Dot Rotten dies aged 37 as tributes flow for British grime rapper

Dot Rotten performing at BBC Radio 1's Festive Festival 2011 at BBC Maida Vale Studios on December 12, 2011 in London. Photo / Getty Images

Tributes have poured in after it was reported rapper Dot Rotten has died aged 37.

The British grime rapper, real name Joseph Ellis, was widely reported on Monday (local time) to have died, but no details of his death have been given.

Renowned in the grime scene under the stage names Dot Rotten and earlier Young Dot, the performer was born in Stockwell, London.

He built a reputation as a rapper, songwriter and producer, working with artists including Chip, D Double E, Cher Lloyd and Ed Sheeran.

Dot Rotten achieved a Top 20 hit in 2012 with the single Overload, a song he said was inspired by his own experiences with “a major depression”.

Reports have suggested the rapper died in Gambia, although no official details surrounding his death have been confirmed by his family.

Dot Rotten began rapping and creating his own music at the age of 7.

Dot Rotten performs on stage at the Lovebox Festival at Victoria Park on June 16, 2012 in London. Photo / Getty Images

In 2007, he released his first mixtape, This Is the Beginning, performing under the name Young Dot before later adopting the stage name Dot Rotten.

The musician said the name Dot Rotten was an acronym for “Dirty on Tracks, Righteous Opinions Told to Educate Nubians” – while also referencing the EastEnders character Dot Cotton, portrayed by June Brown.

He gained early exposure through appearances on radio station Rinse FM and the online music platform SB:TV, which helped him secure a recording contract with Mercury Records.

Dot Rotten later collaborated with Ed Sheeran on the 2011 track Goodbye to You, and appeared on other artists’ releases including Speeding By by Mz Bratt and Dub on the Track by Cher Lloyd.

He was invited by Take That singer Gary Barlow to appear on the 2011 Children In Need charity single – a cover of Massive Attack’s Teardrop.

The recording also featured Wretch 32, Labrinth, Ms Dynamite and the duo Rizzle Kicks.

Dot Rotten released his debut studio album Voices in My Head in 2012 and was nominated for the BBC’s Sound of 2012 prize the same year.

He also became known for diss tracks aimed at the grime artist Wiley.

After Voices in My Head failed to reach the top 100 of the charts, the rapper had a dispute with Mercury Records and left the label, before releasing several independent projects.

In later years, he worked behind the scenes in the music industry under the name Zeph Ellis, writing and producing for artists including Kano and A.J. Tracey.

He recently returned to his Dot Rotten name with the release of the single Psalms For Praize, which reflected on his career.

Tributes were shared across social media from the grime scene following news of Joseph’s death.

Performer Sway wrote: “Very sad news. Sleep well Dot.”

DJ Michael Hall added: “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 DOTROTTEN THE ABSOLUTE GOAT ! THIS WORLD IS SUCH A CRUEL PLACE AT TIMES!”

DJ Logan Sama wrote: “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.”

Wiley also shared a tribute, posting a video of one of Joseph’s instrumentals accompanied by a dove emoji.