The London born songwriter and rapper, Headie One (real name Irving Adjei) has topped the UK Official Charts with his album ‘Edna’ named after his mum. The debut album’s success has made him the first British rapper to reach the top spot this year.
Official Charts have reported the album to of been streamed over 25.5 million times last week. His album, based on the realities of growing up in the ghetto of London and his turbulent life, is dedicated to his late mother Edna Duah.”Having my album go to number 1 means a lot to me. Edna this is for you,” Headie told Officialcharts.com.
Headie One’s pays tribute to his mum as Edna debuts at Number 1 on the Official UK Albums Chart ❤️ @HeadieOnehttps://t.co/MFvKrNPb49
— Official Charts (@officialcharts) October 16, 2020
His album, a mix of UK Rap, drill, trap, dancehall and US hip-hop, is released just 6 months after he was jailed for carrying a knife. The 26 year old described his experience to The Guardian “It was a wake-up call that it really is a thin line – one wrong move and it’s all over, it’s back to what you used to dream to get out of.”
Headie’s stint in prison is drawn upon throughout his album following convictions at the age of 17 for drug and knife possession. In 2014, he was convicted after being caught in possession of nearly £30,000 worth of drugs and sentenced to 30 months in prison.
During these times, music became his sanctuary and he developed his musical skills. He told The Guardian that other people inside, “didn’t feel the music like I did. Not just lyrics or beats, but the emotions, the sounds, the concepts.” His latest single, ‘Ain’t if Different’ ft AJ Tracey, is a catchy track with a hidden message about the dullness and hardships of prison life.
On his first day being released from prison in 2017, he spent the day recording a song and filming the video for it and released it the following day. From then on, he put all effort into his music, working intensely on new songs that later led to six mixtapes.
Headie has already had top 10 hits with rapper stars Stormzy and Dave and recently collaborated with rapper superstar Drake on their track ‘Only you freestyle,’ who describes Headie as, “The best Drill artist in the world.”- The Guardian. As well as dominating the album charts this week, Headie One also takes over this weeks official singles charts in top 40 with ‘Ain’t it Different,’ ‘Princess cuts,’ and ‘Parlez-Vous Anglais.’
Shabs Jobanputra from Relentless Records speaks about Headie’s recent successes to Official Charts, “Another subculture of British music has just permeated mainstream society. Headie is at the top of his game and he truly deserves everything that is coming to him off the back of his authenticity and talent.”
The NME reviewed that, “”Edna is proof that he’s the unmistakeable, global ‘King of drill’, and much more besides, It’s a move into the mainstream, without forgetting where it all began.”
