British rapper Ben Chijioke, who performed under the moniker Ty, has died from pneumonia following complications from COVID-19. He was 47-years-old. As The Guardian reports, the news comes a month after Chijoke was admitted to the hospital and a fundraiser was created in his name to help cover medical bills and other expenses.
Chijoke was born in 1972 in London to Nigerian immigrant parents. Before his start in music, he worked extensively with the Ghetto Grammar spoken word and poetry workshop in 1995. In 2001 he made his proper debut with his album Awkward. However, his biggest breakthrough came in 2003 with his sophomore album Upwards, earning him a nomination for the esteemed Mercury Prize in 2004.
Future releases found Chijoke collaborating with numerous notable names in the music industry, performing on tracks with De La Soul, Taylor McFerrin, Roots Manuva, Speech of Arrested Development, as well as the late Tony Allen and more. He’d release what would be his final solo album A Work of Heart in 2018. In 2019 he formed the supergroup KingDem alongside fellow UK rappers Blak Twang and Rodney P and releasing a self-titled EP the same year.
Join us in remembering Chijoke’s life and work by revisiting some of his music below.
