Skepta

Joseph Junior Adenuga, born on 19 September 1982 and professionally known as Skepta, is a British grime MC and producer with Nigerian roots. He is renowned for co-founding the notable grime collective and label Boy Better Know with his brother Jme.

Skepta's early career started as a DJ, affiliating with the North London grime group Meridian Crew. During this time, he was also producing, gaining initial recognition with the release of the “Pulse Eskimo” (also known as “Gun Shot Riddim”) dubplate in 2002, a mashup of Wiley’s “Eskimo” and Youngstar’s “Pulse X” — two tracks regarded as pioneering grime songs.

Legal troubles led to Skepta's DJ records being confiscated by police, prompting Wiley to encourage him to become an MC instead. After the disbandment of Meridian Crew in 2005, Skepta briefly joined Wiley’s crew Roll Deep before creating Boy Better Know (BBK) with Jme in 2006.

Skepta established himself as an MC with his debut album, Greatest Hits, in 2007, followed by five projects (two albums and three mixtapes) within four years.

Staying low-profile for three years, Skepta re-entered the scene with a goal of global prominence, achieved through his fourth album's (Konnichiwa) lead track, “Shutdown”, endorsements from Drake, and collaborations with American artists. The album debuted at number two in the UK Albums Chart and won the Mercury Prize in 2016.

In May 2019, Skepta dropped his fifth album, Ignorance is Bliss, showcasing both emerging British talent like Lancey Foux and established UK artists such as J Hus and Nafe Smallz. His daughter, River, born during the album's production, is featured on its cover and mentioned in “Bullet from a Gun”.

Throughout his career, Skepta has been involved in feuds with prominent grime figures such as Wiley and Devilman.