Here's What You Need to Know About British Rapper Skepta

Published on 10/10/2019 at 3:35 PM

Rumors have been swirling about recently divorced Adele dating British grime rapper Skepta, and it's time the rest of the world got to know Skepta better — Adele or no Adele. While hardcore fans of the songstress — and of the rap scene, as well — have been hearing Skepta's name for a hot minute, everyone has been dying to find out more info about the rapper, who hails from Tottenham, England (the same hometown as Adele). So, who exactly is Skepta? What's his backstory? What is his place in grime music? And what is his history with Adele (because they DO have history)? Read on to find out.

Skepta Is One of the Biggest Names in Grime

Grime music is the intersection of EDM and rap. In 2016, Skepta (real name: Joseph Junior Adenuga, Jr.) won the prestigious Mercury Prize for album of the year for his record Konnichiwa and scored the NME Award title of best British male artist just a year later.

Skepta Has Been a Huge Fan of Adele For Years

Before the two were friends, Skepta tweeted in 2011: "I don't think there'll EVER be a day that I watch Adele perform 'Someone Like You' live and not get goosebumps." He repeatedly shared his love for the song (and the singer herself) via Twitter that year.

In Fact, He Was Going to Quit Music — Until Adele Posted This

According to Skepta, "She gassed me up. One day I was just chilling and she [posted] a picture that said 'Tottenham boy' and she's from Tottenham as well," he told IBTimes UK. "I was actually going to quit music that day, that was one of the sickest things ever."

Since then, the two became friends. "Adele texts me all the time and keeps me in check," the rapper told ES Magazine in 2016. "She speaks to me about how things are going."

Skepta and Drake Are Close Friends and Collaborators

In February 2015, Drake announced during a concert that he was signed to Skepta's Boy Better Know label, which Skepta later confirmed in an interview with TimeOut. Drake even has a tattoo representing BBK — and in turn, Skepta has OVO-themed ink as well.

He's Worked With Nike For Multiple Sneaker Collabs

His latest collab with the sneaker brand — Skepta x Nike Shox TL — just dropped in September 2019. Skepta also has his own clothing brand, Mains. Peep him wearing the sneaks in this Instagram post.

Skepta Has a Baby Girl, River

River was born in November 2018, and the proud dad has posted about her several times, including a now-deleted Insta of him feeding her.