Derek Safo aka Sway is the rapper who has changed the game in the UK. Since his first mixtape release in 2006 This Is My Demo, he has released six more and sold over 100,000 albums.
We haven’t heard much from Sway since his last album release three years ago The Signature LP, but now he has come back with the high impact single, ‘Still Speedin’ which has had Lewis Hamilton and Nigel Mansell talking about it on Twitter. It has various remixes including another one of the UK’s premium rappers Kano, and another from American rapper and producer Lupe Fiasco. This is the first single off Sway’s third long awaited album Deliverance, which is out in 2012.
Jobs before music
For my first ever job, I was a paperboy. I was about ten at the time. I used to deliver newspapers. The last job I had before my career took off was at Gap in Marble Arch, but I don’t think it’s there anymore.
Paycheck
When I was a paperboy it wasn’t a check though, it was like a tenner a week they just gave it to me out of the till. My first cheque was from Universal as a street team boy. I used to run out of vans and hang up posters promoting their artists, that was the first time I got a cheque. I got a cheque for my first mixtape This Is My Promo Volume 1, when I took them in to a record store and they sold out.
Investments
I brought a house in Ghana. I also own my own publishing company, I have three writers under me and they are sub published by my main publisher, so I’ve invested in quite a few things.
Business man
I have Dcypha productions, I have a music publishing company and I’m looking into other ventures as well but that’s between me and the bank. (Laughs)
Money sensibility
I’m 50/50 when it comes to being sensible with money. I have periods when I’m very sensible, and I have periods where I live for the moment. I live a reasonable life.
Impulse buys
I spent £1200 on a suede Roberto Cavalli blazer once, and I thought that was a bit much. I’ve worn it 3 times, because I wore it in a video, I’m conscious about wearing it everywhere else. When you wear something in a video, people assume that you wear it everyday.
Best Advice
It has to be my dad, he tells me not to throw it all away. He’s good at that sort of thing, but he’s not good at taking his own advice.
Still Speedin’ is out now on 3beat Records. Click here to buy the single from itunes. Check out the video here by Tovonya.
Follow Sway on Twitter @SwayUK
Words by Shireen Fenner
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