Sway DaSafo
Encyclopedia
Derek Andrew Safo is a Ghanaian British musician who uses the stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...

s Sway DaSafo or Sway. He is signed to Akon
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...

's Konvict Muzik
Konvict Muzik
Kon Live Distribution is a record label founded by R&B singer Akon. It is his alternate R&B/Hip hop label.-Artists:*Colby O'Donis*Jeffree Star*Kardinal Offishall*Kat DeLuna*Lady Gaga*Natalia Kills*Brittian Scott*Ray Lavender- Discography :...

 record label and he is also a producer, establishing DCypha Productions.

Childhood

His mother had traveled from Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

 to Heathrow Airport on her journey from Ghana, from which she originated and spoke the dialect of Twi
Twi
Asante, or Ashanti, is one of three literary dialects of the Akan language of southern Ghana, and the prestige dialect of that language. It is spoken in and around Kumasi, the capital of the former Ashanti Empire and current subnational Asante Kingdom within Ghana.Along with the Akuapem dialect,...

. Whilst in London, she gave birth to Derek Safo. Sway was born to a Muslim father and to a Christian mother and describes himself as a Muslim. Sway attended Campsbourne Primary School where he spent most of his time experimenting with music, rewriting the lyrics of his favorite artists. He attended Highgate Wood Secondary School
Highgate Wood Secondary School
Highgate Wood School Arts College is a secondary school located in Crouch End in the North London borough of Haringey. It accommodates pupils aged 11–16, providing secondary education to 1368 pupils. The school also has a sixth form . It has partnerships with Sport England, the Haymarket Theatre...

 in North London where he spent his spare time using the school equipment for musical production. Producing tracks for local artists, he was told to use his personality to write songs by adding his humour with his lyrical talent. Sway is a cousin of footballer Quincy Owusu-Abeyie
Quincy Owusu-Abeyie
Quincy James Owusu-Abeyie , often known simply by his first name, Quincy, is a Ghana international footballer who plays for Superleague Greece club Panathinaikos as a forward or winger....

, and grime
Grime (music)
Grime is a style of music that emerged from Bow, East London, England in the early 2000s, primarily as a development of UK garage, dancehall, and hip hop...

 MC Lethal Bizzle
Lethal Bizzle
Lethal Bizzle, also known as Lethal B , is a Ghanaian British rapper. His songs are known to satirise modern Gangsta rap; much of the humour comes from the adoption of hip-hop style and language...

.

Early career

At the age of 16, Sway had a place in the grand final of an open mic session at Dingwalls
Dingwalls
Dingwalls is a venue adjacent to Camden Lock in London, England. It houses bars, cafes, clubs . The building itself is one of many industrial Victorian buildings that were put to new use in the 20th century. The original owner of the building, T.E...

 in London. He lost to Chester P
Chester P
Joey Coombes , better known as Chester P, is a rapper in the UK hip-hop scene. He was a founding member of Task Force, Bury Crew and the M.U.D. Family. He and his brother Farma G are both sons of the late musician Peet Coombes....

 of Task Force
Task Force (band)
Task Force are a British hip hop group from Highbury in London, England. The group is led primarily by two brothers Chester P and Farma G...

. It was at this age that Sway was a member of Tottenham
Tottenham
Tottenham is an area of the London Borough of Haringey, England, situated north north east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:Tottenham is believed to have been named after Tota, a farmer, whose hamlet was mentioned in the Domesday Book; hence Tota's hamlet became Tottenham...

-based hip hop trio Phynix Crew. Following his defeat at Dingwalls, Sway got into the finals of Choice FM
Choice FM
Choice FM, branded on-air as London's Choice, is a brand used by the UK's biggest radio company, Global Radio for its network of black music radio stations...

's Rapology '99 with his rap group where they lost. Phynix Crew merged with two other rap groups to form One. Sway was now studying at college, as well as having a part-time job and producing ringtones for a company. Sway began to create a studio in his bedroom with the money he earned so that he could start to produce his own songs.

