Sway

Biography

Derek Andrew Safo (5 September 1982 – 17 September 2026), better known by his stage name Sway or Sway DaSafo, was a British rapper, record producer, actor and founder of Dcypha Productions.
In 2005, while unsigned, Sway won a MOBO Award for best hip hop artist. He released his debut album This Is My Demo×This Is My Demo6 February 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1This Is My Demo6:012Products3:313Hype Boys5:084Little Derek5:165Pretty Ugly Husband3:416Flo Fashion3:387Up Your Speed2:568Download4:439Loose Woose4:0910Sick World4:0311Still on My Own3:1112Back for You3:4413Slo Down4:4914Month in the Summer3:50 independently in February 2006, receiving a nomination for the Mercury Music Prize and reaching number 38 on the UK Singles Chart with the track "Little Derek". He later reached number 19 and 8 with the singles "Still Speedin'×Still Speedin'4 December 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Still Speedin' (radio edit)3:002Still Speedin' (radio edit)3:003Still Speedin' (Vato Gonzalez radio edit)3:044Still Speedin' (Vato Gonzalez vocal mix)5:505Still Speedin' (Doorly mix)6:406Still Speedin' (Kill the Noise mix)4:067Still Speedin' (Zane's Death Valley mix)3:39" and "Level Up×Level Up8 April 2011 · Album · RemixSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Level Up (radio edit)2:532Level Up (extended mix)3:293Level Up (Blame radio edit)3:194Level Up (Blame mix)5:035Level Up (Sigma Full vocal mix)4:506Level Up (Fake Blood mix)5:117Level Up (Sunship mix)4:308Level Up (Cahill mix)5:18", in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

Life and career

Derek Andrew Safo was born on 5 September 1982 in Accra, Ghana, and raised in Hornsey, North London by Ghanaian parents Beatrice and Alhaji. He attended Campsbourne Junior School and then Highgate Wood Secondary School, where he spent time learning music production.
Sway cofounded Dcypha Productions with DJ Turkish and 'Jr' Appiah. He then began writing and producing his first official solo releases, This Is My Promo volumes 1 and 2 in 2004.
He became the first unsigned rapper to win a MOBO Award prior to the release of an official album. He released his debut album This Is My Demo×This Is My Demo6 February 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1This Is My Demo6:012Products3:313Hype Boys5:084Little Derek5:165Pretty Ugly Husband3:416Flo Fashion3:387Up Your Speed2:568Download4:439Loose Woose4:0910Sick World4:0311Still on My Own3:1112Back for You3:4413Slo Down4:4914Month in the Summer3:50 independently. It received critical acclaim. and, despite a lack of mainstream radio support, sold over 50,000 copies within its first year of release.
The album yielded the Al Shux-produced UK top 40 single "Little Derek", was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and Sway became the first UK rapper to win a BET Hip Hop Award.
In 2008, Sway joined Akon's international Konvict Music label. Sway's second album The Signature LP×The Signature LP6 October 2008 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Fit 4 a King5:072Say It Twice4:023Saturday Night Hustle3:184Silver and Gold4:105F UR X3:146Jason Waste3:347Look After My Girl4:138Pray 4 Kaya4:299Walk Away4:3110Upload3:4511Stereo4:0012Letters to Heaven6:1213End of the Road4:4414Special Place4:5815Taxi3:0516My Kind of Girl4:28 was released in 2008 through Dcypha Productions. The album included production from Emile Haynie, The Nextmen, and Giorgio Tuinfort. This album was recognized for tracks such as "F UR X" which was a smash UK club record and the international door breaker "Silver & Gold×Silver & Gold2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Silver & Gold (radio edit)2Silver & Gold (Mr Katsav radio edit)3Silver & Gold (Future Freakz radio edit)4Silver & Gold (Mr Katsav club mix)5Silver & Gold (Future Freakz club mix)6Silver & Gold (Future Freakz dub mix)7Silver & Gold (original)8Silver & Gold (instrumental)" featuring Akon.
Sway collaborated with singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran. After overcoming some health issues, Sway decided it was time to release new music, and signed a singles deal with 3 Beat Records. Sway's first release on the label "Still Speedin'×Still Speedin'4 December 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Still Speedin' (radio edit)3:002Still Speedin' (radio edit)3:003Still Speedin' (Vato Gonzalez radio edit)3:044Still Speedin' (Vato Gonzalez vocal mix)5:505Still Speedin' (Doorly mix)6:406Still Speedin' (Kill the Noise mix)4:067Still Speedin' (Zane's Death Valley mix)3:39" was his first top 20 hit. The song was well received, and even received social media support from Nigel Mansell and Lewis Hamilton, who were both mentioned in the song.
He collaborated with many more artists, such as Mark Ronson and Childish Gambino to verses for Ghanaians Sarkodie and Edem. He was also the only other rapper to be featured on Lupe Fiasco's album "Lasers" released in 2011. Sway's next single "Level Up×Level Up8 April 2011 · Album · RemixSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Level Up (radio edit)2:532Level Up (extended mix)3:293Level Up (Blame radio edit)3:194Level Up (Blame mix)5:035Level Up (Sigma Full vocal mix)4:506Level Up (Fake Blood mix)5:117Level Up (Sunship mix)4:308Level Up (Cahill mix)5:18", written with Flux Pavilion, charted at number 8 on the UK Singles Chart.
In 2013, Sway signed Tiggs Da Author and KSI to Dcypha Productions. He featured both new artists on his EP Wake Up, which was his final release on 3beat records. The title track of the EP was produced by former Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe and the track 'Back Someday' featured vocals from Ed Sheeran. In July 2015, Dcypha Productions became an imprint of Island Records.
In the same year, Sway released a long-awaited third album entitled Deliverance×Deliverance24 July 2015 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Intro2:182Deliverance Song3:493Testimony3:574Stream It3:335Snap Shot4:116Blow It2:477Wanna Be2:378Teach Us3:129Crier4:5110The Sea3:5611Follow You3:2312Ain't Going Home4:0013Reign Dance3:5214Still Speedin' (remix)3:4215Level Up2:5316Next Chapter (Thank You)13:01, which he described as "an affirmation of my intentions". The album was released with no lead singles or videos, as Sway wanted it to serve its true purpose as "a project to be discovered".
Dcypha signed singer/songwriter Sam Garrett, battle rap champion Lunar C and British and Asian R&B star Arjun to its roster. Dcypha Productions parted ways with Island Records in 2017 and Sway decided to focus on building New Reign Productions whilst maintaining his role as executive producer for KSI and Tiggs Da Author. He later oversaw the signing of Tiggs to the newly formed Alacran music label and established KSI as an independent music artist by releasing his Space EP independently. 2017 also saw the birth of Sway's second child Ammar-Joseph. The birth of his sons inspired him to put together two new albums Songs From The Stash and Stories From The Safe dedicated to them and released in 2019.

Health and death

In 2010, Sway was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, which went into remission later that year.
Safo died at his home in Accra, Ghana, on 17 September 2026, at the age of 44.

Mixtapes

This Is My Promo Vol. 1 (2004, DCypha)
This Is My Promo Vol. 2 (DCypha)
This Is My Rave (2006)
The Dotted Lines Mixtape (2007, DCypha)
One for the Journey (2007)
The Signature LP Mixtape (2008, DCypha)
The Delivery Mixtape (2010, DCypha)
The Delivery Mixtape 2 – Lost in Transit (2010, DCypha)
Bring Me to Africa (2010, DCypha)

With the group One

Onederful World (2002, self-released) – DJ Amaes