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Dean Blunt

Dean Blunt
Birth nameRoy Chukwuemeka Nnawuchi[1]
Born1984 (Age 40)
OriginLondon
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • musician
  • record producer
  • contemporary artist
Labels

Roy Chukwuemeka Nnawuchi (born 1984), better known by his pseudonym Dean Blunt, is a British singer-songwriter, musician, producer and contemporary artist. He is best known for his current solo work as well as his previous work as part of avant-garde duo Hype Williams (with Inga Copeland), and more recently, the hip hop group Babyfather. Blunt was also the founder of London rock band Graffiti Island.[6] He has been described as "a prolific, category-rejecting artist"[7] and "an art-pop provocateur."[2]

Early life

Although little is known about his personal life, Blunt has said he comes from a London family that he describes as "Sun readers, working class, kind of ignorant in ways".[8]

Music career

Blunt performed music with Russian-born artist Inga Copeland (also known as Lolina) as the electronic duo Hype Williams from 2007 until 2012. Supposedly founded in 2005 as a "relay" project passed between artists every five years, the group has given few interviews, leaving music journalists and the media in doubt as to the exact nature of the project.[9][10] The group's lineup has remained obscure, although Blunt's artistic style has been heard within newer releases, and a variety of other names have also been invoked as members. A mysterious representative named Denna Frances Glass has alternately been posited as either the manager of the project or a fake identity created by Blunt and Copeland.[9][10] In 2016, Glass announced that Blunt and Copeland were no longer part of the project, which would be continuing with other members.[11]

Blunt embarked his solo career in 2011, releasing a set of albums as well as several EPs and singles. His first few full-length studio albums, The Narcissist II (2012), The Redeemer (2013), and Black Metal (2014), received attention and praise from various music publications.[12][13] BBF Hosted By DJ Escrow, his first album as Babyfather, was named the best album of 2016 by Tiny Mix Tapes and Resident Advisor.[citation needed]

In 2018, Blunt contributed heavily to ASAP Rocky's album Testing, with production and writing credits on "Purity" and "Gunz N Butter" and additional vocals on "Calldrops". Blunt's work on the album followed collaborative singles between the two artists prior, such as the Babyfather track "Benzo Amore".[14] The pair have since collaborated on multiple recordings.[15][16][17]

In 2024, the collaborative album Backstage Raver was released with longtime collaborator Joanne Robertson.

On January 1st, 2025, Blunt would release "lucre", a collaborative EP with Iceage lead singer Elias Rønnenfelt and producer Vegyn.

Other artistic work

Blunt has directed music videos for Actress and Panda Bear.[18][19]

He has produced theatre works including The Narcissist at HAU1 in Berlin in 2012; Lord Knows at Le Romandie in Lausanne in 2013; and I’m Just Passin Thru To Show Some Love in 2013 and Urban in 2014, both at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London.[20] In October 2017, Blunt also debuted Inna, an opera directed by himself with music from Mica Levi, at the same institute.[21]

Blunt has put on a number of art exhibitions, including New Paintings at the Triangle and W44VY at Arcadia Missa.[22][23] He has also published a book compiling "excessive expenses made in the most popular VIP clubs in the hip hop scene", entitled Cîroc Boyz: Vol 1.

Personal life

Blunt is known for his playfulness and obfuscation. In 2015, he sent his bodyguard to accept his Philip Hall Radar Award at the NME Awards.[24] In 2016, he listed a toy Foxtons estate agents Mini Cooper with a splatter of pink paint filled with marijuana on eBay for £250.[25] At a New York concert, in March 2016, media guests were asked to check in under aliases that they had received with their ticket confirmations.[26]

Blunt practices Transcendental Meditation and is a vocal proponent of it.[27]

Discography

Solo

  • Jill Scott Herring OST (2011)
  • The Narcissist (mixtape) (2011)
  • The Narcissist II (mixtape) (2012)
  • The Redeemer (2013)
  • Каменный Остров (Stone Island) (mixtape; released as Дин Блант) (2013)
  • Skin Fade (mixtape) (2014)
  • Black Metal (2014)
  • Babyfather (mixtape) (2015)
  • Soul on Fire (mixtape) (2018)
  • ZUSHI (mixtape) (2019)
  • Roaches 2012–2019 (compilation) (2020)
  • Black Metal 2 (2021)
  • give me a moment (EP) (2023)
  • Hackney Commercial Waste (2024)