Sway produced many solo singles despite being in a rap group and his first break was under the name 'Sway DaSafo' on the track "On My Own" which reached the A-list of BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra is a digital radio station in the United Kingdom from the BBC specialising in new black music, sometimes referred to as urban music. Launched at 18:00 on 16 August 2002, it had been codenamed Network X during the consulation period and is the sister station to BBC Radio 1...

 when the station was launched. He continued to produce music. When One released their first debut album, called Onederful World, 50% of the 10-track CD was produced by Sway. A member of the 'MOBO Unsung' committee enjoyed it and nominated it for the 'MOBO Unsung' competition, which resulted in the group reaching the final five of the competition. They did not win, however, DJ Tim Westwood
Tim Westwood
Timothy Westwood is an English DJ and presenter of radio and television. He also presents the UK version of the MTV show Pimp My Ride...

 of BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...

 and DJ Semtex
DJ Semtex
DJ Semtex is a disc jockey and presenter for BBC Radio 1Xtra digital radio station, presenting the flagship hip-hop shows, the Friday and Saturday Night Mixtapes from 19:00-22:00 on Friday and Saturday nights.-Biography:...

 of BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra is a digital radio station in the United Kingdom from the BBC specialising in new black music, sometimes referred to as urban music. Launched at 18:00 on 16 August 2002, it had been codenamed Network X during the consulation period and is the sister station to BBC Radio 1...

 began giving them airplay.

Dcypha

In 2004 after finding himself in business and recording situations he describes as "bait" and foreseeing the attitude of labels towards rappers due to the actions of other acts such as So solid crew to name a few, he established Dcypha Productions along with Dj Turkish and Junior Dcypha to record, promote and release their own music. A move which they would make in order to steer Sways career the way they had envisioned and give them full autonomy in decision making, as Sway describes in an interview " me and the team decide my singles, what sort of marketing tactics to use etc etc its all done in house"

Since 2004 Dcypha Productions have been known to have either signed or been affiliated with under ground acts such as Bigfoot, klayz, Bigz, Baby Blue
Baby Blue (rapper)
Baby Blue is an English rapper and singer . She is known for her work with singer Estelle and collaborations with John Legend, Madness, Sway, Shystie, Ms. Dynamite and Lady Sovereign...

, Chiefer and Raptor

Debut

In 2003, Sway started to pursue a solo career in the British music scene. He was invited by his cousin, DJ Ink, to feature on some of his drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...

 tracks and he became a member of the group Fifth Element. In 2004, Sway established DCypha Productions along with Junior Dcypha (brother of long time friend Chiefer who also features on "one for the journey EP" on "move back" and is also an actor) and Dj Turkish to enable him to release his mixtapes and debut solo album, This Is My Demo
This Is My Demo
This Is My Demo is the debut album from British rapper Sway DaSafo. It was released on 16 February 2006 and produced by Sway for Dcypha Productions. It consists mainly of R&B and British hip hop. The album was critically well-received and spent two weeks on the chart with a peak of number 78...

. At DCypha, Sway produces his beats and songs alongside his long-time friend Bigz.

Sway launched his solo career upon the disbanding of his group One by releasing two independent mixtapes, called This Is My Promo Volumes 1 and 2. They were underground successes, and his debut album This Is My Demo
This Is My Demo
This Is My Demo is the debut album from British rapper Sway DaSafo. It was released on 16 February 2006 and produced by Sway for Dcypha Productions. It consists mainly of R&B and British hip hop. The album was critically well-received and spent two weeks on the chart with a peak of number 78...

was released on 6 February 2006. Its second single, "Little Derek
Little Derek
Little Derek was the second single to be released by UK hip hop artist Sway DaSafo from his debut album This Is My Demo. Released on 16 January 2006 on 12" and 7" vinyl and CD, it featured the British female rapper Baby Blue...

", headed in at #38 on the UK national charts. Remixes are also available featuring Baby Blue
Baby Blue (rapper)
Baby Blue is an English rapper and singer . She is known for her work with singer Estelle and collaborations with John Legend, Madness, Sway, Shystie, Ms. Dynamite and Lady Sovereign...

. His song "Hype Boys" is used in the video game Need for Speed: Carbon
Need for Speed: Carbon
Need for Speed: Carbon, also known as NFS Carbon or NFSC, is an Electronic Arts video game belonging to the Need for Speed series. Released in 2006, it is the tenth installment, preceded by Need for Speed: Most Wanted, succeeded by Need for Speed: ProStreet in release order and succeeded by Need...

, and the song "Flo Fashion" is used in the video game FIFA Street 2
FIFA Street 2
FIFA Street 2 is the sequel to the video game FIFA Street. A new "trick stick beat" system was introduced and new authentic tricks were also introduced. The game is available on the GameCube, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PSP, Xbox...

