Dave

Brixton-born rapper and musical prodigy Dave, whose real name is David Orobosa Omoregie, began composing from an early age and writing lyrics in his teens. Growing up in Streatham, South London wasn’t easy so focusing on music helped him cope.

Due to visa issues, his father had been deported to Nigeria in 1998, when Dave was only four months old. His mother, who was a nurse, decided to stay in Britain where all three of her sons were born. Although he was the youngest, Dave often had to step up as man of the house because his mum often worked double shifts to make ends meet and his brothers were serving lengthy jail sentences.

In 2015, Dave made his first live performance freestyling on Bl@ckbox, an underground grime channel. He returned the following year with JKYL+HYD, his first single and music video. Although he was just 16, Dave came into the spotlight in late 2016 with the release his debut EP Six Paths, which attracted even more attention when Drake remixed the single Wanna Know.

Dave unveiled his Game Over EP in 2017, which contained the chart-topping lead track No Words featuring MoStack and went out on his first headline UK tour. He also won his first MOBO Award for Best Newcomer.

In 2018, Dave released a couple of huge singles. His politically charged Question Time led him to become the youngest ever winner of an Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song, while Funky Friday featuring Fredo not only became his first No.1-charting single, but also the first song by a British rapper to peak at that position.

By this time, Dave had earned a reputation for being a versatile rapper known for his clever, often profound lyrics and infectious beats.

When his debut album Psychodrama arrived in March 2019, it went straight to No.1 as well as won the Mercury Music Prize. Among the many highlights were the feel-good track Location featuring Afrobeats star Burna Boy and Black, a powerful meditation on Black identity. Dave supported the album with a huge UK tour and made his Glastonbury debut that summer.

Nominated for four BRIT Awards in 2020, he took home the trophy for Album Of The Year.

Dave’s sophomore effort We’re All Alone In This Together came out in July 2021 and, like its predecessor, debuted at the top of the UK albums chart and placed him among the nation’s top-selling rappers. In September 2021, he announced a huge UK arena tour for February 2022.