Tinchy Stryder (real name
Kwasi Danquah) is a British grime music artist of Ghanian origin, Stryder hails from Bow in East London and attended St
Bonaventure's Catholic Comprehensive School in Forest Gate. Tinchy Stryder had his first UK number one in the Singles Chart with the aptly named song "Number 1", (a collaboration with
N-Dubz) that charted on 26 April 2009.
2006-2008: Star in the Hood
In 2006, Stryder signed to independent label Takeover Entertainment. He also released two solo mixtapes, I’m Back U Know and Lost and Found, and joined Ruff
Sqwad to make Guns & Roses 2.
Stryder's debut album Star In the Hood was released on 13 August 2007 on Takeover Entertainment. A single "Breakaway" was released from the album, as was "Something About Your Smile"featuring Mainstream Money as a bonus track. He also released an EP named Cloud 9 on the 21st April 2008, from which the songs "Sorry, U Are?" featuring Chipmunk, "Sick in the Head", "16 Writers" and "Thump" have all received heavy airplay and rotation on grime shows such as Logan
Sama's Kiss 100 grime show. He then released two further singles which do not feature on the EP, titled "Breathe", and most recently, "Stryderman" (UK Singles Chart #73). One of the other tracks off his debut album called "Follow" was featured in the movie by Noel Clarke, Adulthood.
2008-2009: Catch 22
On September 11 2008, it was revealed that Stryder will be featured on
Craig David's new single "Where's Your Love" and released on November 10, 2008. He also appears on the track "Princes" from the album Saint
Dymphna by Gang Gang Dance. His next single, called "Take Me Back", featuring
Taio Cruz, (released on January 19, 2009) was a popular hit following numerous plays on Radio 1, Kiss FM and many other TV and radio stations. On January 18, the song entered the official UK Singles Charts at 39 on downloads alone,one day before its official release. The following week the single moved up 36 places to peak at number 3.
On 26 April, 2009, Stryder's next single, a collaboration with N-Dubz (whom he had toured with on their recent
Uncle B tour), titled "Number 1" topped the UK Singles Chart giving Stryder and N-Dubz their first number one single. In an interview with Tim Westwood, Tinchy stated that due to the success of "Number 1" not going away yet, he had to push the album and a few things back to August 2009.
Tinchy's third single from Catch 22, titled "Never Leave You", featuring
Amelle Berrabah of the
Sugababes, is due to be released on August 3rd 2009 with the album following on
August 17th.
'Number One - Tinchy Stryder
Ft. Dappy'
'Never
Leave you - Tinchy Stryder Ft. Amelle'
'Take Me Back - Tinchy Stryder Ft.
Taio Cruz'