. To coincide with the release of his debut album, Sway released a collaboration mixtape with LoveDough to promote LoveDough's nightclub in Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...

. The compilation mixtape, called This Is My Rave, featured Pyrelli and Bigz, amongst other UK hip hop and R&B artists.

His debut has become controversial amongst UK hip hop artists due to his criticism of many modern rap artists "overhyping" themselves and glorifying themselves using elements from gang culture and street violence to make themselves seem 'harder' than they are and thus sell records to people who are potentially ignorant of the true roots of hip hop. He also argued against the use of nigger
Nigger
Nigger is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people , and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur...

 in hip hop and R&B songs on an appearance on Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...

.

Sway was the main support act for The Streets
The Streets
The Streets were a British rap/garage project from Birmingham, United Kingdom, led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Skinner and has included a myriad of other contributors most notably drummer Johnny Drum Machine, vocalist Kevin Mark Trail and the Italian-American beatmaker Leroy.The...

' UK tour, which began in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...

 on 27 April 2006, and ended in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...

 on 12 May 2006. He has also been performing solo around Europe to promote This is My Demo. He created a song in 2005 dedicated to his profile on MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....

. He also appeared on The Mitchell Brothers
The Mitchell Brothers
The Mitchell Brothers are a Ghanaian British rap duo from London, England. They consist of cousins Owura Nyanin from Manor Park and Kofi Hanson from Stockwell...

' single "Harvey Nicks" alongside The Streets' Mike Skinner.

Second album

Following the release and critical acclaim of his debut album, Sway started recording his second album which he had been planning from the This Is My Promo mixtape series. In the run up to the album's release, Sway featured on numerous songs and signed to Akon's Konvict Muzik
Konvict Muzik
Kon Live Distribution is a record label founded by R&B singer Akon. It is his alternate R&B/Hip hop label.-Artists:*Colby O'Donis*Jeffree Star*Kardinal Offishall*Kat DeLuna*Lady Gaga*Natalia Kills*Brittian Scott*Ray Lavender- Discography :...

 record label in 2007, becoming the only UK artist to be signed to the label. Sway released the One for the Journey EP on 14 May 2007 on his DCypha Productions label which featured an appearance from Chamillionaire
Chamillionaire
Hakeem Seriki , better known by his stage name Chamillionaire, is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is the CEO of Chamillitary Entertainment. Chamillionaire is also the founder and an original member of The Color Changin' Click...

 on a Part 2 version of "Up Your Speed". Following this, Sway released two mixtapes: The Dotted Lines and The Signature mixtape. The Dotted Lines mixtape was released in early 2008 and announced the recording of his second album. It was released to coincide with the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, which was hosted in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...

 and to which the song "Black Stars", a remix of "Black Boys" by Bashy
Bashy
Ashley Thomas , better known by his stage name Bashy, is an English recording artist and actor. He rose to prominence in 2007 after the release of his controversial track "Black Boys".-Early life:...

, is dedicated. The mixtape featured an interview with Sway Calloway
Sway Calloway
Sway Calloway, usually credited as Sway, born August 23rd, 1976, is a reporter and executive producer for MTV News. He is also the co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Wake Up Show...

 of Sway & King Tech
Sway & King Tech
Sway & King Tech is an American hip hop group composed of Bay Area rapper Sway and DJ King Tech. Also known as Flynamic Force or Sway & Tech, they are the hosts of the nationally syndicated show, The Wake Up Show...

 where Calloway argues that Sway DaSafo should not use the name Sway as it affects his reputation. It was announced on the mixtape that his second album The Signature LP
The Signature LP
The Signature LP is Sway DaSafo's second album, released on October 6, 2008. Most of the album was produced by Sway with his Dcypha Productions team; other producers included Louis Gibzen, Guy Katsav and Akon.-Background:...

would be released on 5 May 2008, however it was pushed back to 6 October 2008. The album included the song "F UR X" featuring $tush which was included on The Dotted Lines mixtape. Due to its success, it was decided that a music video should be produced and that it should be included on the new album. To coincide with the release of the album, Sway put up The Signature mixtape for download on his website.

During the recording of his second album, Sway diversified into other musical genres by featuring on songs with other British artists. In 2007, Sway collaborated with Madness
Madness (band)
In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...

 to produce the song "Sorry
Sorry (Madness song)
"Sorry" is a single by the band Madness, released in March 2007 as a single. It is the first original Madness UK single not to be primarily written by a member of the band, and was given to them by their new management group to fill the gap between The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1 and The Liberty of...

