Dave

Born in London in 1998 to a family of Nigerian descent, Dave, also known as Santan Dave, broke onto the UK rap scene in the mid-2010s with online freestyles and then the track 'Wanna Know,' which gained attention in part thanks to a Drake remix. Rooted in Streatham in the south of the city, Dave crafts a rap sound at the crossroads of grime, UK rap, and trap influences, marked by frequent use of piano and highly narrative storytelling focused on mental health, family, social tensions, and the Black British experience. The EPs 'Six Paths' (2016) and 'Game Over' (2017) shaped his early output, before the album 'Psychodrama' (2019) established him as a writer of introspective rap built around long, detailed tracks. With 'We’re All Alone in This Together' (2021), Dave further broadened his palette toward more melodic sounds and collaborations with the rap and afro-fusion scenes. A fixture at major festivals and on key club stages across the UK, Dave has also made a number of targeted collaborations, notably with AJ Tracey, Fredo, and Central Cee — with whom he released 'Split Decision' in 2023 — while occasionally branching into acting, for instance in the series 'Top Boy'.