British rapper Dot Rotten, real name Joseph Ellis, has died at 37, his family confirmed to the BBC, with circumstances yet to be disclosed publicly.
Best known for his 2012 Top 20 hit “Overload” produced with TMS, the Stockwell-born grime trailblazer started as Young Dot, earning a 2007 BBC Sound of 2012 nomination alongside Frank Ocean and Azealia Banks.
Ellis collaborated with Ed Sheeran on 2011’s “Goodbye to You,” Cher Lloyd’s “Dub on the Track,” and the Children In Need charity single “Teardrop” with Gary Barlow, which charted at 24.
His final release, the 2020 self-titled mixtape 808s and Gunshots, capped a career blending gritty beats with emotional hooks that shaped UK grime.
Music manager Bouncer Play Dirty mourned on Instagram: “Thoughts go out to his family. RIP to the brother.”
Rapper Sway added: “Very sad news. Sleep well Dot.”