" which also featured Baby Blue. This collaboration with the ska band was sparked by lead singer Suggs
Suggs (singer)
Graham McPherson , better known as Suggs, is an English singer, actor, former radio DJ, TV personality, and most famous as the frontman of the band Madness.-Early life:...

 who read an interview with Sway in which he credits Madness as being an influence in his music career. Sway also produced a remix to Ian Brown
Ian Brown
Ian George Brown is an English musician, best known as the lead singer of the alternative rock band The Stone Roses, which broke up in 1996 but are confirmed to reunite in 2012. Since the break-up of the Stone Roses he has pursued a solo career...

's "Illegal Attacks
Illegal Attacks
"Illegal Attacks" is a single by Ian Brown featured on the album The World Is Yours."Illegal Attacks" was released as the album's lead single on October 8, 2007, and was a contentious track, dealing head-on with the political issues of the day. Sinéad O'Connor is featured as a guest vocalist on the...

" in 2007 and the remix was released along with the song on 17 September 2007. Maintaining an influence in the UK rock and indie rock scene, Sway featured on the remix of Mr Hudson & The Library's "Ask The DJ", which was released in 2006. A more recent collaboration is that with Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 1996. They were named after the South African football club Kaizer Chiefs....

 on the song "Half the Truth" off their album Off with Their Heads, released on 20 October 2008. Sway also diversified into the dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...

 scene with his collaboration with Stanton Warriors
Stanton Warriors
Stanton Warriors are the breakbeat duo Dominic Butler and Mark Yardley. They are a DJ and producer team. Originally from the West Country, the pair now play sets at nightclubs such as Fabric and Ciros in the UK, and travel the globe with international work in Europe, Canada, America and Australia...

 on the track "Get 'Em High", which was featured on the One for the Journey EP. He also featured as the sole vocalist on "The Way We Go" which was produced by Jukey in May 2008. Nevertheless, Sway continued to work on hip hop collaborations such as his feature on "Chatterbox", produced by DJ Yoda
DJ Yoda
Duncan Beiny , better known as DJ Yoda, is a hip hop turntablist who uses samples to create a cartoony musical style.-Biography:From 1995 to 1998, he studied English and American literature at the University of Warwick...

 and released on The Amazing Adventures of DJ Yoda
The Amazing Adventures of DJ Yoda
The Amazing Adventures of DJ Yoda is the fourth studio album mixed by DJ Yoda.-Track listing:#Intro#He's A Nutbag#Wheels#Fertilizer#Breakfast Cereal ft. Biz Markie#Yoda In Reverse#Playin' Around ft. Jungle Brothers#Cuban Brothers FM...

in October 2006.

"F UR X" was included on the soundtrack to the UK film Adulthood
Adulthood (film)
Adulthood is a 2008 British drama film. It was directed and written by Noel Clarke, who also stars as the protagonist, Sam Peel...

prior to the release of The Signature LP. The first single to be released from the album was "Saturday Night Hustle
Saturday Night Hustle
"Saturday Night Hustle" is the second single released from Sway's second album The Signature LP. It features R&B singer Lemar.The song was produced by Al Shux, who has worked with Sway before. The single was released on September 15, 2008...

" featuring Lemar
Lemar
Lemar Obika , professionally known simply as Lemar, is an English recording artist. Obika has had a run of chart success in the UK, Europe and Australia...

, which was poorly accepted and peaked at number 67 in the UK charts. The next single to be released from the album is "Silver and Gold" featuring Akon
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...

. On the week beginning 2 February 2009, "Silver & Gold" peaked at number 76, coincidentally one place above Sam Sparro
Sam Sparro
Sam Sparro is an Australian singer-songwriter, music producer, and former child actor. His stage name was derived from a family nickname, which in turn was inspired by the Dagenham radio mascot Sammy Sparrow...

's Black and Gold
Black and Gold
Black and Gold is a Cornish folk song written by Will Coleman.Black and gold are the Cornish colours, and can be found on the banner and coat of arms of the Duchy of Cornwall. Traditionally furse used to be the major form of fuel in Cornwall, and was widely employed for domestic use...

.

