Skepta | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Skepta performing in 2025 | |
| Born | Joseph Olaitan Adenuga Jr. (1982-09-19)19 September 1982 (age 43) Tottenham, London, England |
| Other names |
|
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives |
|
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Labels | |
Musical artist | |
| Website | bigsmokecorporation |
| Signature | |
 | |
Chief Joseph Olaitan Adenuga Jr[1] (listenⓘ; born 19 September 1982), known professionally asSkepta, is a Britishgrime MC, rapper, record producer, fashion designer, film director and DJ.[2] Alongside his younger brotherJme, he briefly joinedRoll Deep before they became founding members ofBoy Better Know in 2005. With Boy Better Know, Skeptaclashed with fellow MC Devilman for the video releaseLord of the Mics 2, in what is remembered as one of the biggest clashes in grime history.[3][4]
Skepta released his debut studio albumGreatest Hits in 2007 and his second album,Microphone Champion in 2009, both independently; while his third studio albumDoin' It Again was released in 2011 byAATW. He made his acting debut in the 2015 filmAnti-Social. Skepta's fourth studio album,Konnichiwa (2016), featured the hit singles "That's Not Me" and "Shutdown". The album, which was widely acclaimed, won theMercury Prize.
In 2018, he produced and was featured on American rapperASAP Rocky's single "Praise the Lord (Da Shine)", which became both artists' highest-charting single and a global hit. In 2019, Skepta releasedIgnorance Is Bliss, which charted in fifteen countries.Insomnia (2020), a collaborative album with British rappersChip andYoung Adz, became Skepta's third album to reach the top 10 of theUK Albums Chart.
Skepta has been nominated for threeBrit Awards, including theBrit Award for British Male Solo Artist. His influence on contemporaryBritish popular culture as a key figure in the grime scene saw him appear onDebrett's 2017 list of the most influential people in the UK.[5] He received aNigerian chieftaincy on 4 April 2018, with his title being "Amuludun of Odo-Aje".
Joseph Olaitan Adenuga Jr. was born on 19 September 1982,[6] to Nigerian parents,[7] of respective Yoruba (paternal) and Igbo (maternal) backgrounds, inTottenham,North London.[8] He is the eldest of four children; fellow musicianJme, radio presenterJulie and graphic designer Jason.[9]
Skepta was originally a DJ from Tottenham-based grime collective Meridian Crew. The Meridian Crew performed 'sets' or sessions onpirate radio (most notably Heat FM 96.6) where fellow crew members sometimes referred to him as "Scoopa Daniels".[10][11][12] Early in his career, Skepta released "Pulse Eskimo" in 2002,[13] as well as instrumentals "DTI (Pirate Station Anthem)" and "Private Caller".[14]
Skepta began MCing shortly before Meridian Crew disbanded in 2005, after which Skepta, alongside his brotherJme, joinedRoll Deep for a short period of time before becoming founding members ofBoy Better Know in 2006. Skepta was convinced to begin MCing byWiley after his records were taken away from him by the police.[15] Following the formation ofBoy Better Know, Skeptaclashed with fellow MC Devilman for the DVD Lord of the Mics 2, in what is remembered as one of the biggest clashes in grime history.[3][4] Shortly after the clash, Skepta released amixtape entitled "Joseph Junior Adenuga". Skepta publicly released his debut albumGreatest Hits on 17 September 2007, on his labelBoy Better Know.
Skepta self-released the first single "Rolex Sweep" in September 2008 and reached number 89 on theUK Singles Chart. Skepta then released the albumMicrophone Champion on 1 June 2009. He then also released single "Too Many Man" with Jme, Wiley,Frisco and Shorty, which went to chart at number 79. Skepta has released five singles off his third studio albumDoin' It Again (first with a major label), titled "Bad Boy", "Rescue Me", "Cross My Heart" featuringPreeya Kalidas, "So Alive" and "Amnesia", as well as a video for theHello Good Morning (Grime Remix). Three singles charted in the Top 40 of theUK Singles Chart, with "Rescue Me" being the most successful at number 14. "Cross My Heart" came in at number 31 and dropped out of the Top 40 a week later.Doin' It Again spent 3 weeks in the top 100 album charts and debuted and peaked at number 19 on its first week of release. In 2011, Skepta caused a controversy by releasing ahardcore music video of his single "All Over the House".[16]
In 2012, Skepta released two singles from his fourth forthcoming album. Both "Hold On" and "Make Peace Not War" were Top 40 charting singles in the UK but were a departure from Skepta's usual sound. Skepta's second major label album was intended to be released in the fourth quarter of 2011, entitledThe Honeymoon but was delayed till 2012. After a disappointing response from the first two singles Skepta decided to release a purchasable mixtape, titledBlacklisted. It was released on 2 December 2012 along with music videos to support the release prior to the release.
