Bugzy Malone facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bugzy Malone
Malone in 2024
Background information
Birth name	Aaron Daniel Davies
Also known as	Bugzy Malone Bugz
Born	(1990-12-20) 20 December 1990 (age 34) Manchester, England
Genres	British hip hop grime
Occupation(s)	Rapper songwriter , actor
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2010–present
Labels	Ill Gotten
Associated acts	Chip, Stormzy, Tinie Tempah, Charlie Sloth

Malone (right) at the Glastonbury Festival, 2016

Aaron Daniel Davies (born 20 December 1990), known as Bugzy Malone, is a British rapper and actor. He is from Manchester, England. Many people see Bugzy Malone as one of the artists who helped bring back grime music in the UK. He was the first grime artist from Manchester to become very successful across the country.

His third collection of songs, called King of the North, came out on 14 July 2017. It reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart.

Early Life and Music Start

Growing Up in Manchester

Aaron Davies was born in Withington Community Hospital and grew up in Crumpsall, Manchester. His family didn't have much money. He didn't meet his biological father when he was a child. Aaron looked up to his stepfather, but his parents later separated due to difficult family issues.

Some of his family members made wrong choices, which influenced him. Aaron started getting into trouble when he was eleven years old. Because of this, he was expelled from secondary school when he was fourteen. He continued to make bad choices until he was arrested at sixteen. He was sent to a youth detention center and couldn't finish his school exams.

Finding a New Path

After leaving the center at 17, Aaron started boxing as a hobby. He wanted to find a career and avoid getting into trouble again. While boxing, he lived near his biological father for a while, but they later lost touch. He moved near Heaton Park when he was 20.

Aaron was inspired to start rapping after watching the "Risky Roadz" DVD series. This series showed early careers of artists like Dizzee Rascal, Wiley, and Skepta. He began rapping with his friends, who would play music beats on their phones. Aaron would then freestyle (rap without writing it down first).

He got the nickname "Bugz" from a group of friends when he was 13. This later became "Bugzy Malone" while he was at the youth detention center. After leaving, Aaron started taking music seriously, alongside his growing boxing career.

Music Career Highlights

Early Days: 2010–2015

Bugzy Malone released his first mixtape, SwaggaMan, in 2010. He started freestyling for YouTube channels like KODH TV and Grime Daily. In 2011, he released his second mixtape, Why So Serious, which was inspired by the movie Batman: The Dark Knight Rises. The main song from this mixtape, "Hip Hop Heavy Metal", has over 1.3 million views on YouTube.

His third mixtape, Lost in Meanwhile City, came out in 2012. Bugzy Malone said he named it this because he felt "lost" and like he was "in a world of [his] own" at that time. In 2014, he released his fourth mixtape, Journal of an Evil Genius. To promote it, he released music videos that told a story, like a "visual album". He was inspired by film directors like Quentin Tarantino for these videos. By 2017, these videos had over 5 million views together.

Growing Fame: 2015–Present

On 7 September 2014, Bugzy Malone released a "Spitfire" freestyle on JDZmedia. This video got over a million views and made him more popular outside Manchester. It also led to him performing on Fire in the Booth with Charlie Sloth on BBC Radio 1Xtra. His first Fire in the Booth video is the most watched in the series, with 25 million views.

In 2015, Bugzy Malone had a musical disagreement with fellow grime artist Chip. This led to a series of rap songs where they exchanged lyrics, which brought a lot of attention to the grime scene. One of Bugzy's songs from this time, "Relegation Riddim", has over 12 million views. In December 2017, Bugzy Malone and Chip were seen together, and Bugzy later said they had ended their disagreement.

On 13 June 2015, Bugzy Malone's first official song, "Watch Your Mouth", was played on BBC Radio 1. It was then played on many UK radio and TV channels. On 24 July 2015, he released his first EP (Extended Play), Walk with Me. It reached number 8 on the UK Albums Chart. He then started his own record label, "Ill Gotten Records", to help artists from Manchester.

His second EP, Facing Time, came out on 16 June 2016 and reached number 6 on the UK Albums Chart. To promote it, he released a series of three videos called "Section 8(1)".

Bugzy Malone's first song to appear on the charts was "Through the Night" with DJ Luck & MC Neat, released on 18 May 2017. It reached number 92 on the UK singles chart. His third EP, King of the North, was released on 14 July 2017. It reached number 4 on the UK Album Charts and included three songs that charted: "Through the Night", "Memory Lane", and "Bruce Wayne".

Bugzy Malone was one of the artists who performed at the reopening of the Manchester Evening News Arena. He shared on Twitter, "I've told them before and I'll tell them again Manchester is the home of the brave..."

Musical Style and Fashion

How Bugzy Malone Creates Music

Bugzy Malone says his biggest inspiration is Tupac Shakur. The Guardian newspaper has called him a trendsetter for Manchester's urban music scene. He was the first grime artist from Manchester to become nationally successful. When asked about his sound by MTV, he called it an "Evolution of Grime." His strong Mancunian accent is a key part of his vocal style.

People have praised Bugzy Malone's writing style, calling it "introspective" (looking inward), "confessional" (sharing personal feelings), and "unique". His songs often talk about his past experiences, including difficult times and emotional struggles. His rapping style is described as "clear, powerful and precise," and "fast-rapid."

His Fashion Style

In May 2016, Bugzy Malone teamed up with Supply & Demand for a fashion line. This line mainly featured track suits and was sold at JD Sports stores. His clothing often includes designs inspired by things he likes, such as the superhero Batman.

Personal Life

In December 2020, Bugzy Malone and his team bought many presents for 50 children who didn't have much.

He proposed to his girlfriend of 9 years on 20 December 2019.

On 26 March 2020, Bugzy Malone was in a serious quad bike accident in Bury and was badly hurt. He has since recovered.

Davies is a supporter of the football club Manchester City.

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Mixtapes

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Other charted and certified songs

Guest appearances

Filmography

Movies

See also

In Spanish: Bugzy Malone para niños