British rapper Sway DaSafo has died at the age of 44, prompting an emotional tribute from KSI, who described him as a “father figure.” Sway, whose real name was Derek Safo, died at his home in Ghana.
His cause of death has not been revealed.
The news was announced by the MOBO Awards, an organisation with which Sway shared quite a history.
Back in 2005, he was a relatively unknown and unsigned rapper when he found himself competing against 50 Cent and The Game for Best Hip-Hop Act and Sway won.
It was a huge moment for the North London rapper, particularly as his debut album had not even come out yet. This Is My Demo was released the following year and went on to be shortlisted for the Mercury Prize.
The YouTube star KSI said Sway was one of the people who took him seriously when he first tried to move into music, at a time when plenty of others didn’t.
“You believed in me when many didn’t. You gave me a chance when many didn’t,” KSI wrote in his tribute.
He recalled spending time at Sway’s studio in London and turning to the rapper for advice as he tried to find his feet in the music industry.
KSI said Sway became “like a father figure” to him, adding: “This one hurts a lot.”
Sway was born in London to Ghanaian parents and became one of the notable names to emerge from Britain’s rap scene during the 2000s.
His career later took him well beyond his early MOBO success. He worked with the likes of Ed Sheeran and Akon and also appeared in Top Boy.