As part of Babyfather

  • UK2UK (mixtape) (2015)
  • Platinum Tears (mixtape) (2016)
  • BBF Hosted By DJ Escrow (2016)
  • 419 (mixtape) (2016)
  • Cypher (mixtape) (2017)
  • AUG Freestyle / MANNA (single) (2020)
  • 1471 (single) (2022)
  • Sleep It Off (single) (2023)
  • bluey vuitton (single) (2024)
  • teddy boi freestyle (single) (2024)

Other

  • The Attitude Era (compilation album of unreleased tracks with Inga Copeland) (2012)
  • Black Is Beautiful (with Inga Copeland) (2012)
  • Wahalla (with Joanne Robertson) (2017)
  • Hotep (as part of Blue Iverson) (2017)
  • Muggy Vol.1 (producer of a compilation on Dean Blunt's World Music imprint) (2018)
  • Desert Sessions (with Delroy Edwards) (2018)
  • Backstage Raver (with Joanne Robertson) (2024)
  • lucre (EP) (with Elias B. Rønnenfelt & Vegyn) (2025)

As part of Hype Williams

Main article: Hype Williams (band)

Awards

Year Organisation Award Result
2015 NME Award Philip Hall Radar Award [Best New Act][24] Winner

References

  1. ^ "AMIR (VOC MIX)". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  2. ^ a b Joyce, Colin (20 October 2015). "Dean Blunt Goes on a Trip for 'On Wine, Hashish & Molly' Version of Archangel's 'Julia'". Spin. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  3. ^ Scott Barron, Michael (18 February 2016). "Dean Blunt's Babyfather Project Announced an Album with the Most Incredible Art – Thump". Vice. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  4. ^ Laderman, David; Westrup, Laurel (2014). Sampling Media. OPU USA. p. 109.
  5. ^ "Dean Blunt Goes Hip-Hop with Arca on Babyfather LP". electronicbeats.net. 31 March 2016.
  6. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (5 April 2012). "Hype Williams: do they ever speak the truth?". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  7. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Dean Blunt". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  8. ^ Blanning, Lisa. "Hype Williams transcript". The Wire Magazine.
  9. ^ a b "FACT mix 216: Hype Williams". Fact. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  10. ^ a b Gibb, Rory. "In Search of Hype Williams". The Quietus. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  11. ^ Brito, Kristian (11 August 2016). "Hype Williams' new album out now; Dean Blunt & Inga Copeland touring separately". Brooklyn Vegan. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  12. ^ Milton, Jamie (6 November 2014). "Dean Blunt – Black Metal". DIY. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  13. ^ Joyce, Colin (17 November 2014). "Dean Blunt: Black Metal". Pitchfork. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  14. ^ "Dean Blunt appears on three tracks from A$AP Rocky's new album, Testing · News ⟋ RA". Resident Advisor.
  15. ^ "Dean Blunt and A$AP Rocky Collaboration "Stoozy" Surfaces Online". Flood.
  16. ^ "A$AP Rocky and Yung Lean appear on Dean Blunt's new album". The Fader.
  17. ^ "Dean Blunt Drops New EP Featuring ASAP Rocky and Mica Levi: Listen". Pitchfork. 19 September 2018.
  18. ^ "Panda Bear Shares Dean Blunt-Directed Video for "Token" | Exclaim!".
  19. ^ "Watch Actress's Video For "Falling Rizlas," Directed By Dean Blunt". The Fader.
  20. ^ "Dean Blunt & Mica Levi — 'INNA'". www.vooruit.be.
  21. ^ "Inna". www.ica.art. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  22. ^ "BLUNTLY SPEAKING Harry Burke on Dean Blunt at Arcadia Missa, London". textezurkunst.de.
  23. ^ "Dean Blunt: New Paintings – [ SPACE ]". spacestudios.org.uk.
  24. ^ a b Zadeh, Joe (19 February 2015). "Dean Blunt Pranked the NME Awards Last Night – Noisey". Vice. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  25. ^ Monroe, Jazz (14 January 2016). "Dean Blunt Is Selling a Toy Car Stuffed With Weed on eBay". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  26. ^ Trammell, Matthew (19 September 2016). "Dean Blunt's Agit Rap". The New Yorker. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  27. ^ "Dean blunt talks art, transcendental meditation, and how atlanta could be a paradise". I-D. 22 February 2016.
Quelle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Blunt