Tributes paid as grime star Dot Rotten dies aged 37

Tributes have been paid to grime pioneer Dot Rotten, who has died at the age of 37. The musician's death was confirmed to the BBC via his family. There were no details of the circumstances, although online reports suggested he had died in Gambia. Born Joseph Ellis in Stockwell, London, he developed a distinctive sound that mixed hard-edged beats with emotional hooks; and worked with everyone from Chip and D Double E to Cher Lloyd and Ed Sheeran. He scored a Top 20 hit in 2012 with the melancholy single Overload. The rapper said the song's lyrics were inspired by his experiences with "a major depression". "The whole song was free-styled, I didn't write one word for it," he told Distract TV, adding that he'd had reservations about releasing such a personal song. "It's not the song I wanted to come out with, but it's done a lot and I appreciate all of the feedback I've been getting from it." In recent years, he traded the spotlight for the recording studio, producing tracks for artists like Headie One, D-Block Europe and Nines under the name Zeph Ellis. One of his most recognisable instrumentals, XCXD BXMB, was sampled wholesale by both AJ Tracey on Naila, and Kano on Garageskankfrees

Mar 9, 2026 → Mar 9, 2026