British-Ghanaian rapper Sway DaSafo dies aged 44

Pinned summary · as of 17:00

Sway DaSafo, the British-Ghanaian rapper and producer who won a MOBO Award in 2005, has died at the age of 44. Fans and fellow musicians in the UK and Ghana have honoured him, while no reason for his death has been given publicly.

What we know

• Sway DaSafo, a rapper and producer of Ghanaian heritage raised in the UK, died aged 44.
• He was born in North London to Ghanaian parents.
• In 2005 he won the hip-hop category at the MOBO Awards.
• No cause of death has been disclosed so far.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  The Press Radio reported that the MOBO Awards and a close friend confirmed the death. The Vaultz News added that the announcement came on Thursday, 17 September 2026, and that he died at his home in Ghana; this detail is not in the other reports.
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  Nkonkonsa reported that admirers and other musicians in Britain and Ghana honoured him once word spread. The Vaultz News named Giggs, Wretch 32 and Lupe Fiasco among those who praised his talent, but the tributes have not been reported by other publications.
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  The Press Radio said he was born Derek Andrew Safo on 5 September 1982, and won the 2005 MOBO award reportedly while unsigned. The Vaultz News called him the first unsigned act to win that category, ahead of American rivals including 50 Cent and The Game.
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  The Press Radio reported that his 2006 album This Is My Demo was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize. The Vaultz News said it was released independently through his Dcypha Productions label and that its single Little Derek reached the UK Top 30.
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  Nkonkonsa reported that he put out Black Stars in 2008, a song honouring notable Ghanaians abroad, and that he worked with Sarkodie and Jayso on Lay Away, which appears on Sarkodie's 2009 debut album Makye. Other reports did not mention these releases.
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  The Press Radio listed Ed Sheeran, Akon, Kano and Riz Ahmed among his collaborators. The Vaultz News named Lupe Fiasco, Akon, Sarkodie and KSI, and said he appeared in two early episodes of the Netflix series Top Boy.
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  The Press Radio and The Vaultz News said he helped develop other artists through Dcypha Productions; The Vaultz News named South London artist Tiggs Da Author.
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  The Press Radio reported that he leaves four children. The Vaultz News quoted a friend, Kream, as saying he leaves two sons and two daughters, and said details of his marital status were not fully clear in early reports.
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  The Vaultz News reported that, as of 18 September 2026, relatives and friends had released no details about funeral plans, and that those around him requested privacy for his family.

Why it matters for Ghana

Sway DaSafo was a link between the UK hip-hop scene and Ghana's music community, and his work reached audiences in both countries. His death matters to fans in London, Accra and across the diaspora, and to artists who worked with him. Families and supporters will be waiting for information from those close to him.