In 2007, Sway offered his support to a development project in Sierra Leone, which he visited with Dawn Angeliqué Richard
Dawn Angelique Richard
Dawn Angeliqué Richard is a American singer, songwriter, and dancer. Richard is a former member of the musical group Danity Kane, from 2005 to 2009...

 and Samata Angel
Samata Angel
Samata Angel is a British born Ghanaian award-winning fashion entrepreneur, author and designer...

.

Sway also worked with Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records is a record label founded by brothers Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Universal Republic Records as of 2011...

 where he sang with Jay Sean in the re-fix of Jay's "I Won't Tell", which is a part of Jay Sean's album My Own Way: Deluxe Edition
My Own Way (album)
My Own Way is the second studio album by British Contemporary R&B singer Jay Sean, released May 12, 2008 on Jayded Records and 2Point9 Records. Recording sessions took place from 2006 to 2009. Production was handled by Jay Sean and several other recording producers, including Jared Cotter, J remy,...

in 2008. He replaces The Kid Daytona from the original song and also sings a different verse.

2009/10

In early 2009, it was announced that production of Sway's third studio album, The Signature LP 2, had started. He has revealed that he is working with acts such as Craig David
Craig David
Craig Ashley David is an English singer and songwriter. He has released five studio albums: Born to Do It, Slicker Than Your Average, The Story Goes..., Trust Me, Signed Sealed Delivered and a Greatest Hits album...

, Neutrino
Oxide & Neutrino
Oxide & Neutrino is a DJ and MC Garage duo from London, consisting of Alex Rivers and Mark Osei-Tutu .Their first single "Bound 4 Da Reload " went to number 1 in the United Kingdom in May 2000...

, Jay Sean and former Liverpool football player Ryan Babel
Ryan Babel
Ryan Guno Babel is a Dutch football player who currently plays for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. He can play as a left winger and as a striker. Babel began his career at AFC Ajax in 1998, working his way up through the youth team and into the senior squad...

.

On television, he played himself in the episode "Video Killed the Radio Star" of the TV series FM
FM (TV series)
FM was a British sitcom which aired on ITV2, starring Chris O'Dowd , Kevin Bishop and Nina Sosanya . The series followed the lives of two DJs and their producer on their FM radio progamme, "Skin 86.5 FM"...

during which he performed "Say It Twice" (produced by Dj Turkish), which was aired during March 2009. In May 2009, Sway performed "The Phatso Dance" with Soccer AM's Tubes, and a cameo from Chris Kamara - it is unclear whether this will be released as a single. The song involved "Kammy" rapping "unbelieveable" every couple of seconds late on.

On 26 March 2009, Sway collaborated with Two Fingers
Two Fingers
Two Fingers is an international musical collaboration between electronic musicians Amon Tobin and Doubleclick. The duo released an eponymous album in 2009 on Paper Bag Records in North America and Big Dada in the United Kingdom....

 to release an album named Two Fingers
Two Fingers
Two Fingers is an international musical collaboration between electronic musicians Amon Tobin and Doubleclick. The duo released an eponymous album in 2009 on Paper Bag Records in North America and Big Dada in the United Kingdom....

. Sway was the main lyricist on the album featuring on 7 of the twelve tracks and helping out with production.

On 26 June 2009, the day after Michael Jackson's death, BBC Radio 1 in the UK played a Michael Jackson tribute song called "The King. Full Stop". The song featured a stripped down arrangement with only Sway's vocal and an acoustic guitar. No plans have been announced to release the song as a single or to include this song on his forthcoming album. BBC Radio 1Xtra premièred a new track by UK rap artist Bigfoot entitled "Feel Like A King" which featured Sway on 24 July 2009.

Sway also worked on track for DJ Semtex
DJ Semtex
DJ Semtex is a disc jockey and presenter for BBC Radio 1Xtra digital radio station, presenting the flagship hip-hop shows, the Friday and Saturday Night Mixtapes from 19:00-22:00 on Friday and Saturday nights.-Biography:...

 entitled Nelson Lives to coincide with the anniversary of Mandela's release from prison. Other free internet songs by Sway that have been released during 2009 include a remix to Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...

's "Run This Town
Run This Town
"Run This Town" is a 2009 song performed by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West. The song features Rihanna. The track was produced by Kanye West alongside No I.D. It is released as the second single of Jay-Z's eleventh studio album The Blueprint 3...

", "Jerusalem" which was unveiled under the name of MC Nobody as well as "Blackberry Man" which may be featured on the upcoming The Signature LP 2. The first single off the album, "Mercedes-Benz", was released on 19 October 2009.

