Dean Blunt

Last updated

Dean Blunt
Birth nameRoy Chukwuemeka Nnawuchi [1]
Origin Hackney, London [2]
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer-songwriter
  • musician
  • record producer
  • contemporary artist
Labels

Roy Chukwuemeka Nnawuchi, better known by his pseudonym Dean Blunt, is a British singer-songwriter, musician, producer and contemporary artist. He is best known for his current solo work as well as his previous work as part of avant-garde duo Hype Williams (with Inga Copeland), and more recently, the hip hop group Babyfather. Blunt was also the founder of London rock band Graffiti Island. [2] [7] He has been described as "a prolific, category-rejecting artist" [2] and "an art-pop provocateur." [3]

Contents

Life and career

Although little is known about his personal life, Blunt has said he comes from a London family that he describes as "Sun readers, working class, kind of ignorant in ways". [8]

Blunt performed music with Russian-born artist Inga Copeland (also known as Lolina) as the electronic duo Hype Williams from 2007 until 2012. Supposedly founded in 2005 as a "relay" project passed between artists every five years, the group has given few interviews, leaving music journalists and the media in doubt as to the exact nature of the project. [9] [10] The group's lineup has remained obscure, although Blunt's artistic style has been heard within newer releases, and a variety of other names have also been invoked as members. A mysterious representative named Denna Frances Glass has alternately been posited as either the manager of the project or a fake identity created by Blunt and Copeland. [9] [10] In 2016, Glass announced that Blunt and Copeland were no longer part of the project, which would be continuing with other members. [11]

Blunt embarked his solo career in 2011, releasing a set of albums as well as several EPs and singles. His first few full-length studio albums, The Narcissist II (2012), The Redeemer (2013), and Black Metal (2014), received attention and praise from various music publications. [2] [12] [13] BBF Hosted By DJ Escrow, his first album as Babyfather, was named the best album of 2016 by Tiny Mix Tapes and Resident Advisor .

In 2018, Blunt contributed heavily to ASAP Rocky's album Testing , with production and writing credits on "Purity" and "Gunz N Butter" and additional vocals on "Calldrops". Blunt's work on the album followed collaborative singles between the two artists prior, such as the Babyfather track "Benzo Amore". [14] The pair have since collaborated on multiple recordings. [15] [16] [17]

Blunt is also known for his playfulness and obfuscation. In 2015, he sent his bodyguard to accept his Philip Hall Radar Award at the NME Awards. [18] In 2016, he listed a toy Foxtons estate agents Mini Cooper with a splatter of pink paint filled with marijuana on eBay for £250. [19] At a New York concert, in March 2016, media guests were asked to check in under aliases that they had received with their ticket confirmations. [20]

Blunt has directed music videos for Actress and Panda Bear. [21] [22]

Blunt has produced theatre works including The Narcissist at HAU1 in Berlin in 2012; Lord Knows at Le Romandie in Lausanne in 2013; and I’m Just Passin Thru To Show Some Love in 2013 and Urban in 2014, both at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. [23] In October 2017, Blunt also debuted Inna, an opera directed by himself with music from Mica Levi, at the same institute. [24]

Blunt has put on a number of art exhibitions, including New Paintings at the Triangle and W44VY at Arcadia Missa. [25] [26] He has also published a book compiling "excessive expenses made in the most popular VIP clubs in the hip hop scene", entitled Cîroc Boyz: Vol 1.

Blunt practises Transcendental Meditation and is a vocal proponent of it. [27] In a 2016 interview with i-D, he said: "Transcendental Meditation is an effortless practice that brings a lot. Pareto. The hardest thing to remember is how simple it is. Focusing too much on the mantra defeats the objective." [28]

Discography

Solo

As Part of Babyfather

Other

As part of Hype Williams

Awards and nominations

YearOrganisationAwardResult
2015NME AwardPhilip Hall Radar Award [Best New Act] [18] Winner

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References

  1. ↑ "AMIR (VOC MIX)". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Kellman, Andy. "Dean Blunt". AllMusic . Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  3. 1 2 Joyce, Colin (20 October 2015). "Dean Blunt Goes on a Trip for 'On Wine, Hashish & Molly' Version of Archangel's 'Julia'". Spin . Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  4. ↑ Scott Barron, Michael (18 February 2016). "Dean Blunt's Babyfather Project Announced an Album with the Most Incredible Art – Thump". Vice. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  5. ↑ David Laderman, Laurel Westrup (2014). Sampling Media. OPU USA. p. 109.
  6. ↑ "Dean Blunt Goes Hip-Hop with Arca on Babyfather LP". 31 March 2016.
  7. ↑ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (5 April 2012). "Hype Williams: do they ever speak the truth?". The Guardian . Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  8. ↑ Blanning, Lisa. "Hype Williams transcript – The Wire". The Wire Magazine – Adventures In Modern Music.
  9. 1 2 "FACT mix 216: Hype Williams". Fact . 24 January 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  10. 1 2 Gibb, Rory. "In Search of Hype Williams". The Quietus . Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  11. ↑ Brito, Kristian (11 August 2016). "Hype Williams' new album out now; Dean Blunt & Inga Copeland touring separately". Brooklyn Vegan . Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  12. ↑ Milton, Jamie (6 November 2014). "Dean Blunt – Black Metal". DIY . Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  13. ↑ Joyce, Colin (17 November 2014). "Dean Blunt: Black Metal". Pitchfork. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  14. ↑ "Dean Blunt appears on three tracks from A$AP Rocky's new album, Testing · News ⟋ RA". Resident Advisor.
  15. ↑ "Dean Blunt and A$AP Rocky Collaboration "Stoozy" Surfaces Online". FLOOD.
  16. ↑ "A$AP Rocky and Yung Lean appear on Dean Blunt's new album". The FADER.
  17. ↑ "Dean Blunt Drops New EP Featuring ASAP Rocky and Mica Levi: Listen". Pitchfork. 19 September 2018.
  18. 1 2 Zadeh, Joe (19 February 2015). "Dean Blunt Pranked the NME Awards Last Night – Noisey". Vice. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  19. ↑ Monroe, Jazz (14 January 2016). "Dean Blunt Is Selling a Toy Car Stuffed With Weed on eBay". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  20. ↑ Trammell, Matthew (19 September 2016). "Dean Blunt's Agit Rap". The New Yorker . Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  21. ↑ "Panda Bear Shares Dean Blunt-Directed Video for "Token" | Exclaim!".
  22. ↑ "Watch Actress's Video For "Falling Rizlas," Directed By Dean Blunt". The FADER.
  23. ↑ "Dean Blunt & Mica Levi — 'INNA'". www.vooruit.be.
  24. ↑ "Inna". www.ica.art. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  25. ↑ "BLUNTLY SPEAKING Harry Burke on Dean Blunt at Arcadia Missa, London".
  26. ↑ "Dean Blunt: New Paintings – [ SPACE ]".
  27. ↑ "Dean Blunt".
  28. ↑ "Dean blunt talks art, transcendental meditation, and how atlanta could be a paradise". 22 February 2016.
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