Devlin (rapper)

Devlin
Devlin performing in Little Malvern in 2011
Devlin performing in Little Malvern in 2011
Background information
Birth nameJames Devlin[1]
Also known asDevastation[2]
Born7 May 1989 (1989-05-07) (age 35)
Bermondsey, Southwark, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
Years active2006–present
Labels

James Devlin (born 7 May 1989), better known mononymously as Devlin, is an English rapper from Dagenham, London. He attended the Brittons Academy in Rainham, East London. He was signed to Island Records from 2010 to 2015. He is part of grime collective 'O.T Crew' with Dogzilla, Deeperman, M. Eye, Benson, Kozy, Syer Bars, Shotz, Meshie, Props and Daze.[3] Devlin was also a member of the Movement, consisting of himself, Wretch 32, Scorcher, Ghetts, Lightning, Mercston and DJ Unique but has since left.

Early life

James Devlin was born on 7 May 1989 in Bermondsey and grew up on a housing estate in Dagenham.[4] His mother was a council worker while his father was a forklift driver.[5] Devlin released his second solo mixtape The Art of Rolling[6] in 2008.

Career

2010–11: Bud, Sweat and Beers

Devlin's debut album, Bud, Sweat and Beers was released on Island Records in 2010. The first single from the album was "Brainwashed", which was released on 8 August 2010 in the UK and debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 31, and number 11 on the UK R&B Chart. The second single, "Runaway", was released on 24 October 2010, where it debuted at number 15, marking Devlin's most successful single to date. The single was succeeded by the release of the debut album, Bud, Sweat and Beers, which was released on 1 November 2010 and debuted at number 21 on the UK Albums Chart. "London City" entered the UK chart at number 181 following strong digital downloads from the album.[7] The third single released from the album was "Let It Go" featuring British producer Labrinth. The track, which was released on 31 January 2011,[8] charted at number 59 in the UK based on downloads alone.

2011–13: A Moving Picture

His second studio album, A Moving Picture, was released on 4 February 2013. It peaked at number 19 on the UK Albums Chart.[9]

Personal life

Devlin is a supporter of Tottenham Hotspur.[10] Devlin is of Irish descent.[11]

Diagnosed at the age of 14, Devlin has Type 1 Diabetes.[12]

Discography

Main article: Devlin discography
Studio albums

References

  1. ^ "Devlin on Apple Music". iTunes Store. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  2. ^ Killian Fox (3 February 2013). "Devlin: 'You've got to be hard on yourself. It's all or nothing'". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Outakers.com". 22 January 2009. Archived from the original on 22 January 2009.
  4. ^ Curtin, April (2 November 2020). "9 famous people you probably didn't know were from Barking and Dagenham". MyLondon. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  5. ^ Charlotte Cripps (19 November 2010). "Devlin: After eight years, conclusive proof that grime does pay..." The Independent. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  6. ^ "iTunes – Music – Art of Rolling by Devlin". iTunes Store. 21 July 2008. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  7. ^ "UK Singles Chart - New Entries - Week Ending: 13 November 2010". Zobbel/de. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 5 December 2010.
  8. ^ "Devlin Ft Labrinth 'Let It Go' (Island)". 18 August 2011. Archived from the original on 18 August 2011.
  9. ^ "A Moving Picture chart history". Official Charts. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Devlin: "As soon as I was crawling, I had a Tottenham shirt on"". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 16 July 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  11. ^ Devlin [@OfficialDevlin] (16 October 2010). "I'm half Irish. With a name like Devlin you probably guessed that" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. ^ Martin, opinionBy Gavin; Updated (21 January 2011). "James Devlin on his rise from the underground to stardom". mirror. Retrieved 13 March 2022.