Dave

About

Born David Orobosa Omoregie in Brixton and raised in Streatham, Dave (also known as Santan Dave) is a generational talent who transformed British rap into a medium for high-level social commentary and vulnerable storytelling. Inspired by his older brothers, Dave turned to the piano and lyricism as a refuge while his siblings served lengthy prison sentences—a trauma he eventually channeled into his debut EP, Six Paths (2016). His ascent was stratospheric. After catching the attention of Drake with the "Wanna Know" remix, Dave chose to remain independent, prioritizing a self-reliant path that allowed for scathing political critiques like "Question Time." His 2019 debut, Psychodrama, won both the Mercury Prize and the BRIT Award for Album of the Year, anchored by the heart-wrenching track "Black," a vivid portrait of the systemic prejudice and the complex identity of Black lives in Britain. By 2025, Dave cemented his legacy as the first British rap artist to debut three consecutive albums at #1. His third studio album, The Boy Who Played the Harp (2025), broke records with 15.17 million Spotify streams on its first day and featured collaborations with James Blake and Tems. Whether he is excoriating political leadership on a global stage or breaking chart records with melodic hits like "Sprinter" and "Starlight," Dave remains a "laureate of the streets," using his platform to bridge the gap between chart-topping success and uncomfortable, necessary truths.