Charlie Sloth

Charlie Sloth
Rouillon in 2016
Rouillon in 2016
Background information
Birth nameCharlie Ian Paul Rouillon
Born (1981-08-20) 20 August 1981 (age 43)
OriginCamden, London, England
Genres
Occupations
LabelsGrimey Limey
Websitecharliesloth.com

Charlie Ian Paul Rouillon (born 20 August 1981), known professionally as Charlie Sloth, is a British DJ, hype man, producer and TV presenter.

Early life

Charlie Ian Paul Rouillon was born on 20 August 1981.[1][2] He was raised in the London Borough of Camden and attended Haverstock School.[3] He is an avid supporter of Liverpool F.C.[4]

Career

Most of Sloth's career as a radio DJ has been spent on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra, presenting The Rap Show on Saturday nights[5] and his weeknight late show The 8th. He was previously a presenter on the weekday drivetime show on BBC Radio 1Xtra.[6]

His trademark freestyle brand, Fire in the Booth, has been described as "...a real mark of prestige in the scene, especially for newcomers" with MCs from grime and hip-hop coming into the studio to perform.[5] Akala, Avelino, Devlin, Professor Green, K Koke, Lowkey, Mic Righteous, Bugzy Malone, Big Narstie, Tinie Tempah, Wretch 32, Drake, Big Shaq, Migos and others have performed on Fire in the Booth.[5] Canadian rapper Drake's appearance was "...four or five years in the making", with Sloth noting in 2018 that it was one of his favourite moments of the show.[7]

2007 – 2008

Sloth came to notability in 2007 after he won Most Original Video at the CraveFest Awards Canada for music video "Guided Tour of Camden".[8]

He also created a weekly online video series Being Charlie Sloth, which was picked up by WorldStarHipHop.com. The show ran for 59 episodes.[9]

In 2008, Sloth won Best Rap/Hip-Hop/R&B Unsigned Artist at the CraveFest awards in Canada.[10] He released Hard Being Good in the same year.[11]

2012 – Current

Sloth presented the daily drivetime show on BBC Radio 1Xtra from September 2012[12] until November 2017

On 6 November 2017, Sloth began presenting a new late-night show, The 8th, which was simulcast on Radio 1 and 1Xtra from Monday to Thursday from 9 until 11 pm.[13]

On 3 October 2018, Sloth announced he would be leaving BBC 1Xtra, with his last planned show being on 3 November. This was however cut short on 20 October when Radio 1 "agreed with Charlie" that he would not be completing his remaining 10 shows.[14][15] This followed Charlie Sloth controversially "storming the stage" at the Audio and Productions Awards show on 18 October.[16] On 14 January 2019, Sloth announced via Instagram that he would be joining Apple Music and Beats 1 and bringing Fire In The Booth over. He also hosts the Rap Show and curates playlists for Apple Music.[17][18][19][20]

In August 2020 it was announced that Sloth had signed a deal with Jay Z's Roc Nation. The deal is a partnership which sees Roc Nation look after all of his assets on a worldwide deal.[21]

Personal life

Political views

In November 2019, along with 34 other musicians, Sloth signed a letter endorsing Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in the 2019 UK general election with a call to end austerity.[22][23]

Discography

Albums

Mixtapes

  • The Big Boot (2004)
  • Secret Society (2006)
  • Hard Being Good (2008)
  • The Black Book (2010)
  • Hood Heat Vol. 1 (2014)[25]
  • Hood Heat Vol. 2 (2015)[25]

References

  1. ^ "Charlie Ian Paul ROUILLON personal appointments – Find and update company information – GOV.UK". Companies House. Archived from the original on 29 December 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  2. ^ Rouillon, Charlie [@CharlieSloth] (19 August 2017). "With tomorrow being my birthday come party with me tonight in Brighton @coalition_btn ITS GONNA BE A ZOO!!!! 🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾" (Tweet). Retrieved 29 December 2022 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ "Review music: Bring Charlie Sloth | Web show | Haverstock school pupil | hip-hop". www.thecnj.com. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  4. ^ "Premier League predictions: Do these Radio 1 and 1Xtra DJs know their football?". BBC Sport. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Gibbins, Paul (1 March 2016). "Which MC Recorded the Greatest 'Fire in the Booth'?". Noisey. Vice. Archived from the original on 23 October 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  6. ^ "Charlie Sloth gets new late night entertainment show on Radio 1 and 1Xtra". Newsbeat. 5 October 2017. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  7. ^ "Charlie Sloth leaving Radio 1 and 1Xtra immediately". 20 October 2018. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  8. ^ Chartattack: Cravefest awards, 21 September 2007[usurped]
  9. ^ "Being Charlie Sloth #34 – Need More Hour In A Day (Life of an Independent British Rap Artist)". Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  10. ^ "CraveFest 2008 Music Video Award Winners!". cravefest.com. Archived from the original on 15 September 2008.
  11. ^ Administrator. "- Charlie Sloth – Hard Being Good [Audio]". britishhiphop.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  12. ^ Sweney, Mark (25 May 2012). "Tim Westwood 'sacked' from Radio 1Xtra drivetime show". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  13. ^ "Charlie Sloth gets new late night entertainment show on Radio 1 and 1Xtra". Newsbeat. 5 October 2017. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  14. ^ "Charlie Sloth to leave BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra". BBC News. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  15. ^ "Charlie Sloth: Radio 1 and 1Xtra DJ leaving station immediately – BBC News". Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  16. ^ "Charlie Sloth leaves the BBC early after stage rant". 20 October 2018.
  17. ^ "Charlie Sloth on Instagram: "Im soooo GASSED to announce that I'm taking #FireInTheBooth and my Rap show to @beats1official and @applemusic. Listen every week starting…"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  18. ^ Lovejoy, Ben (4 October 2018). "BBC's leading hip-hop DJ Charlie Sloth joins Apple Music, following in Zane Lowe's footsteps". 9to5Mac. Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  19. ^ "Charlie Sloth joins Apple's Beats 1 radio station". 14 January 2019. Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  20. ^ "Charlie Sloth joins Apple Music's Beats 1 radio station – BBC News". Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  21. ^ Roc Nation signs British hip-hop DJ Charlie Sloth musicbusinessworldwide.com
  22. ^ "Musicians backing Jeremy Corbyn's Labour". The Guardian. 25 November 2019. Archived from the original on 25 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  23. ^ Gayle, Damien (25 November 2019). "Stormzy backs Labour in election with call to end austerity". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 25 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  24. ^ "The Plug by Charlie Sloth on Apple Music". iTunes Store (GB). Archived from the original on 25 November 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  25. ^ a b c Powell, Jon (21 August 2017). "Stream Charlie Sloth's Debut Album 'The Plug'". Respect. Archived from the original on 21 October 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2017.