Nicky Nyarko-Dei (born 9 October 1984), known by his stage name Tempa T, is a British grime MC originating from East London. He is well known for his 2009 single "Next Hype", considered an anthem of the UK underground scene, from which he is known for his excitable nature, aggressive lyrics, love of word play and use of the phrases "hype" and "par". He is featured on "Hypest Hype" by Chase & Status and is a former member of east London-based grime crew Slew Dem.[1][2][3] In 2015, Tempa T released the single, "Shell", produced by So Real Sounds, which reached number one for eight weeks in the UK Grime Chart show with DJ Cameo on BBC Radio 1xtra.
Tempa T | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Nicky Nyarko-Dei |
| Also known as | Tempz |
| Born | 9 October 1984 Forest Gate, East London, England |
| Genres | Grime |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper |
| Years active | 2000–present |
Music career
His first public performance was in 2006 with Mike Crosby from Greater Manchester, SlewDem at The Chantelle Fiddy club night at 333 in Shoreditch. In 2007 he styled himself as an ‘angry Grime MC’ and ‘the hype man’, with his high energy and infectious stage presence.[4] Tempa T's musical career was documented by Neo-Publishing.Inc in 2010 in Tempa T: Reviewing the Hype So Far. In May 2014, Tempa T announced his debut album Pre the Baitness for release in July of the same year.[5]
Discography
- Albums
| Year | Title | References |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | All-Star Pars | - |
| 2014 | Pree the Baitness | - |
| 2018 | It's Bait It's Bait | - |
Mixtapes
| Title | Mixtape details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | UK DL | ||
| All-Star Pars |
| 99 | 99 |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||
- EPs
| Year | Title | References |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Spray Dem (Prod. DJJJ) | - |
| 2009 | Next Hype (Remixes) | - |
| 2012 | Say It Right Now (Remixes) | - |
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | IRE | |||
| "Next Hype" | 2009 | — | — | Non-album singles |
As a featured artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | IRE | ||||
| "CD is Dead" (with JME) | 2010 | — | — | Blam! | |
| "Hypest Hype" (with Chase & Status) | 70 | — | No More Idols | ||
| "Rari WorkOut" (Lethal Bizzle featuring JME and Tempa T) | 2014 | 11 | — | — | |
Film career
He appeared in the 2010 British film Shank as himself, performing "Next Hype" on Tim and Barry TV.
He appeared in the 2016 British film Gangsters, Gamblers and Geezers as a member of the gym.[7][8]
Personal life
He is a supporter of Manchester United.[9]