Sway announced on 2 August 2009 on Westwood Rap Show on BBC 1Xtra that after The Signature 2 he will be working on his first worldwide release, Signed Sealed Delivered on Akon's Konvict label. No other information is available at present.

The Delivery Mixtape

In December 2009, Sway announced that he was working on a new mixtape, and unveiling two tracks in the process: "Payback" and "The Watcher". Sway then released a download-only single on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....

 named "Everyday Valentine" to coincide with Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...

 in 2010. He offered those who were able to provide evidence for purchasing the single the opportunity to receive his mixtape prior to its release for free. The mixtape was due to be released on 14 February 2010, however this was pushed back due to continued work by Akon on the final song. The mixtape was released on 26 February 2010 from his website, to the public for free. It has been described online as 'better than most people's albums' and will feature Akon, Styles P
Styles P
David Styles better known by his stage name, Styles P, is an American rapper, author, and entrepreneur. He is prominently known as a member of Hip Hop group The LOX and is also a part of the Ruff Ryders hip-hop group, and in addition has released multiple albums and mixtapes as a solo...

, Kardinal Offishall
Kardinal Offishall
Jason D. Harrow , better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall , is a Canadian rapper and record producer. He is often credited as Canada's "hip-hop ambassador", and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip-hop.-Life and career:Harrow was born in...

, Giggs, Bigz and Mr Hudson. The Mixtape has been a smash hit online, boasting over 10,000 downloads in 10 days, both with the fans, other artists and critics and was reviewed by British newspaper Metro who picked up on Sway's "trademark sharp humour and quirky observations" going on to say that Sway "will reign over British rap sooner rather than later." The Mixtape can be listened to and downloaded FREE at "Mixtape Madness"

The Delivery 2

On 20 October 2010 Sway dropped his new Mixtape 'The Delivery 2' The sequel to the Delivery Mixtape and the prequel to his new Album 'The Deliverance' expected sometime in 2011. The first track to be dropped from the mixtape prior to its release was 'Bring Me' featuring young Dcypha member Klayz. It featured a competition to put a verse on the remix or meet Sway. It received airtime on both BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra
BBC Radio 1Xtra is a digital radio station in the United Kingdom from the BBC specialising in new black music, sometimes referred to as urban music. Launched at 18:00 on 16 August 2002, it had been codenamed Network X during the consulation period and is the sister station to BBC Radio 1...

 and BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...

. Then just a few days before release Sway leaked the track 'Whose Line is It Anyway?' It featured Sway spitting bars from other Hip Hop tracks leaving the last lines blank. It was regarded as very clever and Witty. The Mixtape features mostly other UK Artists with Sway saving his American contacts for his new album. Other people who feature on the mixtape are Monica, Leo LeVox, Raptor, Simon Webbe
Simon Webbe
Simon Solomon Webbe is an English singer-songwriter, actor and music manager. He is best known as a member of the British boyband Blue.-2001–2005: Early Career And Blue:...

, Big Bad Benny-Demus, Rock City
Rock City
Rock City is a roadside attraction near Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Lookout Mountain in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, located near Ruby Falls. It is well-known for the many barn advertisements throughout the Southeast and Midwest United States that have the slogan "See Rock City" painted on barn roofs...

, Akon
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...

, & T-Pain
T-Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...

. It also features one of Sway's spin off Characters Jason Waste who original featured in Sway's second album The Signature LP
The Signature LP
The Signature LP is Sway DaSafo's second album, released on October 6, 2008. Most of the album was produced by Sway with his Dcypha Productions team; other producers included Louis Gibzen, Guy Katsav and Akon.-Background:...

.

TV work

In 2011, Sway played the role of Ross Rosten in the Channel 4 television drama series Top Boy
Top Boy
Top Boy is a British television drama series, which was first broadcast on Channel 4. The four episodes were broadcast over consecutive nights, from 31 October to 3 November 2011. Set on the fictional Summerhouse housing estate in Hackney, North London, the series follows the lives of a group of...

.

Awards

His reputation rose from underground to mainstream after coming into the public eye by winning a MOBO
MOBO Awards
The Music of Black Origin Awards, established in 1995 by Kanya King MBE and Andy Ruffell, are held annually in the United Kingdom to recognise artists of any ethnicity or nationality performing black music....

 award in September 2005 for Best Hip Hop Act, defeating heavyweight hip hop artists 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...

 and The Game
The Game (rapper)
Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...

 to collect the award. He was also nominated for the second year running in the Best Hip Hop category and Best UK Male for the MOBO awards held at the end of September 2006 and in September 2008 for Best UK Male.

