Dizzee Rascal

Dizzee Rascal stands as the most celebrated and pivotal figure tied to London's grime movement while counting among Britain's most triumphant rap artists across decades. His debut full-length Boy in da Corner from 2003 earned widespread critical acclaim after emerging when the inventive MC and beatmaker had reached just 18 years old, secured the U.K.'s distinguished Mercury Prize, and still defines the essential grime album to date. International recognition followed swiftly as he collaborated with figures including Calvin Harris, Arctic Monkeys, and Shakira while securing four U.K. number one singles from his 2009 dance-leaning fourth album Tongue N' Cheek. The subsequent chart-oriented 2013 project The Fifth included successful joint efforts with will.i.am and Robbie Williams. Later returns to his foundational grime aesthetic appeared on releases such as Raskit in 2017 and Don't Take It Personal in 2024.

Dylan Mills entered the world in East London council housing as an only child raised solely by his mother. Academic struggles marked his youth, resulting in expulsions from multiple institutions frequently triggered by clashes with educators. Outside school hours further incidents arose through thefts targeting pizza deliverers and unauthorized vehicle takings. A single music lesson offered refuge and redirected his path. Backed by his teacher he started crafting original productions on a school computer, generating raw and unconventional beats to support his MC performances after determining standard garage instrumentals mismatched his vocal approach. Drawing inspiration from several respected American rappers Mills honed songwriting that grew steadily more reflective, blending familiar boasts with personal experiences and emotional states in ways few MCs from any origin had previously explored.

Recording the underground white-label track "I Luv U" coincided with his initial recognition inside the U.K. garage circuit through membership in Roll Deep Crew. Together with crew mates and additional collectives and MCs they shaped a harsher more jagged evolution from smoother R&B-tinged garage that later received the grime label. "I Luv U" emerged as a foundational grime release and cleared the path for the first album Boy in da Corner which drew consistent praise upon its July 2003 launch. Shortly before street date an assault in Cyprus resort Ayia Napa left Mills stabbed multiple times an event some initially dismissed as publicity yet he recovered fully claimed the 2003 Mercury Prize months afterward appeared on Basement Jaxx's Kish Kash and witnessed a U.S. rollout in January 2004. Domestic awareness grew gradually with dance and hip-hop enthusiasts often embracing the project while others remained puzzled by surrounding attention.

Showtime arrived in September 2004 marking his first U.K. Top Ten entry. Maths + English from 2007 expanded the sonic range and featured guest spots from UGK Alex Turner and Lily Allen. In the interval between those projects he established the emerging Dirtee Stank label aimed at developing newer artists. Tongue N' Cheek returned in 2009 delivering U.K. number one singles "Bonkers" alongside Armand Van Helden "Dance wiv Me" with Calvin Harris "Holiday" and "Dirtee Disco." The following year brought a Brit Award for Best British Male Artist plus entry onto the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 through the Shakira collaboration "Loca." Jessie Ware Robbie Williams will.i.am and additional contributors appeared on the more pop-oriented 2013 album The Fifth which carried the single "Superman."

A quieter stretch followed until 2016 when longtime associate Wiley publicly detailed events from the earlier Ayia Napa incident attributing partial responsibility for the stabbing to his own conduct and thereby returning Mills to public scrutiny. Attention refocused on music by summer 2017 with the release of single "Space" and announcement of the first album in four years. Sixth studio effort Raskit emerged that summer via Dirtee Stank Recordings and Island Records emphasizing a hardcore aesthetic reminiscent of Boy in da Corner in deliberate contrast to prior pop-leaning works. 2018 single "Money Right" paired him with Skepta while parent EP Don't Gas Me incorporated jungle and bassline house elements. After guesting on Big Tobz's 2020 track "Smoke" further collaborations included Smoke Boys on "Act Like You Know" and Chip on "L.L.L.L. (Love Life Live Large)" both featured on seventh album E3 AF referencing the East London postal district of his upbringing.

Further appearances arrived on Silencer's 2022 cut "Grime Ain't Dead" and Frisco's "High Road" featuring P Money. A twentieth-anniversary edition of Boy in da Corner containing rare previously unreleased material and instrumentals surfaced in 2023. Garage single "Sugar and Spice" featuring iLL BLU preceded additional tracks with BackRoad Gee Jme and D Double E. Eighth album Don't Take It Personal marking his first project on Big Dirte3 imprint arrived in 2024.