British rapper and MC Dot Rotten has died at the age of 37, with his family confirming his death to BBC News on Monday morning. Otherwise known as Zeph Ellis, the musician was also a songwriter and record producer who was influential in the grime genre, introducing new sampling methods and popularizing the concept of singing on grime tracks.
Tributes Pour in After Zeph Ellis Passes Away Unexpectedly at the Age of 37
His family confirmed Ellis’ death but have so far released no statement or confirmed any details of the cause.
Some reports have suggested that the musician died while in the African nation Gambia, but there has been no official confirmation of this.
The news of his death has led to an outpouring of tributes from fellow grime artists.
Grime icon Wiley, who has previously been involved in a feud with Ellis posted to Instagram with an image of the star with his music playing in the background alongside a caption of a dove emoji.
JAMALWOON paid tribute saying, “My big brother, mentor. I love you so much. RIP man.”
Taking to Facebook, DJ Michael Hall wrote: “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 DOT ROTTEN THE ABSOLUTE GOAT ! THIS WORLD IS SUCH A CRUEL PLACE AT TIMES!”
DJ Logan Sama wrote on X that Ellis had “talent in abundance.”
He continued, “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.”
BRVTHERHOOD paid tribute on X, writing, “We owe Dot Rotten so much you could never even comprehend. I’m devastated.”
Rynsa Man wrote on Instagram, “One of the main reasons I carried on making music from the start. Love you forever bro. Rest in power.”
Dot Rotten Was Influential in the Early Grime Scene in the U.K.
Born in South London, Ellis first began making a stir in the early days of grime in 2007 with a series of mixtapes under the name Young Dot before adopting the moniker Dot Rotten after signing a record deal with Mercury.
He subsequently collaborated with artists such as Ed Sheeran, D Double E, and Cher Lloyd.
His single “Overload” managed to break into the UK Top 20. More recently, he has largely stepped away from performing to concentrate on writing and producing, working with the likes of D-Block Europe and Headie One.
In the last few months, he returned to his MC roots by releasing the track “Psalms For Praize” to a positive critical reception.