In July 2006, Sway's album This Is My Demo was nominated for the 2006 Mercury Music Prize
Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established by the British Phonographic Industry and British...

 but the award was won by the Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. Formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, the band currently consists of Alex Turner , Jamie Cook , Nick O'Malley and Matt Helders...

 at the ceremony on 6 September.

In 2008, Sway was nominated for two awards at the Urban Music Awards
Urban Music Awards
The Urban Music Awards is a HipHop, R&B, Dance and soul music awards ceremony launched in 2003 and now held in six countries annually.The awards ceremony is held annually by Invincible Media Group. The UMA's is now held in 6 countries annually...

.

In November 2006, Sway won a BET
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...

 Hip-Hop Award for "Best UK Hip-Hop Act", beating Blak Twang
Blak Twang
Blak Twang who also uses the pseudonyms of Taipanic and Tony Rotton, is a British rapper who grew up in Deptford, Lewisham, South East London...

, Plan B
Plan B (rapper)
Benjamin Paul Ballance-Drew primarily known as Plan B or Ben Drew, is a British rapper, singer-songwriter, actor and film director from Forest Gate, London. Plan B first emerged as a hip hop artist releasing his critically acclaimed debut album Who Needs Actions When You Got Words in 2006...

, Dizzee Rascal
Dizzee Rascal
Dylan Kwabena Mills , better known by his stage name Dizzee Rascal, is a Ghanaian British rapper, songwriter and record producer. His music is a blend of garage, hip hop, grime, ragga, pop and electronic music, with eclectic samples and more exotic styles...

 and Kano
Kano (rapper)
Kane Brett Robinson , better known as Kano and also known as Kane O, is an English rapper and actor. His grandparents came to England as immigrants from Jamaica. He was formerly a key member of east London’s N.A.S.T.Y...

. By being nominated and winning the BET for "BEST UK Hip-Hop Act", Sway appeared in a video showing himself in a cipher with Saigon
Saigon (rapper)
Brian Daniel Carenard, better known by his stage name Saigon, is an American rapper and occasional actor.Saigon is currently signed to Suburban Noize Records and Just Blaze's Fort Knocks Entertainment record label. After years of delay due to former record label interference, his album The Greatest...

, Remy Ma
Remy Ma
Reminisce Smith , better known by her stage name Remy Ma, formerly known as Remy Martin, is a Grammy nominated American rapper and former member of Fat Joe's rap crew, Terror Squad...

, and Rhymefest
Rhymefest
Che Smith , known by the stage name of Rhymefest, is an American hip hop artist from Chicago, Illinois whose first official album, Blue Collar, was released on July 11, 2006. He co-wrote Kanye West's "Jesus Walks", which won a Grammy at the 47th Grammy Awards. In October, 2010, Rhymefest announced...

 freestyling on a rooftop in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

. The freestyle was featured on The Dotted Lines mixtape.

Studio Albums

Year Title Chart positions
UK
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...

2006 This Is My Demo
This Is My Demo
This Is My Demo is the debut album from British rapper Sway DaSafo. It was released on 16 February 2006 and produced by Sway for Dcypha Productions. It consists mainly of R&B and British hip hop. The album was critically well-received and spent two weeks on the chart with a peak of number 78...

  • Released: 5 February 2006
  • Label: DCypha Production
  • Formats: CD, digital download
45
2008 The Signature LP
The Signature LP
The Signature LP is Sway DaSafo's second album, released on October 6, 2008. Most of the album was produced by Sway with his Dcypha Productions team; other producers included Louis Gibzen, Guy Katsav and Akon.-Background:...

  • Released: 5 October 2008
  • Label: DCypha Production
  • Formats: CD, digital download
  • 51
    2011 The Deliverance
  • Released: 2011
  • Label: DCypha Production, Konvict
    Konvict Muzik
    Kon Live Distribution is a record label founded by R&B singer Akon. It is his alternate R&B/Hip hop label.-Artists:*Colby O'Donis*Jeffree Star*Kardinal Offishall*Kat DeLuna*Lady Gaga*Natalia Kills*Brittian Scott*Ray Lavender- Discography :...

