class..."<ref name="theguardian">{{cite news |last=Wolfson|first=Sam|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/may/21/stormzy-grime-skepta-kanye-drake|title=Stormzy: ‘My man Jeremy Corbyn! I dig what he says'|work= |location= |publisher=''[[The Guardian]]''|date=21 May 2016|accessdate=11 June 2017}}</ref>

On 28 June 2017, Stormzy tweeted in [[Welsh language|Welsh]] <ref name="Wales Online">{{cite news |last=Knapman|first=Joshua|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/stormzy-just-dropped-hint-hes-13249422|title=Has Stormzy just dropped a hint he's supporting Ed Sheeran in Cardiff?|work= |location= |publisher=''[[Wales Online]]''|date=28 June 2017|accessdate=14 July 2017}}</ref>


==Discography==
==Discography==

Revision as of 15:01, 14 July 2017

Stormzy
Stormzy at the launch of the new Manchester United away kit, May 2016
Stormzy at the launch of the new Manchester United away kit, May 2016
Background information
Birth nameMichael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo, Jr.[1][2]
Also known asWicked Skengman[3]
Born (1993-07-26) 26 July 1993 (age 31)[4][5]
OriginCroydon, London, England
Genres
Years active2010–present
Labels#Merky Records

Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo, Jr. (born 26 July 1993), better known by his stage name Stormzy, is an English grime and hip hop artist. He won Best Grime Act at the 2014 and 2015 MOBO Awards and was named as an artist to look out for in the BBC's influential Sound of 2015 list.[6][7] His most successful song to date is the BPI gold-selling "Shut Up", which was initially released as a freestyle on YouTube. The track was then officially released and got to number eight on the UK Singles Chart after Stormzy launched a campaign[8] to reach Christmas number one.

His debut album, Gang Signs & Prayer, was released on 24 February 2017 and was the first grime album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart.

Early life

Stormzy originates from Thornton Heath, London, and attended Harris Academy South Norwood.[9] He is of Ghanaian descent.[10] He began rapping at the age of 11 and would clash with older rappers at his local youth club.[11] In school, he was excluded several times in Year 8 and was expelled in sixth form.[12] Before focusing on his music full-time, he studied for an apprenticeship in Leamington Spa and worked in quality assurance for two years at an oil refinery in Southampton.[12] Stormzy is the cousin of BBC Sound of 2017 nominee Nadia Rose.[13][14]

Music career

2014–15: Dreamers Disease and "Shut Up"

After garnering attention on the UK underground music scene via his Wicked Skengman series of freestyles over classic grime beats,[7][15] Stormzy released his debut EP Dreamers Disease independently in July 2014.[16] On 22 October, Stormzy won Best Grime Act at the MOBO awards. Later that month he became the first unsigned rapper to appear on Later with Jools Holland performing the song "Not That Deep" from Dreamers Disease.[7]

In November 2014, Stormzy collaborated with rapper Chip and Shalo on the track "I'm Fine", also appearing in a video for the song. The track is part of Chip's upcoming Believe & Achieve project.[17]

On 7 January 2015, Stormzy came number 3 in the BBC Introducing top 5 on Radio 1.[18] In March 2015 he released the single "Know Me From", which entered the UK Singles Chart at number 49. In September 2015, he released a final instalment to his "WickedSkengMan" freestyle series, "WickedSkengMan 4", onto iTunes, along with a studio version of his "Shut Up" freestyle over XTC's Functions On The Low instrumental.[19] The track debuted at number 18 on the UK chart dated 24 September, becoming Stormzy's first top 40 hit and the first ever freestyle to reach the top 40 in the United Kingdom.[20]

On 12 December 2015, Stormzy performed "Shut Up" during British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua's ring-walk for his fight versus Dillian Whyte.[21] Originally, "Shut Up", released as part of the "WickedSkengMan 4" single EP in September 2015, charted at number 59. Since the performance, it began climbing up the iTunes chart and into the top 40. As a result, Stormzy launched a Christmas number 1 campaign to get the song to number 1.[22][23][24] It generated a large amount of support which made it enter the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart on 18 December 2015 at number 8, a week prior to the Christmas number 1 week, succeeding the chart position of "WickedSkengMan 4". It has become Stormzy's highest-charting single.

2016–present: Gang Signs & Prayer

In April 2016 Stormzy dropped the non-album song "Scary" before he went into hiatus.

