Tion Wayne

British rapper and DJ Tion Wayne built his reputation on a swaggering, high-energy strain of U.K. drill laced with underground grime. Early mixtapes earned him attention, after which he landed two Top Ten U.K. singles: the 2019 collaboration “Keisha & Becky” with Russ Millions and 2020’s “I Dunno,” which featured Dutchavelli and Stormzy. His first studio album, Green with Envy, arrived in 2021 and peaked at number five on the U.K. albums chart.

Dennis Junior Odunwo, who performs as Tion Wayne, was raised in Edmonton, North London by Nigerian immigrant parents. He began attracting notice in 2010 after posting several videos to online platforms. From there he climbed steadily through the self-driven underground circuit, issuing his debut proper mixtape, Wayne’s World, in 2014. Continued promotion on social media and streaming services helped him cultivate a dedicated audience; by 2016 he was opening for U.S. rapper Rick Ross and Ghanaian hip-hop artist Sarkodie. That same year he dropped the follow-up mixtape Wayne’s World, Vol. 2, which included appearances by One Acen, Scorcher, and longtime associate Afro B. The Transition EP surfaced in 2017 alongside numerous U.K. live shows, among them a sold-out night at London’s Electric Ballroom.

Wayne made his first appearance on the U.K. singles chart in 2019 as a featured artist on NSG’s “Options.” Later that year he released Wayne’s World, Vol. 3 and soon added further Top Ten entries, including the Russ Millions duet “Keisha & Becky” and “I Dunno” with Dutchavelli and Stormzy. In 2021 he unveiled his debut studio album, Green with Envy, which climbed to number five in the U.K. on the strength of the single “Body,” again featuring Russ Millions.