British grime rapper and producer Dot Rotten, whose real name was Joseph Ellis-Stevenson, has died at the age of 37. His family confirmed the death to the BBC, and reports indicate he died in The Gambia.
Born and raised in south London, Ellis-Stevenson began producing music as a child and released his debut mixtape, 'This Is the Beginning', in 2007 while still a teenager. He became a key figure in the grime scene as a beat-maker, known for tracks such as 'Petrol Bomb' and 'Bazooka', and released seven volumes of his 'Rotten Riddims' series.
He was also an accomplished MC, engaging in combative tracks with peers including Wiley, P Money, JME and Stormzy. In 2011, he signed to Mercury Records and appeared on Ed Sheeran's 'No.5 Collaborations Project' EP and the charity single 'Teardrop' for Children in Need. He was nominated for the BBC's Sound of 2012 poll and later that year released his only solo Top 20 hit, 'Overload'.
After his debut album under Mercury was not a commercial success, Ellis-Stevenson left the label, changed his stage name to Zeph Ellis, and focused on production. His instrumental 'XCXD BXMB' was used by Kano for 'Garage Skank', and he co-produced 'I See You Shining' for Nines, which reached the Top 40.
Tributes have been paid by fellow artists, including Lady Leshurr, who wrote: 'My jaw just dropped … rest in perfect peace Dot Rotten, we’ve lost another GOAT.'