  • Formats: CD, digital download
  • TBA

    Mixtapes

    • This Is My Promo Vol. 1 (2004, DCypha)
    • This Is My Promo Vol. 2 (DCypha)
    • This Is My Rave (2006)
    • The Dotted Lines Mixtape (2007, DCypha)
    • One For the Journey (2007)
    • The Signature LP Mixtape (2008, DCypha)
    • The Delivery Mixtape (2010, DCypha)
    • The Delivery Mixtape 2 - Lost In Transit (2010, DCypha)
    • "Bring Me To Africa"

    Singles

    Year Single Peak chart positions Album
    UK
    UK Singles Chart
    The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...


    2006 "Little Derek
    Little Derek
    Little Derek was the second single to be released by UK hip hop artist Sway DaSafo from his debut album This Is My Demo. Released on 16 January 2006 on 12" and 7" vinyl and CD, it featured the British female rapper Baby Blue...

    " (Feat. Baby Blue
    Baby Blue (rapper)
    Baby Blue is an English rapper and singer . She is known for her work with singer Estelle and collaborations with John Legend, Madness, Sway, Shystie, Ms. Dynamite and Lady Sovereign...

    )
    38
    This Is My Demo
    This Is My Demo
    This Is My Demo is the debut album from British rapper Sway DaSafo. It was released on 16 February 2006 and produced by Sway for Dcypha Productions. It consists mainly of R&B and British hip hop. The album was critically well-received and spent two weeks on the chart with a peak of number 78...

    2008 "Saturday Night Hustle
    Saturday Night Hustle
    "Saturday Night Hustle" is the second single released from Sway's second album The Signature LP. It features R&B singer Lemar.The song was produced by Al Shux, who has worked with Sway before. The single was released on September 15, 2008...

    " (Feat. Lemar
    Lemar
    Lemar Obika , professionally known simply as Lemar, is an English recording artist. Obika has had a run of chart success in the UK, Europe and Australia...

    )
    67
    The Signature LP
    The Signature LP
    The Signature LP is Sway DaSafo's second album, released on October 6, 2008. Most of the album was produced by Sway with his Dcypha Productions team; other producers included Louis Gibzen, Guy Katsav and Akon.-Background:...

    2009 "Silver & Gold" (Feat. Akon
    Akon
    Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...

    )
    61
    "Mercedes Benz"
    53
    The Delivery Mixtape
    2010 "Pop A Bottle" (Feat. Donae'o
    Donae'o
    Ian Greenidge better known by his stage name Donae'o meaning Gift From God is an English singer and rapper of Ghanaian decent from north-west London. He is well-known for his single, "Party Hard".- Career :...

    )
    The Deliverance
    2011 "Still Speedin'"
    FR
    "—" denotes that the release failed to chart or was not released in that territory
    "FR" denotes that this is a Future Release

    As featured artist

    • 2005: "Harvey Nicks", The Mitchell Brothers
      The Mitchell Brothers
      The Mitchell Brothers are a Ghanaian British rap duo from London, England. They consist of cousins Owura Nyanin from Manor Park and Kofi Hanson from Stockwell...

       ft. Sway – UK
      UK Singles Chart
      The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

       #62
    • 2010: "Hurting"
      Hurting (song)
      "Hurting" is a song written and performed by Canadian singer Karl Wolf from his third studio album, Nightlife. A remix version of the song that features Sway, was released as the official single. It was a hit for him on the Canadian Hot 100 charts in 2010 making its debut on the chart dated on...

      , Karl Wolf
      Karl Wolf
      Carl Abou Samah is a Lebanese-born Canadian musician based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He is better known by his stage name Karl Wolf. He has been a singer, songwriter and producer since 2001, releasing his first solo album Face Behind the Face on MapleNationwide/Universal in January 2006,...

       ft. Sway – CAN
      Canadian Hot 100
      The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...

       #55
    • 2011 "Break the Chain", Lupe Fiasco
      Lupe Fiasco
      Wasalu Muhammad Jaco , better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco , is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, Lupe is the CEO of 1st and 15th Entertainment. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his critically acclaimed debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food...

       ft. Sway & Eric Turner
      Eric Turner (singer)
      Eric Turner is an American singer-songwriter who currently resides in Sweden. He is the lead singer in the band Street Fighting Man and is also a teacher.-Background:...

    • 2011 "This is The Life", Jamie King ft. Sway

    External links

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