Dot Rotten, a pioneer of the grime genre, has passed away at the age of 37, his family confirmed to BBC on Monday morning. While they provided no further details about his death, some reports have suggested he was in Gambia.
Rotten worked with a number of popular artists throughout his career, including Cher Lloyd and Ed Sheeran. He put out his first mixtape, This Is the Beginning, as Young Dot back in 2007. He ended up changing his name to Dot Rotten the following year. The name is an acronym for "Dirty on Tracks, Righteous Opinions Told to Educate Nubians." He eventually inked a contract with Mercury Records and released his debut album, Voices In My Head, in 2012.
That project contained the single, "Overload," which became one of the most successful songs of his career. It peaked at No. 15 on the UK Singles chart.
Tributes For Dot Rotten
In the wake of his death, several hip-hop icons have shared tributes for Dot Rotten on social media. Wiley, for one, posted several pictures and videos on Instagram. Sway described Rotten's passing as "very sad news" while adding, "Sleep well Dot." KWest also wrote: "RIP one of the greatest to do it."
DJ Michael Hall wrote on Facebook: “We have lost a genuine friend, brother and one of the best to ever do it ! My thoughts are with you and your family D. Mr Joseph Ellis Stephenson AKA DOT ROTTEN THE ABSOLUTE GOAT ! THIS WORLD IS SUCH A CRUEL PLACE AT TIMES!”
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), DJ Logan Sama wrote: "Talent in abundance. His impact on the scene was not just as a brilliant artist but also the guidance and inspiration he gave to hundreds of other aspiring creators around him. Never, ever received the accolades or rewards for his craft that it deserved. Rest in peace, Dot."
