Derek Andrew Safo (5 September 1982 – 17 September 2026, died aged 44)
Sway had a huge impact on me growing up.
Hip Hop and rap comes from, and often celebrates a world of violence and crime, especially in the early 2000s. Sway was different. His message was positive. His lyrics were amazing. Sway didn’t focus on profanity. It was noticeably absent from his music. He also didn’t make lazy references to bling, women, crime and gangs that is heard in so many hip hop songs from then until today. I make this point not to knock hip hop – it’s the genre I love. I make the point to showcase Sway’s uniqueness.
Sway, whose Ghanaian heritage is undeniable, was a proud ambassador of the UK. I’ll always picture the image of Sway with his Union Jack bandana. He relentlessly campaigned for UK rap in a US dominated industry. All the while, he stayed true to himself.
I always felt that Sway was incredibly talented and yet immensely underrated. Perhaps now is the time that his talent will be truly recognised and appreciated.
I share the love of Sway’s music with my sister. I taught her the lyrics to ‘say it twice’ and we still sing it today.
I’m grateful to have seen Sway perform live and even meet him after. I’ll continue to listen to his message.
Thank you, Sway 🇬🇧 🎵 🇬🇭
Leave a comment