Tinie Tempah

Born Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu in London in 1988 to a Nigerian Igbo family, Tinie Tempah grew up between the Aylesbury Estate and Plumstead in southeast London — a grounding evident in his early tracks. Initially active in the mid-2000s grime and UK rap scene, he was part of the Aftershock collective, released mixtapes and gained notice on Channel U with songs like “Tears” and “Wifey”, before co-founding the label Disturbing London with Dumi Oburota in 2006. Tinie Tempah subsequently broadened his palette toward a form of British rap that embraced pop and electronic formats, where rapid verses, melodic choruses and productions aimed at both clubs and radio play a central role. This evolution took shape on Disc-Overy (2010) and Demonstration (2013), where dance and electro influences became more pronounced, notably through collaborations with Swedish House Mafia, Labrinth, 2 Chainz and John Martin. With Youth (2017) he continued that hybrid approach between hip-hop, dance-pop and British urban music, working with Jess Glynne, Zara Larsson and Tinashe, while remaining connected to major pop stages, festivals and the mainstream British circuit.