Dean Blunt facts for kids

Roy Chukwuemeka Nnawuchi (born 1984), known by his stage name Dean Blunt, is a British artist. He is a singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He also works as a contemporary artist.

Dean Blunt is famous for his solo music. He was also part of the avant-garde duo Hype Williams with Inga Copeland. More recently, he has been in the hip hop group Babyfather. People describe him as a "category-rejecting artist" and an "art-pop provocateur."

His Early Life

Not much is known about Dean Blunt's personal life. He has mentioned that he comes from a working-class family in London.

Making Music

Dean Blunt made electronic music with Russian-born artist Inga Copeland (also known as Lolina). They were a duo called Hype Williams from 2007 to 2012.

Hype Williams: A Mystery Band

The group supposedly started in 2005. It was meant to be a "relay" project, passed between artists every five years. Hype Williams gave very few interviews. This made music journalists unsure about the project's true nature.

The exact members of the group were always a secret. However, Dean Blunt's unique music style could be heard in their newer songs. A mysterious person named Denna Frances Glass was said to be their manager. Some thought she might be a fake identity created by Blunt and Copeland. In 2016, Glass announced that Blunt and Copeland were no longer part of the project. She said it would continue with other members.

Solo Success

Dean Blunt started his solo music career in 2011. He released several albums, EPs, and singles. His first few full-length albums gained a lot of attention. These included The Narcissist II (2012), The Redeemer (2013), and Black Metal (2014).

His first album as Babyfather, BBF Hosted By DJ Escrow, was highly praised. It was named the best album of 2016 by music magazines like Tiny Mix Tapes.

Working with Other Artists

In 2018, Dean Blunt helped a lot with ASAP Rocky's album Testing. He helped produce and write songs like "Purity" and "Gunz N Butter." He also sang on "Calldrops." Before this, they had worked together on songs like the Babyfather track "Benzo Amore." They have continued to work together on many recordings since then.

In 2024, he released a collaborative album called Backstage Raver. He made this album with his longtime friend and artist, Joanne Robertson.

On January 1st, 2025, Blunt plans to release "lucre." This will be a collaborative EP with Elias Rønnenfelt, the lead singer of Iceage, and producer Vegyn.

Beyond Music: Art and Theatre

Dean Blunt is not just a musician; he is also a talented artist in other fields.

Directing and Stage Shows

He has directed music videos for other artists like Actress and Panda Bear.

He has also created theatre shows. These include The Narcissist in Berlin (2012) and Lord Knows in Lausanne (2013). He also put on I’m Just Passin Thru To Show Some Love (2013) and Urban (2014) at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. In October 2017, Blunt also presented Inna. This was an opera he directed with music by Mica Levi.

Art Exhibitions and Books

Dean Blunt has held several art exhibitions. These include New Paintings at the Triangle and W44VY at Arcadia Missa. He also published a book called Cîroc Boyz: Vol 1. This book collected information about spending habits in popular music clubs.

His Unique Personality

Dean Blunt is known for being playful and a bit mysterious. He often likes to keep people guessing.

For example, in 2015, he sent his bodyguard to accept an award for him at the NME Awards. This showed his unique and unexpected way of doing things. At a concert in New York in 2016, media guests were asked to check in using fake names. This added to his mysterious public image.

Blunt also practices Transcendental Meditation. He is a strong supporter of this type of meditation.

Music He Has Released

Solo Albums and EPs

• Jill Scott Herring OST (2011)
• The Narcissist (mixtape) (2011)
• The Narcissist II (mixtape) (2012)
• The Redeemer (2013)
• Каменный Остров (Stone Island) (mixtape; released as Дин Блант) (2013)
• Skin Fade (mixtape) (2014)
• Black Metal (2014)
• Babyfather (mixtape) (2015)
• Soul on Fire (mixtape) (2018)
• ZUSHI (mixtape) (2019)
• Roaches 2012–2019 (compilation) (2020)
• Black Metal 2 (2021)
• give me a moment (EP) (2023)
• Hackney Commercial Waste (2024)

Babyfather Projects

• UK2UK (mixtape) (2015)
• Platinum Tears (mixtape) (2016)
• BBF Hosted By DJ Escrow (2016)
• 419 (mixtape) (2016)
• Cypher (mixtape) (2017)
• AUG Freestyle / MANNA (single) (2020)
• 1471 (single) (2022)
• Sleep It Off (single) (2023)
• bluey vuitton (single) (2024)
• teddy boi freestyle (single) (2024)

Other Collaborations

• The Attitude Era (compilation album of unreleased tracks with Inga Copeland) (2012)
• Black Is Beautiful (with Inga Copeland) (2012)
• Wahalla (with Joanne Robertson) (2017)
• Hotep (as part of Blue Iverson) (2017)
• Muggy Vol.1 (producer of a compilation on Dean Blunt's World Music imprint) (2018)
• Desert Sessions (with Delroy Edwards) (2018)
• Backstage Raver (with Joanne Robertson) (2024)
• lucre (EP) (with Elias B. Rønnenfelt & Vegyn) (2025)

Hype Williams Releases

Awards and Recognition