With a list of collaborators that includes Giggs, Idris Elba, Sarkodie, Fredo and Ghetts, Donae'O is the artist holding down London's underground. The producer, songwriter, rapper and vocalist has been an early adopter of almost all crucial urban movements coming out of the capital – from garage to grime to the UK funky-inspired house that continues to influence today's charts. Growing up in Cricklewood, North West London, Donae'O knew he wanted to make music aged six, after hearing East Coast classics blasting out of his Dad's car stereo. “The song was Kool Moe Dee, “How You Like Me Now”. My dad played that in his Cavalier and I remember these words popping into my head, like, 'This is heavy, what is this? I wanna do this for the rest of my life'. Rap is what got me into music in the first place – 'cause I wanted to be a emcee: I listened to KRS One, Onyx, Lords of the Underground...” But despite his love for the old school, Donae'O began his career releasing a slew of tight garage hits – including playful dancefloor filler “My Philosophy (Bounce)” – via Social Circles, the home of Ms Dynamite. After some time spent knee-deep in bassline, two singles – the chaotic club smasher “Devil in a Blue Dress” and the now-seminal “Party Hard” – marked a shift in his production from gritty two-step to more kinetic, percussive beats and sparse, dancehall-inspired harmonies, placing him at the helm of the burgeoning UK funky scene.
