Ty

Ben Chijioke (17 August 1972 – 7 May 2020), better known by his stage name Ty, was a Nigerian-British rapper. He released three albums on Big Dada. He collaborated with musicians such as Shortee Blitz, Drew Horley, and Tony Allen.

Ty was born Benedict Chijioke in London, into an Igbo family from Nigeria.

Chijioke spent many years of his youth growing up with private foster parents in Jaywick, Essex as reported in a 2019 Channel 4 News feature by Symeon Brown. Chijioke was one of over 10,000 West African children sent from the inner cities to be fostered by white parents in rural England, whilst their birth parents worked and studied to build a better life for them, even if it meant only seeing them on rare visits. In the feature, Chijioke said “my parents said we are going now, but you’re staying. So we didn’t know why we were being left here.” He added: “I learned the long way around to love who I am, to love my identity and nationality. I learned with blooded lips”. He called on people to find out more: “It was thousands of people being fostered. Where are they now? How does it feel? Does anybody care?”

In 1995, Chijioke co-founded Ghetto Grammar, a pioneer in hip hop education in the UK. His first album, Awkward, was released on Big Dada in 2001.

Chijioke's second album, Upwards, was nominated for a Mercury Prize in 2004. His third album, Closer, was released in 2006. It featured guest appearances from De La Soul, Speech, Bahamadia, and Zion I, among others.

In May 2020, Chijioke died at the age of 47 due to complications of COVID-19.

Albums

• Awkward (2001)
• Upwards (2003)
• Closer (2006)
• Special Kind of Fool (2010)
• A Work of Heart (2018)

EPs

• Kick Snare and an Idea (2013)

Singles

• "I.A.A.D." (1998)
• "Break the Lock" (2000)
• "The Nonsense" (2001)
• "Groovement" b/w "Ha Ha" (2003)
• "Wait a Minute" (2003)
• "We Don't Care" (2003)
• "Look 4 Me" b/w "Sophisticated & Coarse" (2004)
• "Oh U Want More?"(2004) – UK No. 65
• "Closer" (2006)
• "Brixton Baby"featuring MPHO (2018)

Guest appearances

• Funky DL - "Worldwide" from Classic Was the Day (1997)
• Tony Allen - "Every Season" and "Woman to Man" from Homecooking (2002)
• Hysterie - "Movin" (2002)
• The Nextmen – "Get Over It" and "Marlon Brando" from Get Over It (2003)
• Top Rocking – "Love 4 This" from Dataswitchbox EP (2003)
• DJ Friction – "Soulsonic (Are You Ready)" (2004)
• Hocus Pocus – "Onandon Part 2" from 73 Touches (2005)
• John Arnold – "Style and Pattern (Nuff Version)" from Style and Pattern (2005)
• Natalie Williams – "The Way We Like It" from Secret Garden (2006)
• Zion I – "Legacy" from The Take Over (2008)
• The Bamboos – "Can't Help Myself" from Side Stepper (2008)
• Tettorybad – "Don't Push Me" from Unite (2010)
• Horndogz – "Movin' On" (2012)
• Blitz the Ambassador – "Bisa" from The Warm Up EP (2013)
• Raashan Ahmad – "Music" from Ceremony (2013)
• ScHoolboy Q – Tookie Knows II ( part two )