Tributes Paid to British Rapper Sway, Who Has Died Aged 44
KSI and the Mobo Awards led tributes as the first unsigned hip hop winner and father of four died after a career spanning two decades.
- Pioneering British rapper Sway, born Derek Safo, died at age 44 at his home in Ghana. News of his death spread Thursday after the MOBO Awards announced the musician's passing, prompting widespread tributes from across the music industry.
- Sway made history in 2005 as the first independent artist to win Best Hip-Hop Act at the MOBO Awards, defeating US rap stars 50 Cent and The Game. His 2006 debut album, This Is My Demo, sold more than 50,000 copies.
- Beyond his own music, Sway mentored YouTuber KSI and collaborated with Ed Sheeran and Riz Ahmed. He signed with Akon's Konvict Music for 2008's The Signature LP, establishing himself as a key figure in developing UK hip-hop talent.
- Fellow rapper KSI led tributes, calling Sway "like a father figure" who believed in his potential when others doubted. The MOBO Awards wrote that Sway "will always hold a special place" in their history, with Wretch 32 also sharing condolences.
- Born in Hornsey, North London, Sway leaves behind four children; he described himself in June as a "proud single father." No cause of death has been given, though his legacy as a pioneering North London rapper endures.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Tributes paid to British rapper Sway, who has died aged 44
Tributes have poured in from fellow musicians, including KSI, who shared a photo of the two together and wrote that Sway was ‘like a father figure’ to him. British-Ghanaian rapper Sway, who was known for inspiring a generation of Black British musicians, has died aged 44. The news was announced by the MOBO Awards, with whom Sway […]
British Rapper Sway DEAD at 44!
Sway, the British rapper who became a major influence on U.K. hip-hop, has died at age 44. Born Derek Safo, Sway died at his home in Ghana, according to a close friend who confirmed the news to The Guardian. His cause of death has not been disclosed. The MOBO Awards paid tribute to the rapper, […]
Sway DaSafo, Mobo-Winning British Rapper, Dead At 44
A close friend of Sway DaSafo confirmed that he died at his home in Ghana. He was 44. The news of his demise was announced on Thursday (September 17) in an Instagram post by the Music of Black Origin – or MOBO – Awards
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