About Sway

In 2004, 22 year old Derek Safo (aka Sway) devised a master plan for success in setting up his label, Dcypha Productions, as the outlet for his initial trilogy of mix-tape releases; This Is My Promo, Volume 1 and Volume 2, and This Is My Demo. The aim of this initial hat-trick of records was to express and establish himself as an artist independently before signing a publishing or recording deal. The self-released mixtapes grew bigger and more successful than Sway ever imagined captivating fans, media and the music industry alike. A rash of awards quickly followed: Sway walked away with Best Newcomer at the Urban Music Awards; Best of British from the Channel U Award and – most memorably – Best Hip-Hop Artist at the MOBOs despite still being unsigned, having not yet released an album, and going up against global rap heavyweights 50 Cent and The Game. By the close of 2005 all eyes were on Sway.

Sway’s follow up to his self-released mixtapes, This Is My Demo, had become one of the most eagerly anticipated releases of 2006. A triumphant and truly British cross-pollination of influences, the record lived up to expectations drawing upon a broad range of musical styles including hip-hop, grime, soul and pop creating a sound to match it’s lyrical originality and the freshness. Sway produced half of the 14 tracks himself, proving his enthusiasm for production, as well as his natural abilities in the vocal booth. The witty flows and distinctive rhymes cover subjects as diverse as credit card debt, Flo Fashion; downloading music, Download; a child’s imagination Sick World; and city living, Products. The autobiographical Little Derek details how the North Londoner “ended up in HMV, instead of HMP” earning a top 40 chart position when released as a single – an amazing achievement, especially considering Sway’s unsigned status. Sway’s This Is My Demo debut album has increasingly become considered as a landmark moment for British “urban” and hip-hop music, and caused widespread acclaim, with one quality newspaper describing it as; “not just the best British rap albums in years, but simply the best rap album in years, full stop.” The record received further mainstream endorsement in 2006 when it was selected as one of the Mercury Music Prize’s ‘Albums Of The Year’ – one of the most respected accolades in UK music which honours only 12 albums a year.

Since This Is My Demo’s release, Sway’s world has been an accelerating blur of activity, with highlights including sell out tours; televised performances broadcast to audiences across the country live from the MOBO and Mercury Prize ceremonies; and collaborations with chart topper Craig David, rising US hip-hop star Lupe Fiasco, RnB princess Jamelia, rising US star Chamillionaire, and sharing stages with The Streets and Hard Fi on their headline tours. The ripples of attention generated by Sway’s impact have now also crossed the Atlantic reaching the shores of America. Sway was confirmed as the winner of a coveted BET [Black Entertainment Television] Award with the public voting for Sway.As well as traveling out to Atlanta to receive the award, Sway’s performance was broadcast internationally to an audience of millions as part of the ceremony in November 2007. In other US related endeavours, Sway has forged strong links with Akon and his Konvict Muzik family - a relationship which promises to produce collaborations and further projects between the two.

Fast forward to the present day and we find Sway stood on the cusp of his much-anticipated second album release, The Signature LP and reflects his conviction that this is his most personal and definitive work to date. The Signature LP sees Sway surpassing the sky high standards set by his electrifying mixtapes and Mercury-nominated This Is My Demo debut with his most exciting and accomplished offering yet. This scorching second album – encompassing a 22 piece orchestra, several live musicians and guest appearances from Lemar, Sting’s daughter Coco, Akon and more – shows Sway’s progression and growth as an artist, fuelled by his tireless ongoing mission to creatively reach higher than ever before. Sway’s signature style of witty-wordplay delivered via a razor-sharp flow is present throughout, as are the lyrical role-playing performances and rib-tickling showmanship fans and followers have come to expect. However, much of the record is born out of the tougher times leading up to its release – consequently Sway explores deeper darker waters, and The Signature LP is dedicated to the memory of the loved ones who passed away during it’s creation.

The Saturday Night Hustle single featuring stellar RnB artist Lemar is released on 15th September, Sway then signs in with his sizzling second album, The Signature LP, on 29th September. Sway recently collaborated with the Kaiser Chief’s on their third studio album due October ’08 alongside only one other featured artist to appear on the album, Lily allen. More collaborations, further single releases and live dates are planned for 2008 and 2009.