London rapper Sway DaSafo dies aged 44

Sway DaSafo, the award-winning British-Ghanaian rap artist, has died at the age of 44. His death was confirmed to the BBC by a friend, Kash Ahmad, who stated the musician died at his home in Ghana. No cause of death has been announced.

Born Derek Andrew Safo in London, his mother was on a stop-over between Amsterdam and her native Ghana. After a short period in Ghana, he was raised in north London, developing his musical talent on pirate radio stations. He credited BBC Radio 1Xtra with giving him his first significant opportunity in 2002.

Independent success and cancer battle

Emerging during the early grime scene, Sway distinguished himself with a literate and witty lyrical style. He maintained an independent career, releasing music through his own label and selling mixtapes directly. In 2005, he won best hip-hop act at the Mobo Awards, defeating established American artists. His debut album, This Is My Demo, released in 2006, included the top 40 single 'Little Derek'.

In 2010, DaSafo was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. He underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy, entering remission later that year. Following his recovery, he released successful tracks such as 'Still Speedin'' and 'Level Up' in 2012, the latter featuring Kano. He continued to release albums and collaborate with artists including Mark Ronson and Ed Sheeran.

Beyond his own music, Sway DaSafo also worked as a producer and label owner, signing and developing artists like Tiggs Da Author and KSI. He also had a brief acting career, appearing in the crime drama Top Boy and the 2012 film The Grind.

He is survived by two sons, Jalil and Ammar-Joseph, and twin daughters, Queen-Inaya and Queen-Imara. His friend Kash Ahmad told BBC News that DaSafo was raising his children as a single parent in Ghana at the time of his death.