In March 2014, Skepta provided a verse for the remix of "German Whip" byMeridian Dan, and in the same month, he released his new single, "That's Not Me", featuring his brotherJme, peaking at number 21 on the UK charts.[17] The single's music video won the award for Best Video at the 2014MOBO Awards.[18] Upon receiving the award, Skepta stated that the video cost him £80.[19] In late 2014, Skepta released another single titled "It Ain't Safe" featuringASAP Bari. This was followed in early 2015 with "Shutdown", as well as features on "Red Eye to Paris" byFlatbush Zombies and the remix of "Ojuelegba" byWizkid, also featuringDrake. Skepta and others joinedKanye West at a surprise show in London, performing numerous songs together during a shared set.[20] He was also named one ofGQ's 50 best dressed British men in 2015.[21]
In an interview it stated that Skepta's making his acting debut in 2015 filmAnti-Social, released initially in May.[22] On 14 February 2016 Skepta released "Ladies Hit Squad" featuring grime artist D Double E and American rapperASAP Nast, of the New York-basedASAP Mob. Through a post on Instagram, Skepta announced that his album,Konnichiwa was due to be released on 6 May 2016.[23]Konnichiwa became Grime's highest-charting album, peaking at number 2 in the UK music charts.[24] Konnichiwa features songs such as "That's Not Me", "Shutdown" and "Man". The release ofKonnichiwa was celebrated with a launch party on 5 May 2016 held in Tokyo and live streamed onBoiler Room, featuring a live performance of the entire album by Skepta and supporting performances from Japanese trap artistsKohh, Dutch Montana, Loota, and DJ Riki.[25][26][27][28]
Skepta began his "Banned From America" two-part, 14-show tour on 16 April 2017 at theCoachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which covered cities throughout the United States and Europe.[29][30] The tour was named as such in reference to Skepta's forced cancellation of his 2016 "No Fear" American tour in support ofKonnichiwa, when his application for a visa to enter the United States was denied.[31]
Skepta released hisVicious EP on 31 October 2017, with songs featuringASAP Rocky,Lil B, andSection Boyz. In the summer of 2017, rumours on the underground dance scene suggested an imminent collaboration between Skepta and drum'n'bass pioneerGoldie. This was confirmed in Goldie's 2017 memoirAll Things Remembered, which refers to him having done a track with Skepta. It has not yet been released.[32]
Skepta featured on ASAP Rocky's "Praise the Lord (Da Shine)", which was released in May 2018. The single charted on theBillboard Hot 100. Also in May, Skepta released his single "Pure Water", which peaked at number 78 in the UK.[33] He followed this in June with "Energy (Stay Far Away)" withWizkid, which reached number 59.[33] In 2020, Skepta appeared alongsidePop Smoke onKid Cudi’s song “Show Out” from Cudi’s albumMan on the Moon III: The Chosen.[34] In December 2019, Skepta also appeared as himself in aGrand Theft Auto Online expansion as a radio host withDanny Brown. Brown also lent his voice to another fictional character in the game.[35] He also collaborated withGorillaz andTony Allen on the song "How Far?" in May 2020.[36][37]
On 30 July 2021, Skepta released his EP,All In.[38]
In 2022, Skepta signed with Wasserman Music for worldwide representation.[39]
In October 2023, Skepta released "Can't Play Myself (A Tribute to Amy)", which samplesAmy Winehouse's "Tears Dry on Their Own".[40]
In January 2024, he apologised after artwork for his upcoming single, "Gas Me Up (Diligent)", received criticism online for bearing "unintentional but palpable allusions" tothe Holocaust; the pictures in question depicted images from 1980sskinhead culture. In his apology, Skepta emphasised the unintended parallels, but vowed "to be more mindful going forward".[41]
In March 2025, Skepta featured onPlayboi Carti's albumMusic, on the song "Toxic".
In 2009, Skepta was convicted of common assault in London and fined over assault occasioning actual bodily harm in Cyprus in 2006, which he said occurred after a large group of men racially abused him and his friends and a fight broke out.[42]
In January 2016, Skepta punched a man in the mouth after an altercation at a Melbourne nightclub and pleaded guilty to recklessly causing injury. No conviction was recorded, but he was fined $2,500 and ordered to pay $10,000 to the victim.[42]
On 4 April 2018, Skepta was installed as a chief in his Nigerian hometown inOgun State, receiving thechieftaincy title of theAmuludun ("Chief Entertainer") of Odo-Aje.[43][44]
Skepta has two children with fashion buyer & brand strategist Alanna Wain. Their daughter, River, was born in October 2018. They welcomed a second child, a son, in 2021.[45][46][47][48][49]
He is also avisual artist: in September 2022,Sotheby's put on display some of his paintings, all of which had been created during theCOVID-19 lockdowns, for the "Contemporary Curated" art series.[50]
On 2 December 2024, he hosted aDJ set atJaguar's launch event for theType 00concept car at the Art Week inMiami,Florida.[51]
Studio albums
Collaborative albums
| Year | Award | Category | Recipients and nominees | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | BET Awards | Best International Act: UK | Skepta | Nominated |
| 2014 | MOBO Awards[52] | Best Video | "That's Not Me" (feat.Jme) | Won |
| 2015 | MOBO Awards[52] | Best Song | "Shutdown" | Won |
| 2016 | Ivor Novello Awards[53] | Best Contemporary Song | Nominated | |
| Ivor Novello Awards | Songwriter of the Year | n/a | Won | |
| Q Awards[54] | Best Track | "Man" | Nominated | |
| Best Solo Artist | Skepta | Nominated | ||
| Mercury Prize[55] | Album of the Year | Konnichiwa | Won | |
| MOBO Awards[56] | Best Album | Nominated | ||
| Best Grime Act | Skepta | Nominated | ||
| Best Male Act | Nominated | |||
| BET Awards[57] | Best International Act: UK | Won | ||
| 2017 | NME Awards[58] | Best British Male | Won | |
| Best Album supported | Konnichiwa | Nominated | ||
| Best Track | "Man" | Nominated | ||
| Music Moment Of The Year | Skepta wins Mercury Prize | Nominated | ||
| BRIT Awards | British Male Solo Artist | Skepta | Nominated | |
| British Breakthrough Act | Nominated | |||
| MasterCard British Album of the Year | Konnichiwa | Nominated | ||
| BET Awards[59] | Best International Act: Europe | Skepta | Nominated | |
| 2024 | Ivor Novello Award[60] | Visionary Award with Amazon Music | Skepta | Won |
| 2024 | AFRIFF 2024 | Audience Choice Awards | Tribal Mark | Won |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
