Tinchy Stryder, also known as Kwasi Danquah, is a Ghanaian-English grime vocalist and industrialist. He is commonly known as ‘The Star in the Hood’ due to his status as a “star in the hood.” He was born in Ghana but spent most of his childhood in London, and in spite of the challenges he had growing up, he has retained an unmistakably optimistic attitude on life. He is committed to serving as a positive example for children all throughout the country. After beginning to study music at the age of 13, he was heard on pirate radio sets in his teenage years with other well-known grime MCs such as Dizzee Rascal. His debut album, titled “Star in the Hood,” was published in 2007, following his participation in a number of singles recorded by other bands. His subsequent album, which was titled ‘Catch 22,’ turned out to be his most successful album. It featured smash songs like as ‘Number 1’ and ‘Never Leave You,’ both of which topped the UK Singles Chart, giving him his first #1 single of his career. Since that day, he has set himself apart from other vocalists by releasing a number of additional tracks that are completely distinct. In addition to his work as a vocalist, he is also an entrepreneur and serves as the chief executive officer of many businesses. He established the ‘Star in the Hood’ apparel brand and serves as the chairman of the board for the firm. Additionally, he is the founder and chief executive officer of Goji Electronics, in addition to being the CEO of Takeover Roc Nation, which is a global independent record label firm. Over the course of his life, he has developed into not just a prosperous businessman but also, without a question, one of the most interesting artists in the UK.

The Years of Childhood and Early Life

  • Kwasi Danquah was given his birth name on September 14, 1986, in Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana. When he was a little child, his family relocated to East London.
  • He resided in Bow, London from 1995 to 2008, and he was raised in Tower Hamlets, which is known for being one of the most violent districts in the capital city. His early schooling was completed at St. Bonaventure’s Catholic Comprehensive School, which is located in the neighborhood of Forest Gate, Newham.
  • At the age of 14, he began his career as a musician by performing on pirate radio broadcasts in East London with other well-established grime MCs such as Wiley and Dizzee Rascal. In addition to that, he was a member of the well-known grime trio known as “Roll Deep,” and he contributed to a number of their tracks, including “U Were Always.”
  • After that, he attended the University of East London and earned a Bachelor of Arts with Honors degree in Digital arts, Moving pictures, and Animation.

Career

  • In 2006, two young people who were ahead of their time, Archie Lamb and Jack Foster, hired him to perform at one of the club nights that they were running. After the three of them quickly bonded with one another, he later joined their firm, Takeover, as a member of their management team and inked a contract with them for live performances, recording, merchandising, and publishing.
  • The month of August 2007 saw the release of his first solo studio album, titled “Star in the Hood,” which was issued by the independent record company “Takeover Entertainment Ltd.” This album is responsible for the release of two major singles, titled “Breakaway” and “Something About Your Smile,” both of which include the British singer-songwriter Cylena Cymone. In November of 2007, the extra track is known as “Mainstream Money” was also issued as a single for the underground market.
  • His second solo studio album, titled ‘Catch 22,’ was published in 2009. This album, which was influenced by the electro hop and alternative hip hop genres, was released in 2009. The album’s single, titled “Take Me Back,” reached its highest position on the Singles list in the United Kingdom in the month of January 2009.
  • After that, he worked with N-Dubz to produce the single “Number 1,” which lived up to its name by debuting atop the chart in the United Kingdom at position number one. Later, he collaborated with Amelle Berrabah on a new track titled “Never Leave You,” which quickly became his second consecutive number-one smash.
  • In 2010, he released his third solo studio album under his own name titled “Third Strike,” although the record was not as successful commercially as his previous releases. When it was first made available, the album performed badly on the charts, peaking at position 48 on the album sales list in the United Kingdom.
  • He intended to release his next solo studio album, titled “Full Tank,” in the year 2011. Despite the fact that the album was eventually canceled, the lead single from the album, titled “Spaceship,” was published and reached number 5 on the Singles list in the United Kingdom. Dappy, a member of N-Dubz and a musician and rapper, provided guest vocals for the tune.
  • In 2006, he established ‘Star in the Hood,’ a worldwide fashion firm that features mid-range to luxury apparel lines. In addition to his prominence in the business world, he is also a renowned industrialist. Since 2009, he has been serving the firm in the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
  • In 2010, he formed ‘Takeover Roc Nation’ by merging his company, Takeover Entertainment Limited, with other powerhouses in the entertainment industry such as ‘Roc Nation LLC’ and ‘Live Nation’ He is now the Chief Executive Officer of Takeover Roc Nation as well as the Chairman of Takeover Entertainment.
  • In 2012, he launched a line of consumer electronics and made a joint venture contract with ‘Dixons Retail Group’ to work with his company, Goji Electronics, in the creation of a variety of headphones and audio equipment. In addition, he signed a joint venture deal with ‘Dixons Retail Group in 2012. At the moment, he serves as the Chief Executive Officer and Creative Director of Goji Electronics.

Major Works 

  • ‘Catch 22’ was his most successful album, and it featured smash songs like ‘Number 1’ and ‘Never Leave You.’ Both of these singles topped the UK Singles Chart, giving him the first #1 single of his career. Major Works Catch 22′ was released in 1995.
  • He is also an entrepreneur with interests in several fields, including the fashion industry, the entertainment industry, and the electronic goods industry. He is the Chief Executive Officer of the apparel brand ‘Star in the Hood,’ the entertainment company ‘Takeover Roc Nation,’ and the electronics company ‘Goji Electronics.’

Awards & Achievements

  • The song “Stryderman,” which was released as one of the lead singles from his second studio album, “Catch 22,” earned him the “Urban Music Award for Best Video” in the year 2008. In addition, he received nominations for the Music of Black Origin Awards (MOBO), the Brit Awards, the Mp3 Music Awards, and the MTV Europe Music Awards for the album, which also included additional popular songs like “Never Leave You” and “Number 1.” (EMA).
  • During the year 2010, he was put forward for an extra two MOBO nominations. In 2011, he was presented with the MOBO Award for Best Song for the non-album single titled “Spaceship,” which he recorded with the hip hop artist Dappy of N-Dubz.

Personal Life & Legacy

  • When he was a child, his ambition was to one day play professional football. He played with his left foot and was mostly utilized in the striker role for the team. His current team is Manchester United, and he cheers for them.
  • Philanthropy is also one of his passions, and he volunteers for the organization Keep a Child Alive (KCA), which provides HIV-affected children and their families with dignified treatment, care, and support services.

Author Profile

Linda Bradley
Linda Bradley
Formerly a senior accountant with a business degree, Linda now manages to generate story ideas; planning, assigning, and editing content for our website.

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