Irving Ampofo Adjei (born October 6, 1994) is a rising talent in the British music industry known to his followers as Headie One or Headz. He is an accomplished British rapper, composer, and singer. He made his debut in 2010, and it’s safe to say he hasn’t looked back since.

His second solo mixtape, containing the mega hit track Know Better, had a significant impact on the global music landscape in 2018. With the help of rapper RV, the tune rapidly went viral, garnering him a legion of devoted followers all over the world.

Headie One has established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the UK drill scene as a member of the UK drill group OFB. He has a distinct sound that combines gritty, hard-hitting sounds with melodic songs and lyrics about the reality of street life.

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Headie One has clearly established himself as one of the most interesting and original musicians in British music today, with singles like 18hunna, featuring rapper Dave, and Only You Freestyle, featuring none other than Drake. He shows no indications of stopping down anytime soon, and admirers anticipate his next move with bated breath.

Early Life & Education

Headie One is a British rapper from Tottenham, London, born Irving Ampofo Adjei. He was born on October 6, 1994, and raised at the Broadwater Farm housing estate. His African roots go deep because he was born to Ghanaian parents and speaks the Ghanaian language of “Twi.”

Headie One’s mother, Edna Duah, died when he was three years old, and as a result, his father assumed responsibility for parenting him. He has not said anything about his sister, but it is known that he has one. The rapper has also not revealed any information regarding his educational background.

As a child, Headie One was a big soccer enthusiast and played for his local team, Haringey Borough F.C. However, his sporting ambitions were dashed due to an ankle injury. That’s when he decided to pursue his passion for rap. He began writing songs in his early adolescence and developed his craft after being freed from prison.

The artist’s stage name, “Headie One,” is a play on his childhood nickname, which was given to him because his head resembled a 50p coin.

Personal Life

Headie One is very private about his love relationships. Despite his growing celebrity, the rapper has kept his personal life private. He is unmarried.

Headie One, on the other hand, hasn’t always had it easy, since he’s had his fair share of legal issues. During his adolescence, he was arrested several times on drug-related crimes, including the sale of cocaine and heroin.

On January 8, 2020, Headie One was sentenced to six months in prison for possessing a knife, which was one of his most recent legal entanglements. This was his fourth stint in prison, which hasn’t gone ignored by his legions of supporters.

Despite these setbacks, Headie One has remained focused on his music profession and emerged stronger than ever. He wasted no time returning to work after being freed in early April 2020, generating hit after hit and consolidating his reputation as one of the UK’s most promising emerging performers.

Career

Headie One was well on his way to becoming a household name in the British rap scene in the early 2010s. He began building a reputation for himself in music under the alias “Headz.” He was also a member of Star Gang, a group of skilled rappers from Tottenham at the time.

RV, another Tottenham rapper, was one of his closest colleagues at the time. In 2016, they collaborated on the mixtapes Sticks & Stones and Drillers x Trappers. They clearly had a unique musical connection, and their efforts were well appreciated by fans.

Headie One released his third solo mixtape, The One, in February 2018. The infectious smash song Know Better, starring RV, was included on the mixtape. The song rapidly became a worldwide smash, propelling him to mainstream prominence. Later that year, he appeared on the Belly Squad song Missing, which reached number 84 on the UK Singles Chart.

The One Two, Headie One’s fourth mixtape, was released the next month, in June 2018. The album debuted at number 32 on the UK Albums Chart, a significant achievement for the rapper. Later that year, in November, he embarked on his first national tour.

It wasn’t long before he was shattering records left and right. In January 2019, his track 18Hunna, featuring Dave, landed at number six on the UK chart, making him the highest charting drill artist before Russ Millions and Tion Wayne’s Body.

Drillers x Trappers II, his sixth mixtape co-created with RV, was released in March 2019 and peaked at number 21 in the United Kingdom. Match Day, the mixtape’s first track, debuted at number 86 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Headie One worked with Krept & Konan on their single I Spy, which peaked at number 18 in July of that year.

Finally, Headie One’s debut album, Edna, was released to tremendous acclaim in October 2020. The record, dedicated to his late mother, rocketed to the top of the UK charts, firmly establishing his position in British music history.

Controversy

Headie One was allegedly ambushed by competitors at the University of Bedfordshire in January 2018. He retaliated with a scathing diss track titled Know Better. The savage incident was videotaped and then shared on social media platforms including Snapchat and YouTube, sparking a “all-out gang war.”

The Metropolitan Police shut down Headie One’s scheduled concert at the Barbican Centre in March 2018. Previously, the police had “singled out” his music, linked it to London’s burgeoning knife crime problem.

In an April interview, the rapper spoke honestly about the drill music scene’s unfavorable impression, saying that “only a fool” would blame the capital’s violent problem only on the genre.

Net Worth

Headie One‘s net worth is estimated at an eye-popping sum of $7 million. This net worth was estimated based on his asset, album sales, and endorsement deals.

Social Media

  • Instagram handle: @Headieone
  • Twitter handle: @Headieone

Discography

  • Sticks & Stones
  • Driller x trappers
  • Gang
  • On Sight
  • Back to Basics
  • Both
  • Rose Gold
  • Only You Freestyle
  • Ain’t It Different
  • All Day
  • Know Better
  • 18Hunna
  • Golden Boot
  • Breathing
  • Princess Cuts
  • Pound Signs
  • 2 Chains
  • Came In The Scene
  • Bigger Than Life