After a year's hiatus from social media, Stormzy returned in early February 2017 via a series of billboard campaigns across London displaying the hashtag #GSAP 24.02. The album title was announced to be Gang Signs & Prayer. The album was released on 24 February 2017[25][26][27] and debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart on 3 March.[28]

Upcoming world tours

As of March 2017 Stormzy is currently on tour. kicking off in Dublin in the Olympia Theatre and ending at Creamfields in Halton.[29] During this tour Stormzy will play the world famous Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Style

Stormzy describes himself as "a child of grime" influenced by the likes of Wiley and Skepta,[30] but also cites R&B singers such as Frank Ocean and Lauryn Hill as influences on his sound.[15]

Awards and nominations

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Year Event Prize Recipient Result Ref
2014 MOBO Awards Best Grime Act Stormzy Won [6]
2015 MOBO Awards Best Grime Act Stormzy Won [6]
Rated Awards Best Video "Know Me From" Won [31]
Sound of... Sound of 2015 Stormzy Third [32]
2016 Rated Awards Artist of the Year Stormzy Nominated [33]
South Bank Awards The Times Breakthrough Award Stormzy Won [34]
AIM Independent Music Awards Innovator Award Stormzy Won [35]
2017 Brit Awards British Breakthrough Act Stormzy Nominated [36]
BET Awards Best International Act: Europe Stormzy Won [37]

Personal life

In May 2016, Stormzy endorsed Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn saying, "My man, Jeremy! Young Jeremy, my guy. I dig what he says. I saw some sick picture of him from back in the day when he was campaigning about anti-apartheid and I thought: yeah, I like your energy... I feel like he gets what the ethnic minorities are going through and the homeless and the working class..."[38]

On 28 June 2017, Stormzy tweeted in Welsh [39]

Discography

Main article: Stormzy discography

Studio albums

References

  1. ^ https://twitter.com/GRMDAILY/status/864133153358835717
  2. ^ Savage, Mark. "BBC Sound Of 2015: Stormzy interview". BBC News. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Stormzy has many god-given nicknames". Capital Xtra.
  4. ^ "24/02 on Twitter".
  5. ^ "24/02 on Twitter".
  6. ^ a b c "Mobo awards 2014: Sam Smith takes home four prizes". the Guardian.
  7. ^ a b c "BBC Music – BBC Sound of, 2015 – Stormzy". BBC.
  8. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (14 December 2015). "Grime MC Stormzy launches campaign for Christmas No 1". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  9. ^ Jameson, Andrew. (2015-01-15) Rapper Stormzy declares he'll be 'the biggest thing to ever come out of Croydon'. Croydon Advertiser. Retrieved on 2016-03-11.
  10. ^ http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/stormzy-grime
  11. ^ "Stormzy Grew Up On Grime, Now He's Eclipsing His Heroes". Noisey.
  12. ^ a b Smyth, David (10 April 2015). "Stormzy: Kanye West-endorsed South London rapper is the new king of grime". Evening Standard.
  13. ^ "Get to know Nadia Rose".
  14. ^ "2017, BBC Music Sound Of - 5th Nadia Rose - BBC Music".
  15. ^ a b "Exclusive Interview: Stormzy – "It Used To Grind My Gears, But Now I Actually Love Rap"".
  16. ^ "New EP: Stormzy 'Dreamers Disease' – MOBO Awards".
  17. ^ "New Music: Chip Feat. Stormzy & Shalo "I'm Fine"". MOBO. 26 November 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  18. ^ "BBC Sound Of 2015: Stormzy interview". BBC News.
  19. ^ "WickedSkengMan4 – Single by Stormzy". iTunes (UK). Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  20. ^ "Justin Bieber back at No 1 with What Do You Mean?". The Guardian. 18 September 2015.
  21. ^ "Watch Stormzy Perform 'Shut Up' During British Heavyweight Title Boxing Match". Capital XTRA. 14 December 2015.
  22. ^ "Grime MC Stormzy launches campaign for Christmas No 1". The Guardian. 14 December 2015.
  23. ^ "Stormzy And Twitter Want #ShutUpForXmasNo1". Capital XTRA. 14 December 2015.
  24. ^ "Odds on Stormzy getting Christmas Number One cut following 'Shut Up' boxing performance". NME. 14 December 2015.
  25. ^ Jones, Damian (2 February 2017). "Stormzy shares full debut album details". NME.
  26. ^ "Stormzy album GSAP may be 'best of 2017' says 1Xtra's A.Dot". Newsbeat. BBC. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  27. ^ Lee, Morgan (1 February 2017). "Stormzy reveals tracklist for debut album Gang Signs & Prayer". Fact Mag. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  28. ^ Peaks in the United Kingdom:
  29. ^ "Songkick – Concerts, tour dates, & tickets".
  30. ^ "STORMZY: The Rise To Fame". Live Mag UK.
  31. ^ "News".
  32. ^ "2015, BBC Music Sound Of - 3. Stormzy - BBC Music".
  33. ^ "Nominees | Rated Awards". Rated Awards. 2016. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  34. ^ "Doctor Foster honoured at South Bank awards". BBC News. 5 June 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  35. ^ "AIM Independent Music Awards 2016: Winners Announced - PPL".
  36. ^ "Winners | Brits 2017".
  37. ^ "Beyoncé and Bruno Mars lead 2017 BET Awards nominations". Channel. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  38. ^ Wolfson, Sam (21 May 2016). "Stormzy: 'My man Jeremy Corbyn! I dig what he says'". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 June 2017. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  39. ^ Knapman, Joshua (28 June 2017). "Has Stormzy just dropped a hint he's supporting Ed Sheeran in Cardiff?". Wales Online. Retrieved 14 July 2017. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
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